Welcome to Aurora United Church’s virtual Funday Sunday – Sunday School program! While we cannot meet together on Sunday morning, we can still meet virtually to learn about Jesus by reading the Bible, talking about what we’ve read and doing some activities. Get together with your family and do these lessons when it works for you or phone your friend or other family members who you can’t get together with to talk about these lessons. Have fun!
AUC Funday Sunday on Zoom
Sunday November 28, 2021 - Advent 1 - Hope
Today we begin our journey through the season of Advent - lighting the first blue candle - the candle of Hope. Each Sunday we will talk about on part of the Christmas story. Today we talked about Jesus' family - Mary and Joseph and how important our families are to all of us. We watched the video, Whirl Kids Celebrate Advent (on this page). We played a Christmas trivia game and sang the song Joy To The World (see links below). Here are some activities for you to do at home.
Sunday November 21, 2021 - Reign of Christ
Today was all about Jesus. We talked about all the games that we like to play that use a ball - soccer, football, basketball, dodge ball, tennis, just to name a few. The important thing about playing these games is that you need to keep your eye on the ball for two reasons - to do well and so you do not get hurt. We talked about the story of Jesus and Peter out in the boat and how Jesus walked on water. Peter tried to walk on the water too, but he began to sink because he did not keep his eye on Jesus. How do you keep your eye on Jesus? We watched the video, Jesus - God's Story (on this page). We played a bible trivia game and sang the song Jesus Loves Me (see links below). Here are some activities for you to do at home.
Jesus Walking on the Water (colouring page)
Cheerios Crown of Fruity Jewels
Let's Talk About Racism
Talking to your friends and family about racism can be tough. Here are some books and videos to help you start thinking about it.
More, More, More, Said the Baby
Written and illustrated by Vera B. Williams, Greenwillow Books (AGES 0-2) Blogger Sachi Feris at Raising Race Conscious Children says that in order to have conversations about racism when your kids are a bit older, you have to raise kids who are aware of race as early as possible. Making it seem like race doesn’t exist only serves to hide the fact that racism is something people face. To that end, she recommends reading the adorable and multiracial More, More, More Said the Baby with toddlers, and using it an opportunity to talk about the different races of the characters, and then expanding that conversation at the same time to talk about people of different ethnicities in your child’s life.
All the Colors We Are
Written by Katie Kissinger; photographs by Chris Bohnhoff, Redleaf Press (AGES 3+) All the Colors We Are takes a kidappropriate, demystifying and scientiIc look at why people have different skin colours (spoiler alert, it’s because of who our ancestors are, the sun, and melanin), and introduces the idea that skin colour is just one part of who we are. This smart book also includes activities to help with further discussions about this topic.
The Stone Thrower (Jael Ealey Richardson)
Written by Jael Ealey Richardson and illustrated by Matt James, Groundwood Books (AGES 4-9) A children’s version of a book Richardson wrote about her dad, Chuck Ealey, The Stone Thrower tells the story of Chuck’s life growing up as black kid in a thenracially segregated Portsmouth, Ohio. Chuck loved football, and though he faced many challenges, including poverty and racial taunts, he had an unbeaten record as a quarterback in both high school and university due to his determination. Even with all of this talent, he wasn’t chosen to play that position in the NFL because of his race. Instead, he became a quarterback in the Canadian Football League, and in his Irst year, led his team (the Hamilton Tiger-Cats) to win the Grey Cup in 1972.
Viola Desmond Won’t Be Budged
Written by Jody Nyasha Warner and illustrated by Richard Rudnicki, Groundwood Books (AGES 5-9) In 1946, a Black Nova Scotian woman named Viola Desmond refused to leave her seat in what was then a whites’-only area of a movie theatre. This picture book tells her story with striking illustrations, and offers a fantastic example of standing up for your rights, even when there are strong consequences. (Desmond was taken to jail, charged and Ined for her actions. She was later pardoned, though it was decades after her death.) Viola Desmond is the first Canadian woman featured on Canadian currency.
Kids Speak Their Mind About Race
Discrimination Explained for Kids
Miss Anna Talks to kids about racism. I appreciated THIS video for a lot of reasons: clear, empathetic, short.
Other Resources for Families...
Talking with Children about COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Talking Points from Jeffrey Dale, Shining Waters Regional Council 20.03.20
How to Talk to Children About the Coronavirus Pandemic by Alan Wolfelt at the Center for Loss and Life Transition, 19.03.20
