T Before we go to the details of what happens in the sanctuary, last year I ended up in the overflow seating area in the Fellowship Hall. There were 7 of us who simply couldn’t squeeze into the small historic sanctuary of the church my husband is serving. A large circle of chairs had been prepared in the fellowship hall near the big beautiful Chrismon tree and a small crèche. We had bulletins, hymnals and candles for the candle lighting service. Sound, but no video, was piped in. Still one of us was four and a half years old and another was just over two. They were trying, but it was clearly not going to be a great hour for them. We ended up bringing in crayons and paper from a nearby church school room. The children colored quietly on the floor in our midst. Communion was brought from the sanctuary. Seeing how “into his candle” the older boy was, he and I went to the sanctuary and lit our candles in the back of the aisle and sang Silent Night there. He was mesmerized. What I am pondering is what if…
• there was a worship center in the middle of the
circle on a low table?
• there was an Advent wreath that the children there
could light as the one in the sanctuary was being lit?
• there was bread and cup on the table here to be
passed among us rather than brought from the sanctuary?
• the crayons and paper were already there and the
children invited to use them?
• someone was prepared to show the pictures from a
Nativity picture book as the story was read over the speakers from the
sanctuary?
• there was a worship leader there to act as host for
the whole service?
IMHO older children should get priority for sanctuary
seats where the feel of Christmas is strongest. But, maybe a well thought out
overflow space would be especially welcoming to families with young children
high on Christmas. If you have created
one of these, how about sharing with the rest of us in Comments.
The
Texts
Isaiah 9:2-7
This is the most
child-friendly of the set Isaiah readings.
Unfortunately, it is so long that children get lost in the middle. For their sake, edit it to Isaiah 9:2, 6-7.
Psalm 98 is the best of the psalms for children. It offers many short praises that children
can join the congregation in reading.
Groups 1 and 2 might be the congregation and the choir or two halves of
the congregation. The reading is
probably better suited to Christmas Day, but could also be a psalm for
Christmas Eve.
% % % % % % % % % % % % %
% % %
Psalm 98
All: O sing to the Lord a new song,
for the Lord has done marvelous
things.
Group
1: The right hand and holy arm of the Lord
have won the victory
The Lord has made known this victory,
And
showed righteousness
to all the nations.
Group
2: The Lord has remembered steadfast love
and faithfulness to the house of
Israel
All: All
the ends of the earth have seen
the victory of our God.
Group
1: Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all
the earth;
break forth into joyous song
and sing
praises.
Group
2: Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody.
All: With
trumpets and the sound of the horn
Make
a joyful noise before the King,
the Lord.
Group
1: Let the sea roar, and all that fills
it;
the world and those who live in it.
Group
2: Let the floods clap their hands;
let the hills sing together for joy
at
the presence of the Lord;
who
is coming to judge the earth.
All: The
Lord will judge the world
with righteousness,
and the peoples with equity.
Based
on the New Revised Standard Version
% % % % % % % % % % % % % % % %
Luke: 2:1-20
T For the children on
Christmas Eve, it is all about Luke’s story. They are well
served by services of lessons and carols that walk them through the story. Do take care to select a few carols they
likely know. Go to Singing Christmas Carols in Worship With the Children for an annotated
list of carols from which to choose.
TFor family oriented services, lessons and carols invite some visual drama to grab the attention of children hyped up on
Christmas Eve. As each lesson is read,
costumed youth and adults move around the sanctuary as the stories are
read. (Christmas Eve excitement makes
this not a good night for a children’s pageant.
Children do best watching the youth and adults who are the age of the
originals walk through the story. A
child shepherding with a parent is one exception.) Actors may speak or simply walk through their
part as readers read. Mary and Joseph
walk up the center aisle leave out a side door.
Shepherds, angels and their reader may appear in the balcony. The Magi may come one at the time bearing
their gifts regally up the central aisle and bow in front until the end of the
reading. It is often easier not to build
a final scene, but to have the characters leave the sanctuary after their
reading. This leaves space in the front
for choirs, extra musicians, poinsettias, etc.
I have posted the script for such a service that was developed at
Trinity Presbyterian Church in Atlanta.
Find it at Family Friendly Christmas Eve Service of Lessons and Carols.
T If you follow a more “standard” order of
service, consider having the gospel read by
several costumed shepherds.
They could be members of one family (families often stayed out together
to care for the sheep) or a group of teens (bet they often got the overnight
shift). This version is set for three
readers. It could easily be adapted for
more or fewer. It would also be possible
to have one reader read verses 1-7 about the birth, then let the shepherds take
it from there. The shepherds could read
from the usual upfront Bible or around a microphone an unexpected corner of the
sanctuary.
T T T T T T T T T T T T T T
Luke 2:1-20
Shepherd One: In those days a decree went out from Emperor
Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first
registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to
their own towns to be registered.
Shepherd Two:
Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the
city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and
family of David. He went to be
registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.
Shepherd Three:
While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and
wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no
place for them in the inn.
Shepherd One:
In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch
over their flock by night.
Shepherd Two: Then an angel of the Lord stood
before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
Shepherd Three:
and they were terrified.
