Church Family Moment for Sunday, January 18, 2026

By Director of Spiritual Formation Rebecca Guzman

1. Story Connection: This Is the Church
   Listen to This Is the Church by Sarah Raymond Cunningham. This story reimagines a nursery rhyme many of us learned as children: “Here is a building, it may have a steeple, but where is the church? The church is the people!” From the very beginning, the church has never just been a building—it has always been people who belong to God and to one another. As you listen, wonder together: how can you choose to be the church?
2. Craft: The Church Is the People
   Use this printable craft. Print and cut out both rectangles. Fold the top piece where indicated and glue the bottom piece as shown. When finished, the craft opens to reveal that the church is not just a building—it is the people inside.
3. Game: Build-a-Church (People First!)
   Gather a few items—blocks, cups, pillows, or paper. First, work together to build a “church building.” Then gently remove the building and use the same materials to create a circle, path, or gathering space where people can fit. Talk about how buildings are helpful, but it is people loving, serving, praying, and welcoming that truly make the church.
4. Wonder Together

• I wonder what it really means to be the church.
• I wonder how God is calling you to be part of the church.
• I wonder how our words and actions show that we belong to God.