Families Grow in Faith and Service -- A Worship Model
by Lia Icaza-Willetts, former staff, General Board of Discipleship

Families' Daily Prayer Time Following the "ACTS" Prayer Model

Each member of the family joins in a prayer circle.
Adoration: Offer praise to God. For example, you might say: "God, I praise you because you love me. God I praise you for creation, for sending Jesus to save us."
Confession: Confess to God what you have done wrong, and ask for forgiveness. For example, say: "God, I am sorry for . . . . .Please forgive me."
Thanksgiving: Offer thanksgiving to God. For example, say: "Thank you, God, for your love, your help, for this day, for my family, for my school, and for my friends."
Supplication: Offer your petitions to God -- petitions for yourself, your family, your friends, and people in need. For example, say: "God help me . . ." "God I present to you this petition . . ."

Families Learn, Pray, and Reflect on the Lord's Prayer.

Read the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6: 9-13 and answer these questions:

• To whom do we pray in the Lord's Prayer?
• For what things do we ask?
• What do we promise?

Families Learn to Read the Psalms Every Day

1. Chose a Psalm to read every day of the week.
   
2. Read the Psalms together as a family.
   Weekly Schedule for Teaching Selected Psalms for a Month:

   Mondays: Psalm 117 (praise)
   Tuesdays: Psalm 100 (thanksgiving)
   Wednesdays: Psalm 51 (confession)
   Thursdays: Psalm 55 (supplication/petition)
   Fridays: Psalm 150 (praise)
   Saturdays: Psalm 46 (help)
   Sundays: Psalm 23 (protection)

   
   
3. Ask family members to choose one Psalm and to reflect on it and discuss these questions:

   What is this Psalm about?
   Where do I connect with this Psalm?

Families Grow in Faith When They Have Devotions Together and Individually

Obtain copies of Pockets, Devo'zine, and The Upper Room and give the appropriate resource to the appropriate family member.

Children grow when they read Pockets, a magazine for children.
Youth grow when they read Devo'zine, a magazine for youth.
Adults grow when they read The Upper Room, a daily devotional guide.

Families Serve God and Neighbors

Families serve in acts of mercy in the name of Jesus Christ by:

• Praying for other people: friends from school, from church, and people in need.
• Helping someone every day at home, at school, at work.
• Giving money to the poor and the needy. All could place money daily in the "poor box" in the home. Once a month, take the money from "the poor box" to church to give it to the needy.

• Praying with someone for his/her needs.
• Learning how to give testimony and witness to the love of God.
• Telling others what God is doing in our lives.
• Sharing food, clothes, and love with others.