Advent and Christmas are
filled with many treasured worship traditions, stories, and songs. Preachers often worry about finding something
fresh to say. But, for children all these
traditions are new, even unfamiliar.
They encounter them only one month of the year. At one time American churches counted on the
public schools to present the basics of the story and teach the best known
Christmas carols. That day is past. So, congregations must be intentional about
introducing their children to the Advent Christmas stories and songs. Some of this is best done in classes,
children’s events, and choirs. But, it
is also possible to do it in worship.
Actually, many adults either enjoy sitting in on the next generation’s
learning or learning something that they may have missed before. So, as you think about the Advent traditions
and songs, ask “what do the children need, if they are to participate in this with
at least some understanding?”
A Few Advent Traditions to Think
About
* Most
congregations love lighting the Advent
Wreath. But lighting the
wreath with a collection of people reading a verse and a prayer each week can
be an awkward spot in the service. Often
people in the pews lose all the words and simply enjoy the candles. There are other ways to do it.
1.
Instead of lighting the wreath at the
same time in the service, tie it to different parts of worship. Rather than following a verse-prayer-lighting
format, light the candles as part of that element of worship. Specific directions are offered each week
this year. The general flow is
Ø Week
One: Prayer of confession to name
darkness, assurance is the lighting of the candle
Ø Week
Two: Offering or affirmation of faith
Ø Week
Three: set the Joy theme lighting the
candles at the Call to Worship or during a rejoicing hymn or carol
Ø Week
Four: Sing “Here Am I” at affirmation
time to stand ready with Mary
OR paraphrase Romans at the benediction
OR paraphrase Romans at the benediction
Ø Christmas
Eve and/or Day: At the time you generally pass the peace, light the four
candles of Advent then light the Christ candle proclaiming “Christ is
born!” Invite people to say the phrase
in greeting people around them.
2.
Instead of reading as the candles are
lit, sing a song. Three below have both
good choruses that can be sung each week and child friendly verses that can be
added as the weeks progress.
“When God Is a Child,” by Brian Wren. (This could be sung responsively with a choir
or soloist singing the verses and the congregation singing the choruses.)
“Christ Be Our Light”, by Bernadette Ferrell (Another way to use this is to sing the
chorus only each week as that week’s candles are lit just before the call to
worship.)
“Christmas is A Coming, the Church is Glad to Sing,” by John L.
Bell
“Kumbayah, Lord / Come by Here, Lord”
 |
| This creche graces the sanctuary at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Charlottesville, VA. The tallest figures are 15 inches tall. They are all lightweight and unbreakable. |
* Children
do not have as many opportunities to hear the nativity story as they once
did. So, displaying
a large (for visibility), unbreakable (for fearless handling) crèche in the
sanctuary and referring to it often during Advent is a good way
to build children’s familiarity with the story.
It might be used different ways in different years. Some years the figures might begin Advent
scattered throughout the sanctuary making their way to the manger over the
weeks. Other years all the figures may
spend the season in a one place around the manger with individual figures being
moved out for special attention each week.
Or, the figures could begin Advent in a huddle waiting together until
each is featured and moved into place near the manger. If you move the figures this year, there are
several possibilities for each week.
Find details in each week.
1.
Unpack and set up the figures talking
about what each one is doing and wishing for before Christmas.
2.
Feature a shepherd to either explore
Isaiah’s shepherd who feeds the flock OR to stand in for John the Baptist OR feature
the empty manger
3.
Feature a shepherd to be a John the
Baptist look-a-like OR maybe Mary (if not saving her for next week)
4.
Feature Mary
5.
Christmas Eve/Day: Add the baby to the manger. Or, hand each child one of the pieces to add
to the scene as you tell the story in your own words. Or, add the shepherds on Christmas Eve and
the magi on Christmas Day.
* If you have a Chrismon tree, feature a different ornament each
week. In
early Advent display it in the worship center.
Once the tree is up, point to it with a flashlight. Connect it to the theme for that day. Possibilities to consider this year include:
Ø Advent
1: hand of God who is at work in the
world
Ø Advent
2: alpha-omega ornaments or a shepherd crook
cross
Ø Advent
3: stars for joy – maybe, but probably
need to save for epiphany
Ø Advent
4: Rose for Mary ornament
Ø Christmas
Eve: the nativity ornament
Ø Christmas
Day: enjoy the whole tree and note that every ornament tells us about Jesus
Ø Epiphany:
any of the stars or candles
* Advent hymns and Christmas carols
are among the favorites of many worshippers.
But, they are generally sung during a very few weeks in worship. We used to depend on the schools to teach
them to the children, but that no longer happens. Indeed, I listened to a podcast in which
three Lutheran seminary professors suggested that in order to “save our
heritage of Christmas carols” we need to find ways to include them in Advent
worship. Many congregations already do
that. Now seminaries seem to be
recognizing the wisdom of that. So,
choose Advent-Christmas hymns carefully and plan to do more than just sing
them.
Ø Walk
through them with the congregation before singing them. Put key words or phrases into your own words
and point to the message of the carol.
Ø Choose
songs with simple choruses that can be rehearsed with the whole congregation
before singing so that young readers can join in the singing.
Ø Sing
the songs in different ways to call those familiar with the song to really hear
what they are singing and to help younger singers understand the psalm. Several, such as “Watchman Tell Us of the
Night,” beg for responsive singing.
Ø Replace
generally spoken parts of worship with verses or whole carols.
Ø Lace
sermons with references to the carols – even directing worshipers to open their
hymnbooks to review a given carol. If
you are comfortable doing so, sing a phrase or two. If you are not a public solo singer, enlist
the help of the choir, a soloist, or the whole congregation to sing a verse or
a chorus before or after your comments in the middle of the sermon.
Many of these can become childrens’ times just
before a congregation hymn, but they are best addressed to the whole
congregation. Again detailed suggestions
for this are found in posts for each week.
Also check out the annotated list of carols that most children
appreciate at Singing Christmas Carols in Worship with Children and the suggestion for children leading in a
carol each week during the lighting of the Advent wreath at Children Learning and Leading Carols in Worship.
* Other posts on this blog that you
might find helpful include:
Christmas Story Books for Worship started with the worship leaders in the lectionary study group
I attend sharing story books they have used in worship during Advent and
Christmas. It is not a list of all the cool Christmas books I know, but a list
of those I can imagine being read in the sanctuary.
Annotated List of Carols is an annotated list of
carols children can be drawn into singing.
Looking ahead to those big Christmas
services
And of course remember to use the The Lectionary Index and Scripture Index to find ideas related to specific texts.
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