Faith@Home: Spiritual Practices for Families

The following practices constitute a “menu” from which you are invited to select an activity each week. You may also consider ideas not on this menu from your own tradition, such as Catholic Rosary, etc. The goal is to establish a new habit that may become a lasting part of family ritual.

• Say grace before meals.
• Take a “thank you, God” walk around your neighborhood. Point out schools, offices, trash trucks, and be thankful about all the people around you.
• Sing with your children – use a song you often sing at church or ask them to teach you a song from school. Camp or scouting songs are good, too!
• In the evening, take turns sharing one grace and one disappointment of the day, share highs and lows.
• Draw, paint, or work with clay together with your child.
• Perform a deed of service with your child(ren).
• Share some silence -- as an invitation, not a command. Start with 20 seconds, then share what each of you has noticed. Work up to a minute or more.
• Talk about giving money to church or a helping agency. Set up a system for children to give their own offerings.
• Attend Saturday or Sunday worship, and reflect on it together afterward. Talk about what you and your child(ren) liked, what was most important, what you would like to leave out, etc.
• Select a Bible story to read or tell each night this week.
• Select a Bible verse for each family member to memorize and carry around with them this week (or provide a basket of possibilities for them to choose).
• Learn prayers in sign language or create your own actions to prayers.
• Bless your child with touch and simple prayer as you part each morning.
• Tell family stories – not necessarily religious in nature, just family stories.
• Walk a labyrinth in the neighborhood, create one in your backyard, or use a finger sand labyrinth or a pocket version. Notice how it makes you feel and talk about it.
• Set up a prayer basket in your home where family members can write prayers of thanksgiving or petition. Read prayers out loud (unless they’re marked “private”) at dinner or bedtime so all can pray for each other’s intentions.
• Pray together – use your own words and/or the Lord’s Prayer.
• Set up a home “altar” where the seasonal color is displayed, flowers and/or a cross are placed, etc. Or use napkins or tablecloth in the liturgical color.
• Read a book together that stimulates “God-talk.”
• Light your child’s baptismal candle (or any candle) on the anniversary of his/her baptism. You might want to look at pictures of the event, or just tell what you and s/he remember. Talk about your child’s name – and yours. Names are very important in the Bible — and in life!

Adapted from Rosemary Beales