Family Service Ideas Box

Some simple materials and ideas which we have used in a weekly family service in Newcastle upon Tyne, to teach Bible stories to children. We offer them in case they are of use to others.

Our service is at 4pm on a Sunday and starts with a short time of singing and an introduction to the subject before the children go off to do their activities and the adults stay for a gospel message. At 4.50 we all come back together for some refreshments. The children are a group of about 6, aged from 5 to 9.

If you are looking for the pages previously at this location please find them as follows:

Peter & Margaret's family page
Church of God in Newcastle
Walking holiday

Malawi Village

Oxfam picture of a village in MalawiMore information and picture from Oxfam Australia

We hope we can make contact with Norma, Joy and Karl who are visiting Malawi at the moment and include any information they are able to send.

"And my God will supply all your needs out of the magnificence of his riches in Christ Jesus."
(Phillippians 4:19 REB)
Week Subject Introduction Children Adults
1 Water
  • Exodus 17:1-7
  • Norma, Joy and Karl visiting Malawi
  • On a picture of a village with several houses and files, children stick on staws to plan a network of pipes to distribute water to the the houses and fields of vegetables
  • PlayPump We don't know whether these are in use in Malawi but the scheme gave us lots to talk with the children about the involvement of children in pumping water.
  • drainpipe or hose. Children empty a washing up bowl or water on the table using plastic or paper cups, down the pipe to the bowl below.
2 Shelter
  • John 12:1-3
  • Luke 7:36-50
What do we shelter from? weather, cold, noise, thieves
Compare the welcome Jesus received from Mary and Martha, with that received from Simon.
In whatever country we are, homes can be used to provide welcome.
Some really modern buildings in UK are now being built of earth. 		Urban expansion in Blantyre. Other housing needs come from HIV AIDS orphans, asyllum seeks from Mozambique, Floods
3 Food Genesis 41:41-49
Who is Zaphenath-Paneah?
Managing the food resources of a country. 		Cook Mbatata, a delicious potatoe cake made from sweet potatoe Food crisis 2002

Floods and Drought - to store water, irrigation, keep drainage channels clear from silting so that farm land does not get waterlogged

Seeds and Fertiliser - Seed banks set up with village head men to store seed safely from one season to the next. Composting to improve the soil quality.

Crop diversification - more root vegetables - cassava and sweet potatoe which can withstand drought better.

4 Health Proverbs 3:8 Healh and Good food closely linked, Health advice essential.

real mosquito net. How does it work?

Need a good diet and healthy farmers to work the land.

Not many doctors or nurses

Children design posters to tell people how to stay healthy

1 nurse for every 5,500 and 1 doctor for every 50,000.

Wages so low that nurses and doctors easily recruited to work in other countries, including UK.

5 Education
6 Power and Transport

All Aboard, Railway Theme

Railway terminology provides many ways to help explain the gospel message.
Week Subject Introduction Children Adults
1 Beginning the journey Luggage and Umbrella
  • Where do you travel to?
  • Draw people in carriages
  • Jesus with us
2 Junctions Matthew 7:13-14 Points, how does the train get to the other track?
3 Signals Matthew 24:36-42 Make signal
  • Green
  • Double Yellow
  • Yellow
  • Red
Why should I slow down? Train Drivers have to watch and obey
4 Timetable God's plan, God's will Make station clock with Roman numerals Romans 13:11
5 Tunnels Box tunnel, Fear, John 12:46 Make a tunnel out of tables and imagine what you can see at the end
6 Destination We can be sad when the journey is over, but excited if we have arrived in a special place Match famous trains to their destinations For me to live is Christ to die is gain, Phil 1:21

The Psalms

Week Subject Introduction Children Adults
1 Psalm 148 What are Psalms? Make a collage
2 Psalm 139 God knows us Make a pouch with verses for each day of the week
3 Psalm 23 Ups and downs in life Create simple board game
4 Psalm 150 All the different ways to make sounds Make a "Praise the Lord" trumpet

Other themes

yet to be listed

Animals, Bold, Brave, Children, Egypt, Food, Go Tell, Healed, Houses, Jerusalem, Lost, New Life, New Testament stories, Prophets, Rising, Rock, Ships.





"Who is like unto the Lord?"

This is the meaning of Micaiah, of which Micah is a shortened form. The prophet Micah, perhaps in a word play on his name wrote: 
18 Who [is] a God like thee, that pardoneth iniquity,
and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his
heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever,
because he delighteth [in] mercy.
19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us;
he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all
their sins into the depths of the sea.
(Micah 7:18—19 KJV)

© Peter & Margaret Stoner 2009