THE GARDEN BLOG
Family ministry at Rez
Family Ministry during COVD-19
Dear Rez Family,
We set a vision for a sabbatical year together just a couple short months ago. Many of us were tired, even exhausted by our responsibilities and full calendars pulling us in every direction. It seemed much needed and appropriate to invite God to come closer into our daily lives and teach us how to “get a good rest” and “learn his unforced rhythms of grace.” Lent came and we considered fasts that may help us further quiet our lives and listen to the Spirit speak. With the addition of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus), our time has been physically removed from one another and it may seem all too easy to allow anxiety to sweep over us in maintaining rhythm and care for our own families. Nothing seems as it should be- at school, events, home, or even church. Rhythms of grace seem easily replaced by fear, doubt and anxiety cast over us in the midst of this global pandemic.
As I sit in my own home and pray for those affected by Coronavirus, I cannot help but hearing a soft, “come, get away with me. Let me recover your rest. Let me teach you my unforced rhythm of grace.” I am reminded of the Lord’s words in Matthew 11; and I wonder if he is giving us, his people, a unique opportunity to “come get away with him.” Could he be decluttering our schedules and inviting us to come get a good rest? Perhaps Jesus is offering us a gentle rhythm of his grace while we stay home. Perhaps our lenten fasts invite us to lean into his mercies and grace to pray for our own hearts, our families, neighbors, and nation at this time. Perhaps this is a time that will mold our families’ lives and give our kids an anchor for their faith in years to come as we allow God to transform our own anxious hearts in this time.
As plans are cancelled and we take precautionary measures to remain healthy, I invite you to join me in asking God for help in getting away with him, getting a good rest in his presence, and learning his unforced rhythms of grace. There’s still so many ways that we can love Him and love each other during this time. May he replace our doubt with hope, our fear with trust in his faithfulness and anxiety with peace greater than our understanding.
If you’re looking for practical ways to work this out with your kids, I’ve included some ideas below. Take any you’d like and as are practical for your family.
Grace and peace,
Lauren McCain
Family Ministry Director
Daily Prayer : This season and extra time at home is a perfect time to begin practicing daily prayer habits with the Book of Common Prayer and other helpful resources.
If you’re new to the Book of Common Prayer and unsure where to start, the Simple Daily Prayer for Families is an easy place to start! Download, share, and print!
If you’re ready to dive into the full Book of Common Prayer, I encourage you to choose one or more prayers a day and commit to them regularly.
Daily morning prayer begins on page 11
Midday prayer begins on page 33
Evening prayer begins on page 41
This is an appropriate time as well to engage with kids about the importance of praying not only for ourselves but for our families, neighbors, communities, nation, and the whole world under God’s care.
If you don’t already, find small quiet spaces to practice listening for God’s quiet whispers.
Invite your kids to color icons or crosses, light a candle, burn incense if you keep it at home, print a favorite Bible passage or one you are memorizing together, or anything else that helps your family lean in and practice listening to God and speaking to him.
Invite your kids to write their own prayers for family, neighbors, our nation, and the world.
Talk about stories of God’s faithfulness and invite your kids to draw pictures that remind them of those times. They may also enjoy drawing pictures that remind them of family, friends, and neighbors they would like to pray for. They may use art as prayer and/or add it to their own prayer corner at home!
Lenten Fasts, acts, and memorization: This season, we give up certain pleasures in order to create space for God. Isaiah challenges us to consider this season not only as a fast from pleasures, but more importantly to consider acting in regards to others around us. With COVID concerns rising, may we be increasingly attuned to where God is asking us to share his love with those who need it most. Isaiah’s passage, or a portion thereof is a great choice for memorization or regular reading.
Isaiah 58:7-9 (The Message)
“What I’m interested in seeing you do is:
sharing your food with the hungry,
inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on,
and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way.
The God of glory will secure your passage.
Then when you pray, God will answer.
You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, ‘Here I am.’
Psalm 43 is one of desperation for God’s help. The Psalmist asks God to bring him into his presence and restore his hope. In verse 5, the Psalmists speaks inward to his own soul of God’s goodness.
Psalm 43:3-5 (The Message)
Give me your lantern and compass,
give me a map,
So I can find my way to the sacred mountain,
to the place of your presence,
To enter the place of worship,
meet my exuberant God,
Sing my thanks with a harp,
magnificent God, my God.
Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God—
soon I’ll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face.
He’s my God.
St. Patrick’s Day: Spend time this St. Patrick’s day learning the saint’s story with your kids. Find Pinterest activities that your kids may love and make green food for the fun of it. Consider talking through his poem of faith and trust in God. Perhaps your kids would like to make art with a line or two that strikes a cord with them, perhaps you memorize it together.
“St. Patrick’s Breastplate”
"Christ be within me, Christ behind me,
Christ before me, Christ beside me,
Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ inquired, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger."
Conversations: Unfortunately, kids are not immune to the fear, doubt, and anxiety plaguing our world. They hear more unsettling news than we would like and ask questions about the future and even quietly wonder about their own safety and wellbeing. God is always in control, always faithful, and always loving. The dinner table is a simple and safe place to engage with your kids about fears or doubts they may have. Find passages of God’s promises of his faithfulness, love, and sovereignty even in this shaken world. Here’s a few to start with:
Isaiah 26:4 “Trust in the Lord forever, for in God, the Lord we have an everlasting Rock.”
Psalm 43:4 “O send out your light and your truth, let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill, and to your dwelling places.”
Psalm 23- The Lord is our shepherd, even in scary dark places he takes abundant care of us!
Lamentations 3:22-26 - in a dark place for Israel, Jeremiah hopes in God and praises him for his abundant faithfulness!
Matthew 6:3-33 (The Message)“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.”
Helping Others: Our staying home and cancelling plans is preventative action in order to slow the spread of the virus. Nevertheless, many hourly workers and kids who would have school meals are now going without. If you are able, consider these ways to help and brighten spirits.
Give to the food drive (Follow the link in Rez’ page)
Invite your kids to write notes or draw pictures for those who will receive meals
Invite your kids to FaceTime or write letters to the elderly you know or those with compromised immune systems as they are taking greater safety precautions at this time. Notes and cards will make their days!
The Examen: Ignatius of Loyola encourages us to close our days with this simple practice called the “Examen”. It is reflective in nature and each part. The leader speaks each line aloud before the family reflects on it- either aloud, silently, or in journaling. This is a great opportunity for learning how to become aware of God’s presence even in uncertain times. This will look different for each family structure.
Become aware of God’s presence where you are.
Review the day with thankfulness and gratitude.
Acknowledge any emotions that were present throughout the day or now.
Choose one feature of the day and pray from it or for it.
Look toward tomorrow, pray that God be with you.
Reflection: Invite your kids to make reflection journals as they end the day with the Examen. These may simply be used a few moments a day to reflect on what they are feeling or learning. They may be private or they may be a platform for conversations together.
Rest: What does enjoyable rest look like for your family? Do you love games, reading together, taking naps, learning together, doing silly art projects or crafts? This is such a great time to reconnect and slow down enough to do them all. Let’s lean into this strange season and hold our hands, hearts, and minds open to the rest God could be trying to give us despite the uncertainty all around. It’s certainly a discipline to add new rhythms and perhaps replace screen time, but when this is all sorted out, may we reflect on the time stronger and closer to one another than before. Let’s receive God’s love, love him, and love each other.