Use Me God || Parable of the Talents || Matthew 25:14–30

Sunday, November 15, 2020 — Worship@Home resources for FirstPres Hayward

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.

JESUS MAFA. Parable of the Three Servants, or, The Talents, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=48297 [retrieved November 4, 2020]. Original source: http://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr

Scriptural Focus: Jesus spoke through parables or stories to meet people where they were so they could hear the message they needed to hear. In the Parable of the Talents, Jesus’ message is that we should not hide or be afraid to share our gifts; when we share the time, talent or treasures God has given us, they grow and make the world better

Lesson Objective: to think about our own talents and how we can impact the world, even as kids!

Parent/Caregiver Resources:

• “Types of Strengths in Kids” (list with other helpful links to help you and your child identify their gifts)

Opening or Closing Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for giving each one of us unique gifts. Sometimes the world may not value the gifts you gave us, but you make no mistakes. Help us to be brave (even if we are also afraid at the same time) to share our gifts. Help us to say yes to you and to do your work in the world through us, our time, our talents and our treasures. Amen.

Scripture:

• “The Parable of the Talents”

Videos for Kids:

• “Dream Big”

• “This Little Light of Mine” (song)

• “Here I Am, Lord” (song)

• “How to Change the World (a work in progress) | Kid President”

• “#YouCanBeABCs from Sam”

Discussion Questions:

• What are your strengths? Gifts? Special talents?
• Are you ever afraid to share your gifts? Why or why not?
• What do you think happens when people hide their gifts?
• Think of one way you can share your gift with the world.

Play:

• Put on a family Talent Show! Watch this for ideas that are more than music!

Create:

• Make a wiggly worm or puppy puppet as part of your talent show act?

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 see below for my quick picks that you can “read” online!

• “Talents Books for Kids”
• Quick pick: Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal