The Road to Pentecost: Pentecost and a New Way!

Sunday, May 31— Worship@Home resources for FirstPres Hayward’s Road to Pentecost sermon series

As our congregation has made the decision to move to a digital online format for our Sunday Family Gathering due to COVID-19, FirstPresKids is here to provide resources that can help you create your own at-home family worship experience or supplement the one that will be streamed on Sunday mornings, 10PST from FirstPres Hayward.

NOTE: You can also go to the FPK YouTube Channel to view most (not all) of these materials on this week’s FirstPresKids YouTube Playlist.

Scriptural Focus: Pentecost, the birth of the Christian church and invitation into a New Life.

Objective: to learn the story of Pentecost and take on its invitation to live a new way of life in community, connection and mutuality with our brothers, sisters and siblings — there is no such thing as Others or Other People’s Problems — we mourn and rejoice together

(abstract mosaic of the twelve disciples, some faces looking up, a flame hovering above each figure, source)

Opening or Closing Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for giving us Jesus who shows us how to live — to love you and love our neighbors. Forgive us when we stray from Jesus’ path and are misled by the things of this world: fame, money, power, fear; help us to remember Pentecost, the birthday of the Christian Church and let us find and create a New Life together, as your community of brothers, sisters and siblings — connected to each other, loved by God no matter what. Amen.

Scripture:

• Acts 2
• “God Sends the Holy Spirit” (video)

Discussion Questions:

• Why were the disciples gathered?
• What do you think the Holy Spirit is? What does it look like? Or feel like?
• Have you ever felt the Holy Spirit?
• Why did Peter give a speech?
• Why did 3000 people decide to become Christians?
• What makes someone a Christian? What makes someone a Disciple? Do you think you are a Christian or a Disciple? Why or why not?

Parent/Caregiver Resources:

• “For Families: 5 Tips for Cultivating Empathy” — we belong to each other!

Videos for Kids:

• “Happy Birthday, Church” (FPK original video)

Activity:

• Big and Bigger Tag — watch as God’s love and church grows in this game of tag: “It” holds a bedsheet or bath towel. The person with the sheet will try to tag others by wrapping the sheet “of God’s love” around you. If you get tagged, you join the person by grabbing one end of the sheet and both people try to catch another person. Each time you catch someone, that person will join. (Try to encourage keeping the sheet at waist height, so no one gets knocked over.)

Craft:

• Holy Spirit Paint Blowing

(Pentecost craft in progress: white paper with paint drops, child using a straw to blow paint across paper, finished art, source)

• Holy Spirit Origami Chandelier — use double-sided origami paper or tape orange and yellow paper squares together and cut and assemble following these directions.

(photo of hanging orange and red origami sculpture, source)

Books: libraries are closed and you may not have time to order books, but check out the lists below and often a quick internet search will turn up a video version of many picture books. Or scroll down for my quick picks that you can “read” online!

• Empathy: “35 Children’s Books That Teach Empathy and Kindness”
• Quick picks: The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade by Justin Roberts or “Last Stop on Market Street” by Matt DeLa Peña