Connecting Church and Home during COVID-19 …
“Back of the loaf is the wheat and the flour. Back of the flour is the mill. And back of the mill is the rain and the shower and the sun and our God’s will.” Sung to the tune of “Michael Finnegan.”
Mealtime prayer, during this time of physical distancing and extra hours spent in our homes, is an effective faith practice that can bring joy, laughter, and connect us to God and one another.
Grace before or after a meal is a reminder that there is a seen and unseen community involved in bringing food to the shelves in grocery stores, to one’s door or preparing it for pick-up delivery – people who continue to serve us in these unprecedented times. Grace is an offering of Thanksgiving and acknowledgement of God’s abundance and one’s connection to the larger world.
How many of you have experienced being at a camp and joyfully sing mealtime prayers to familiar tunes from commercials or popular themes from movies? The new words for singing Grace most often appear hand written on white poster board and are held high by a camp staff person, for all to see.
During a time when we need some levity and laughter, how about incorporating these easy-to-sing songs into the daily routine of mealtime at home? Sing a camp-style Grace each day before eating. Makeup your own song and record your family singing the selection and share it on the HomeGrown Faith Facebook page or your favorite social media platform so other families and friends can access it anywhere and anytime.
Thank you to the Girl Scouts of America for this useful site listing 42 mealtime prayers sung to popular and familiar tunes. Click on the song title and it goes to a link with a young person singing the tune, in case it is unfamiliar to you.
Check this out – an extensive curated site of more than 100 songs. A Menu Bar lets you search by tune, first words, international songs, non-English and more. Impressive!
Ultimate Camp Resources offers a useful list.
As St. Augustine famously said, “Whoever sings, prays twice.”
Post your stories – and songs – on the HomeGrown Faith Facebook page.
Linda 
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