This page is dedicated to easy ideas and activities to nurture your faith anytime, anywhere.

Here's what to look for on this page 

• ReadyClickGrow: (scroll to the bottom)Hundreds of Quick and easy ideas.  Explore these links for ideas ranging from games to quiet devotions and everything in between. This section links to a few sample ideas, but ALL THE RCG IDEAS are available (and change periodically) when you click any link in this section.
• Ask the Pastor BLOG: An interactive place for you to ask any question that's been burning in your heart.  You can ask questions of your pastors regarding the sermon, Bible lessons, or any other matters of faith with this easy tool.
• The Prayer Square:  Prayers, and links to other resources including YOUTH devotions 
• Family Fun Bible Study & Activities:
  This feature offers word games, activities, interactive puzzles and a kid friendly Bible study. Just added: several new interactive games!
• Milestone Ministry: Our milestone schedule for 08-09 will be up soon, but check out the activity ideas on this page now.
• NEW and interactive. Find over 60 Bible verses to memorize  (one from almost every book of the Bible).  Add your favorites to the list.  See who shares your faves.

Wherever and whenever you travel, keep your faith unpacked.  One of the keys to nurturing faith is to nurture your family.  While any fun family activity may begin and/or end with intentional faith talk or prayer, just the time spent together will lead to faith sharing moments.  

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Some school districts have a Fall Break.  whether you travel or stay in town, go to the local zoo or a science museum and discover God's awesome creation.  Go where the leaves change for a nature/prayer walk under the changing foliage.  Collect some to take home and make collages or placemats as a reminder (shave crayons onto waxed paper, place colored leaves between the shavings, top with more waxed paper and iron).

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Car games:  Faith talk cards.  These cards, which are always available through Bobbie at All Saints, are available in 3 different sets.  They consist of a variety of fun and thought provoking questions that can spark great conversation as you travel to your destination, whether local or across the country.

VeggieTales Marathon:  Make popcorn, gather huge boxes of Hot Tamales, grill some hotdogs.  Gather a collection of VeggieTales or choose any collection of movies you enjoy.  Darken all the windows by hanging blankets over them for more theater style viewing.  If you have the resources available, project a movie outdoors.  Snuggle in for a marathon.

Progressive Dinner (Modified from ReadyClickGrow which can be accessed below with hundreds of great ideas):  One evening allow each member of the family choose a favorite fast food (or casual dine-in) chain restaurant.  Travel from one to another, eating one course of your meal at each location. For example, start with a blooming onion at Chile's, a burger at Wendy's, fries at McDonalds and end with dessert at Dairy Queen.  At each stop, ask the person who chose the location to say a prayer.  Any kind of prayer would be fine.

Below are some additional activity links for your summer vacay plans.

Five ways For parents or Grandparents to share fave Bible verses

Here's a summer list of brief devotions for each week of summer.  Either print out your copy or go on-line while on vacation and spend a few easy minutes in Devotion while on the road.  These are great to discuss in the car or on the plane, too. ON THE GO DEVOS

There are hundreds of ways to pray.   To help nurture your communication with God in ways that are comfortable and meaningful for you, this square offers different suggestions, thoughts or techniques each week.    

Fall leaves prayer

If you travel where the leaves change collect some pretty ones and bring them home.  Otherwise, you can purchase colored leaves at most craft stores, or make some out of colored construction paper.  Place a cornucopia horn or a pretty basket in the center of your table and scatter the leaves around it.

During or before dinner go around the table taking leaves, stating prayer concerns or prayer petitions of any type, placing a leaf in the cornucopia for each prayer.  Continue to fill the horn with leaves throughout the month of October as a symbolic reminder of your shared prayers.

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Wish you spent more time with God in prayer and devotion?  All Saints has devotional materials for all ages. 

Splash! for  new parents    Davey and Goliath for toddlers     Pockets for early elementary age children.       Weekly Bookmarks for 3-6 graders    Portals of Prayer and other written devotions for adults

Click on this ELCA link to devotions for youth

Wed. and Fri. E-devotions for youth and adults

And follow these links to more devotional resources. Some are Lutheran and others are not. If you have any questions about theological content, feel free to contact me (btomasek@allsaintsphoenix.org).   

www.elca.org , www.sharingfaith.org , www.edevotionals.com

Click here for Bible passages to help you with specific topics God's yellow pages  

LOOK OUT BELOW! 

Discover how fun practicing your faith can be.

The sections below are filled with easy bible studies, interactive puzzles, games and coloring and craft ideas, all designed for fun and faith-growth.

 ENJOY!

This mini bible study is presented in a series of downloadable pages.  Simply click on the "title bar link" of your choice for informative, creative and fun studies and ideas for each story in the Bible.  The story guide is a great place to start and is appropriate for all ages, including adults who want to strengthen their understanding of the Bible. 

Sadness About Jerusalem

Lamentations 1:1-11; 3:21-33

A Letter to the Exiles

Jeremiah 29:1-14