The first Sunday of Advent is fast approaching and in your parish, you may already be thinking about how to celebrate the coming of Christ. Advent is a time for waiting and preparation for a moment of great celebration – Christmas. How will your church be getting ready?
Tim Hill, Reader and Youth and Children’s Pastor at Horley Team Ministry shares some of his top tips for engaging with schools, children and young people before Christmas and gives an example of how Sparkfish – a local Christian Charity – tells the Christmas story. Tim writes:
‘Oh! I wish it could be Christmas Everyday’, so sang glam rock band – Wizzard and we’ve all sung along at some point, haven’t we?
In our parishes we should certainly be thinking about our Christmas celebrations by now. At Christmas, more people come to church than at any other time, so it is considered a prime outreach season for mission and worship with those who do not regularly visit church.
Schools are open to church input all year, so at Christmas why not invite them to come and visit? You could have a school carol service in the day and repeat it in the evening for adults to come and see it, too. Work closely with the school on the content of your service, so that you can tell the story about the coming of our Saviour. You may also want to prepare a Christingle service or Nativity.
To get these events in the diary, advance notice is crucial, as lots of other school events will already have been planned, so it is a chance for schools to plan their diary around Christmas activities.
Many churches put on special displays for Christmas. This is your opportunity invite schools and ask schoolchildren to come and sing. Get your church community, choir and bellringers involved.
In the Redhill, Reigate and Horley, we partner with Christian Charity, Sparkfish – a local and collaborative, Christian organisation – that aims to inspire and encourage young people in faith, hope and love.
At Christmas the Sparkfish team and volunteers organise an event called ‘A Christmas Journey’ for Year 2 pupils. This is an opportunity for classes of 30 children and supporting adults to come into church where we set up a series of gazebos or tents – each decorated to represent a scene in the original Christmas story.
In each one, the children can listen to a storyteller who narrates the Christmas story – painting a picture of history by using soft slow delivery, different displays and tiny objects.
First, the children are invited to walk to ‘Mary’s kitchen’ where she (a local volunteer or Sparkfish team member) is kneading dough. They watch and listen. Suddenly, Mary is interrupted by trumpets, when Angel Gabriel appears and announces the birth of Jesus. Next the children visit the stable, and using puppets, they can watch the animals taking about the birth. Then the children journey to see the shepherds, but instead see an empty tent, with a hilly backdrop – the shepherds are no longer there. They go to see the wise men, but they are also no longer there! Over the pungent smell of frankincense and a tent draped in fine silk, the children reach the end of their mystical journey and are asked to tell the storyteller what they have seen along their way.
It’s beautiful, almost magical!
As you plan for Christmas with children and young people in your area, know that God is with you as you prepare to share his message.