Shepherd Two:
But the angel said to
them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for
all the people: to you is born this day
in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This
will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and
lying in a manger.”
Shepherd Three: And suddenly there was with the angel
a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he
favors!”
Shepherd One:
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said
to one another,
Shepherd Two: “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing
that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.”
Shepherd Three:
So they went with
haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.
Shepherd One:
When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this
child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and
pondered them in her heart. The
shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and
seen, as it had been told them.
All
shepherds:
This is the Word of the Lord!
T If you have been moving crèche
figures around the sanctuary during Advent, tonight is the night
to add the baby and move the shepherds, sheep and angels into place. If you have not displayed a crèche, add one
tonight. During a children’s time have
the children help you retell the story as together you move or place the
figures. Or, let the children’s
retelling of the story be the presentation of the scripture this night. An unbreakable crèche is a real asset on this
night when “accidents are prone to happen.”
Hebrews 1:1-4 (5-12)
Hebrews
1:1-3
In the past, God
spoke to our ancestors many times and in many ways through the prophets,
Recall Moses, King David and other familiar prophets who were God’s leaders
but in these last
days he has spoken to us through his Son.
Jesus is different from all these
wonderful people in the past.
He is the one through whom God created the universe,
Jesus was present at the creation of the universe
the one whom God has chosen to possess all things at the end.
Jesus will be there at the end of the world.
He reflects the brightness of God’s glory and is the exact likeness of God’s own being,
Jesus isn’t like God, Jesus IS God. Every story about Jesus
is a story about God.
He sustains the universe with his powerful word.
Jesus is present right now holding things together.
After achieving forgiveness for human sins,
he sat down in heaven at the right-hand side of God,
the Supreme Power.
Jesus died on the
cross and rose again forgiving us
and now is with God.
Based on Today’s
English Version
John 1: 1-14
T To
introduce the Word in John’s Prolog
to the children, start with familiar phrases about people and their words.
She’s
as good as her word
You
have my word for it
Do
as I say (as well as as I do)
Actions
speak louder than words
“Don’t
speak of love, show me” – My Fair Lady
In
response to words (about something), “Prove it!” (show me with your actions)
He’s
all words (and no action)
T Consider
giving them a printed copy of the text in which to
underline WORD every time it appears. Then read the text aloud. As you explore it remember that for children
it says
- God is as good as God’s word
- God IS with us in action
- In Jesus every promise (every word God ever spoke) God ever made comes true
After the sermon, use the
text as a congregational affirmation of faith.
T Christmas Eve is also a good night for reading a children’s Christmas story. Check out the
evolving list at Christmas Story Books for Worship.
Two
Ideas For Christmas Day
(or
Some Other Time)
Angels From the Realms of
Glory
- To “Worship” is to say this is the most important person or thing in the world
- Point out the repetitive chorus before singing it
- “Come and Worship, Come and worship, worship Christ the newborn King!”
O Come All Ye Faithful!
- “Adore” is another word for worship. It means I think this is so perfect, wonderful, amazing that I can hardly stop looking at or thinking about it
- Point out the repetitive chorus to encourage non-readers to join in
Angels We Have Heard on High
- Translate the Latin chorus (“Gloria in excelsis Deo” means Glory to God in the highest, to the greatest, to the max….) and connect it to the angels’ song to the shepherds, then
- Practice the words together before singing. Get a musician to help people really enjoy the prolonged Gloria’s and to sing them to God.
Good Christian Friends,
Rejoice!
- “Rejoice!” is the key word
- Also point out the repeated phrase “Christ is born today!” that even non-readers can sing
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
- “Hark” is an old word that means pay attention or listen to this
- “Glory” means awesome, amazing, wonderful… as in “Glory to the newborn King!”
The First Nowell/Noel
- Define “Nowell/Noel” as Good News
If do the praise carols singing, read and explore the early Christmas carol
found in Hebrews 1. See the notes in the Texts section above.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESUS!
T December 25th is
Jesus’ Birthday. Many congregations have
a birthday party for Jesus with children earlier in the season when more
children will be present. But it is
possible to plan a worship service for all ages around the
birthday theme on THE DAY.
Include some or all of the following:
Isaiah
9:1, 6-7 is the birth announcement.
Print it as a birth announcement on the front of the printed order of
worship handed to worshipers or as a card handed to them as they enter the
sanctuary.
Tell
the story of the day he was born using the crèche. Invite the
children forward to help you tell the story.
Hand each child one of the crèche figures, then tell the story in your
own words helping the children add their figure at the appropriate time.
Turn
the prayers of intercession into a collection of birthday wishes for the world Jesus was born to love and save. For example, “Jesus you healed the sick and
injured people you met, today we wish for…..” or “Jesus, you forgave even the
people who killed you, today we wish forgiveness for everyone in our world. Help….”
In an informal setting worshipers might offer their own birthday wishes
for Jesus and for the world.
If
there will be a fellowship hour, have a birthday cake with candles. Have it in the sanctuary so that you can sing
the traditional birthday song for Jesus.
Ask the children to come blow out the candles. (Either cover the cake with candles or
arrange candles into 2013.)
Even
there will be no cake, find a moment in which to sing the birthday song for Jesus.
Merry Christmas!
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