DID YOU KNOW?

Halloween began as Hallows Eve, the night before the celebration of All Saints Day - a Catholic holiday remembering the faith of all the saints who have passed before us. Without Christ at the center, it's little wonder that the world began to focus on death and darkness (even if it is in a lighthearted way). But in Christ, we celebrate life, hope, and faithfulness that conquers the power of the grave!
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This year, we invite you to remember the faithfulness of the saints in your own life who have passed on. Share stories of parents, grandparents, and old friends who have gone to be with the Lord. 

Some ideas to celebrate together:

• Make a meal or dessert with a favorite family recipe passed down from a loved one. Talk about any memories you have associated with that food.
• Take some time today to share faith stories with your kids of friends and family members who have passed away. This can actually be a fun opportunity to ask older members of your family to share about your family history. (Tip: You may not have relatives who lived particularly "Christian" lives. That's ok. Take some time to share about the unique ways you saw God's imprint in their life and character, or even the things you learned from their mistakes. Part of the beauty of God's work with humanity is that he loves us and uses us despite our failures!)

See below for print activity and coloring sheet for your kids to keep them occupied during worship!

Miss Emily shared today about what it's like to feel lost, and finding hope in Jesus and with people we love. This can be an excellent opportunity to check in with your kids to see how they're doing during a pretty stressful year.

Around the dinner table or at bedtime, follow-up on discussion from our theme of vision and direction with these questions:

• What do you think about what’s happening right now? (Starting with an open-ended question can help you get a sense of how your kid is experiencing the world around them right now. It may be very different than your experience!)
• How do you think your friends are dealing with everything? (If your kid has a hard time identifying their emotions, it may be helpful to guide them to reflect on how their peers - or even a favorite fictional character - would respond.) 
• I’m feeling [try a bunch of different adjectives here]. How about you? (Modeling and normalizing emotion sharing can be a really helpful way to encourage your kids to open up.)
• What’s got you excited right now? What are you really loving? (This is helpful both because it can be easier to share positive emotions AND because it can remind your child of things that bring them joy.)

The point in all this is open up communication with your kids. Create a safe space and grow together! Don't feel like you need to make everything fit into a nice and tidy box at the end - that can actually create an environment where kids feel less willing to share and acknowledge negative emotions. But DO point back to Jesus and share ways that you have found hope in difficult circumstances.

This week church will be going back to virtual as many are feeling sick. This is in order to help keep everyone safe and healthy. When we are back together, we will continue to encourage you to wash your hands in church and wear a mask when you cannot be socially distant. We want to keep you and your family healthy. Have a great week!