Ideas for Summer Family Ministries
IDEAS FOR SUMMER FAMILY MINISTRIES Written by MaryJane Pierce Norton, Associate General Secretary, Leadership Ministries, GBOD GRACIOUS GOD. We pray for those enjoying a time of vacation this week. We ask for travel mercies for each one. Even as we miss them during the time they are away, we also know that this can be an important time for each. We pray that during this time of vacation, each person’s eyes will be open to the blessings you provide day by day. May they also be open to ways they can spread the message of your love to all they meet in actions that are kind, considerate, trustworthy, and caring. Bring them safely back to this congregation enriched by their vacation and ready to once again take up their daily tasks. AMEN.
June: o Hold a church-wide picnic. Check the site for accessibility and plan activities that involve all ages. o Recognize men in the congregation who are fathers in families or fathers in faith. o Print the prayer below and place in the church newsletter or in the summer worship bulletin as a prayer for all traveling on vacation during the summer. o Develop a Summer Vacation Packet for families on vacation. Include in the packet The Upper Room Daily Devotional Guide, a Bible story book for those with younger children, the Praise God game found at the end of this article, and the prayer for those on vacation.
July: o Set aside a bulletin board in the church. Encourage those who have been on vacation to post something on the board that tells about their vacation. OR create a space on the church website for families to submit “vacation memories." o Plan a service project that allows families to help the homeless or hungry in your community. Be sure it is child-friendly and indicate at what age it is appropriate for children to participate with parents and other members of the congregation. o Plan a talent fair. Invite children, youth, and adults on their own or families together to prepare a booth or table activity highlighting a talent or hobby they enjoy.
August: o Have an end of summer ice cream social. Ask church members to bring school supplies to donate to local schools for families that cannot afford supplies for their children. o Offer a back to school bash at the church. Invite older members to share memories of their school experiences. o Designate the Sunday prior to the start of school in your community as “Backpack Sunday.” Invite students and teachers to bring their backpacks to the service. Use the Blessing of the Backpacks included here. Give to all nametags for their backpacks with the following note, “This backpack was blessed on __________(date) by ___________(name of church).
IDEAS FOR SUMMER FAMILY MINISTRIES Print the following game card (or create your own) and include in a vacation packet for families. At the end of vacation, each one share with other family members their praises to God. PRAISE GOD GAME CARD As you see or experience each item below, write in the square the date, and a one-word praise to God for the item.
A Smiling Face of a Loved One
A United Methodist Church
Ice Cream on a Hot Day
Summer Rain
Flowers Blooming in a Field or Yard
A Blessing at a Meal
Looking at Stars in the Night Sky
Playing a Game with Family Members
Taking a Photo of Something You Want to Remember
Watching a Movie
Seeing a Sunrise or a Sunset
Praying for Someone Who You Meet on Vacation
Finding An Unusual Rock or Stone
Beautiful Water (Lake, River, Stream, or Ocean)
Hearing a Vacation Memory told by a Loved One
Reading a Book
Praying With Family Members
Giving Money or Time to a Person in Need
Sending a letter, postcard or email to a Loved One
Getting a Good Night’s Sleep
A BLESSING OF THE BACKPACKS AND THE SCHOOL YEAR AHEAD (Prior to using this blessing, ask children and youth in the congregation to come forward, bringing with them their backpacks to be blessed.) Leader: Today we have before us backpacks that will be carried to and from school by the children and youth gathered here. These backpacks will contain work to be done, work that has been returned, books to be studied, tools to use to accomplish the school work assigned. Notebooks, pencils, pens, protractors, compasses, crayons, rules, scissors, glue sticks – and other items that are used for school work will find their way in and out of these backpacks. Some days the students will have so much crowded into these backpacks that they may find it difficult to walk. Other days, they will be light and nearly empty. But on each and every day, these backpacks represent work required of the students gathered here. And as in every aspect of our life, we bring these before God for blessing at this time. Let us pray together: “Gracious God, we lift to you today, these students. They stand here ready to receive your blessings and they commit themselves to study and learning in the school year ahead. We ask your blessing on each of them. Further, we ask your blessing on these backpacks. They will hold the school work of each student and will be carried from home to school and back again. As these students carry these backpacks, may they be reminded of the love and care of this congregation that surrounds them each school day. We pray as well for the teachers and administrators in our schools. May they also be sustained by your blessing. May they be reminded that this congregation embraces their call to teaching and learning and surrounds them with love and care as well. We pray in the name of Jesus who we seek to follow day by day. Amen. (Following the litany, if you are providing tags for the backpacks, distribute these to the children and youth gathered.)
