Opening Song: "A Happy Family"

Scripture: Matthew 12:25 - And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.

Treat Idea: (and a fun way to use the "Family Unity" theme)

Take your family into the kitchen. Show them each of the ingredients for the cake. Point out that these ingredients are useful all by themselves, but not necessarily tasty. Unless they are mixed together they couldn't be called a delicious dessert. Mix the cake, and pour it into the pan. Let each person help prepare it. Bake it while you finish the lesson. Explain that each family member has his own strengths, talents, and interests. By himself each person could accomplish many things. But without a feeling of unity, a desire to work together and support each other, all of the separate people who live in your house couldn't be called a real family.

Chocolate Cavity Cake

1 (18.25 ounce) package dark chocolate cake mix
1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream (light is fine)
3 eggs
1/3 cup applesauce or vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk with a splash of vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (mini ones are great!)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour (for a nicer look you can dust with cocoa instead) a 10 inch Bundt pan. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, eggs, applesauce and milk with vanilla. Beat until ingredients are well blended. Fold in chocolate chips. Batter will be thick. Spoon into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until cake springs back when lightly tapped. Testing with a toothpick won't work because of the gooey chocolate chips. Cool 10 minutes in pan, then turn out and cool completely on wire rack.

Supplies needed: a few toys, a box (or designated area to put toys), 10-15 pieces of train track (or puzzle pieces, or legos, or similar), rope or sheet/blanket/towel/belt (can add paper flag taped or tied to center for tug-o-war), timer (wristwatch is fine)

Lesson: Working together, our family can meet goals.

Activities:

1. How long to get toys picked up by 1 family member? (Time it) Now how long if we all do it together? (Time it and compare)

2. How fast can 1 person put the train track (puzzle, legos, etc) put together? (Time it) Now how fast if we all do it together? (Time it and compare)

3. Have 2 similar size children (or parents) tug of war. Note that working against each other makes for very hard work. If all family members tug for one side (leaving the other end with no one on it), we win very easily. Who were we tugging with the last time when it looked like no one was at the other end? Satan.

So.. If we work together to keep Satan out of our home/lives, we can do it very easily! We are so much stronger when we work together!

Discuss how we can improve our family unity. Have family members take turns sitting in a chair in the middle of the room. Have the family think about two or three things they could do to support that person. You may need to give an idea or two to get them started. For example, if one member of the family is involved in a school activity, you might suggest that the family could be sure to attend the event together. After each person has had a turn, challenge everyone to do one small thing every day that will make the family more unified. Have everyone write down one specific thing he will do each day.

e.g. Mom/Dad - make family monthly budget together and discuss. Children - always be willing to help. Everyone - be kind at all times. Give lots of compliments each day.

Have everyone take a few minutes and write down (or color a picture depicting) what they'd like to work on that week to encourage family unity. Post these on the fridge or on the wall to look at during the week.

Closing Song: Families Can Be Together Forever (Hymnbook and Children's Song Book)