June: o Hold a church-wide picnic. Check the site for accessibility and plan activities that involve all ages. o Recognize men in the congregation who are fathers in families or fathers in faith. o Print the prayer below and place in the church newsletter or in the summer worship bulletin as a prayer for all traveling on vacation during the summer. o Develop a Summer Vacation Packet for families on vacation. Include in the packet The Upper Room Daily Devotional Guide, a Bible story book for those with younger children, the Praise God game found at the end of this article, and the prayer for those on vacation.
July: o Set aside a bulletin board in the church. Encourage those who have been on vacation to post something on the board that tells about their vacation. OR create a space on the church website for families to submit “vacation memories." o Plan a service project that allows families to help the homeless or hungry in your community. Be sure it is child-friendly and indicate at what age it is appropriate for children to participate with parents and other members of the congregation. o Plan a talent fair. Invite children, youth, and adults on their own or families together to prepare a booth or table activity highlighting a talent or hobby they enjoy.
August: o Have an end of summer ice cream social. Ask church members to bring school supplies to donate to local schools for families that cannot afford supplies for their children. o Offer a back to school bash at the church. Invite older members to share memories of their school experiences. o Designate the Sunday prior to the start of school in your community as “Backpack Sunday.” Invite students and teachers to bring their backpacks to the service. Use the Blessing of the Backpacks included here. Give to all nametags for their backpacks with the following note, “This backpack was blessed on __________(date) by ___________(name of church).
IDEAS FOR SUMMER FAMILY MINISTRIES Print the following game card (or create your own) and include in a vacation packet for families. At the end of vacation, each one share with other family members their praises to God. PRAISE GOD GAME CARD As you see or experience each item below, write in the square the date, and a one-word praise to God for the item.
A Smiling Face of a Loved One
A United Methodist Church
Ice Cream on a Hot Day
Summer Rain
Flowers Blooming in a Field or Yard
A Blessing at a Meal
Looking at Stars in the Night Sky
Playing a Game with Family Members
Taking a Photo of Something You Want to Remember
Watching a Movie
Seeing a Sunrise or a Sunset
Praying for Someone Who You Meet on Vacation
Finding An Unusual Rock or Stone
Beautiful Water (Lake, River, Stream, or Ocean)
Hearing a Vacation Memory told by a Loved One
Reading a Book
Praying With Family Members
Giving Money or Time to a Person in Need
Sending a letter, postcard or email to a Loved One
Getting a Good Night’s Sleep
A BLESSING OF THE BACKPACKS AND THE SCHOOL YEAR AHEAD (Prior to using this blessing, ask children and youth in the congregation to come forward, bringing with them their backpacks to be blessed.) Leader: Today we have before us backpacks that will be carried to and from school by the children and youth gathered here. These backpacks will contain work to be done, work that has been returned, books to be studied, tools to use to accomplish the school work assigned. Notebooks, pencils, pens, protractors, compasses, crayons, rules, scissors, glue sticks – and other items that are used for school work will find their way in and out of these backpacks. Some days the students will have so much crowded into these backpacks that they may find it difficult to walk. Other days, they will be light and nearly empty. But on each and every day, these backpacks represent work required of the students gathered here. And as in every aspect of our life, we bring these before God for blessing at this time. Let us pray together: “Gracious God, we lift to you today, these students. They stand here ready to receive your blessings and they commit themselves to study and learning in the school year ahead. We ask your blessing on each of them. Further, we ask your blessing on these backpacks. They will hold the school work of each student and will be carried from home to school and back again. As these students carry these backpacks, may they be reminded of the love and care of this congregation that surrounds them each school day. We pray as well for the teachers and administrators in our schools. May they also be sustained by your blessing. May they be reminded that this congregation embraces their call to teaching and learning and surrounds them with love and care as well. We pray in the name of Jesus who we seek to follow day by day. Amen. (Following the litany, if you are providing tags for the backpacks, distribute these to the children and youth gathered.)
