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Advent Activities for the Family

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Advent Activities for the Family

Table of Contents

Santa Doesn't Come to the Poor

Advent Activities for the Family

An Intergenerational Resource

by Judy McMillan; Prayers by Catherine and Justo Gonzalez

Authors

Judy McMillan is a former pre school director at Oakhurst Baptist Church and teacher.

Catherine Gonzalez is a professor of church history at Columbia Theological Seminary in Atlanta, GA. Justo Gonzalez is an author and lecturer in church history working on a ten volume church history in Spanish.

Introduction

These five sessions are for families who wish to study the traditional Advent passages, to anticipate the coming of Christ together, and to focus on the significance of Christ's birth for the poor and disadvantaged.

Participants: Some families may wish to spend the Advent season with the members of their own household. Others may wish to include people who live elsewhere in the community: an elderly person with no family, a single person, a newly divorced person with children, newly arrived refugees, a family in which the adults are unemployed, homeless people who take refuge in night shelters and meals in soup kitchens.

Scheduling: After you have decided who your family will be, schedule a time to meet. Because extraneous activities tend to fill up calendars quickly during Advent, it may be helpfi il to set aside times your family will meet Well in akivance.

Preparing: Review all of the matcriais Well in advance. Read the scripture passages and collect anything vou need prior to each session. It would be helpful to read "Preparing for His Coming: A Study of the Gospel Texts for Advent and Christmas" hy Justo and Catherine GionZalez, which corresponds to this article and is part of the Christmas packet.

Session One: Living Out of a Different Future

GOALS:

ADVANCE PREPARATION:

  1. Leader reviews Matthew 24:36 44.
  2. Gather the following materials: straw or styrofoam wreath form; metal floral picks; 5 plastic candle holder in serts; 4 purple candles; I white candle, taller than the others; greenery to cover Advent Wreath; Bibles for everyone, if available; towels and scarves for each person; purple and yellow construction paper; scissors; glue, Giving Guide II.

Family Plans

CHECKING IN: At the beginning of each meeting it is important for all present to check in with each other, especially if some of the "family" members do not live in the same home. Have each person briefly state something that has happened in the past week that they feel is important to them.

BIBLE READING:

  1. The leader asks each person to read through Matthew 24:36 44 silently. Adults may read to non reading children.
  2. Take turns reading one verse at a time.
  3. Ask the group what happened in the story. Maybe someone could retell it. How did Noah live differently from those around him? Did his faith in God's promise affect his daily living? How would you have reacted to him if you had been his neighbor? Have you ever had othen, ridicule you because you were different?
  4. Act out the story. One person can be Noah, one can be Thunder and Lightning, while the rest may be the villagers. Have each person place the towel on his or her head securely, tying the scarf around to resemble head coverings of Biblical days. Noah begins the action by pantomiming the building of the Ark. The villagers can be dancing, eating, drinking and marrying. Occasionally they go over to Noah and laugh at him. Someone says, "Noah, the sun is shining and there is no water around here. Why are you building an ark? Come dance with us! Make merry!" Noah ignores them and continues working. When he finishes he pantomimes bringing animals into the ark. Finally Thunder and Lightning makes loud thunder noises, flashing the lights off and on. Noah then floats away on his ark as the villagers go sit down.
  5. Leader: "We all know Christmas is coming. How can we get ready? What will we do that may be somewhat different from the way our friends celebrate? Do you think that we may be laughed at just like Noah?"

Ideas:

ACTIVITIES:

  1. Make an Advent wreath: Use the materials you have gathered to decorate the wreath form with greenery. Place it on a sturdy piece of cardboard or on a plate. Be sure to decorate the center of the wreath. Place the four purple candies evenly around the wreath. Place the taller, white candle in the middle.
  2. Explain the symbolism of the Advent wreath: The wreath is round, symbolizing that God's love is never ending. The greenery reminds us of life. The four candles stand for the four Sundays in Advent. The candles are purple, the liturgical color for Advent, reminding us of the royalty of Christ the King. The white candle symbolizes Christ and rests in the center of the wreath to be lit on Christmas Day.
  3. Make Advent chains: Cut enough purple links for each day in Advent. Make one yellow link. Children and even some adults will enjoy cutting off one link each day until they reach the yellow link that stands for Christmas Day.

PRAYER FOR THE ADVENT CANDLE:

O Babe of Bethlehem, as we prepare ourselves for the celebration of your birth, help us to see beyond Christmas to the glory of who you are and shall be for the whole world. In this season, may your light shine in our hearts so that we may see what is amiss in our lives and needs to be changed. Shine also on our common life so that we may see there too what is not in accord with your will. Help us to unafraid to be different than the rest of the world. We ask for the light of your judgment as we light this first candle. In your name we pray. Amen.

LIGHT THE FIRST ADVENT CANDLE:

Light one purple candle. Some families like to start with the youngest child and work up in the family until each person has a chance to light a candle. This is a good time to sit in the dark and look at the lighted candle for a few minutes.

Session Two: A Time of Repentance

GOALS:

ADVANCE PREPARATION:

  1. Read Matthew 3:1 12.
  2. Gather the following materials: 2 sheets of paper for each person; crayons or marking pens; large hand drawn outline map of United States, cut into large puzzle pieces, one piece for each person in family; hymnbook containing "I Sing a Song of the Saints of God" and/or "Lord I Want to Be a Christian" if available; bowl of water for every two people.

Family Plans

CHECKING IN: Have each person tell briefly what kind of day they have had.

BIBLE READING:

  1. Choose a narrator. Ask the most dramatic person in the group to take the part Of John the Baptist. These two will then read the passage for this session which is Matthew 3:1 12.
  2. The leader asks: What was John the Baptist wearing and eating? What did lie ask people to do in order to be baptized? What do you think repentance means? Do you think John the Baptist was speaking just to individuals when he talked about repentance? Who was he referring to when he spoke of the "one to come?"

ACTIVITIES:

  1. Give each person two sheets of paper. On one sheet ask them to draw a picture of something in their lives they'd like to change: a habit, how they treat others, how they spend their money. Have each person show their picture and explain it to the group. Ask what obstacle is preventing them from changing. Leader asks: "Does saying you want to do something different bring about the necessary change? What is necessary for repentance?"
  2. On the next sheet draw a picture of something the person would like to change about how they observe the Advent Season. Follow the same procedure as above.
  3. Pass out part of the United States puzzle to each person. Discuss how nations need to change and repent in order to make the world a better place. Ask each person to write a statement or draw a picture of a new direction they think our country should be heading. Then place all of the pieces together to form a whole nation. Talk about what wholeness means. What could national repentance do to heal the world?
  4. Leader: "Choose a partner. Now sit back and close your eyes. Think of the things you'd like to wash away in your life to make a new beginning." (Pass one bowl of water for each pair.) "Without talking, open your eyes and allow your partner to place your hands in the water and gently wash them. Take turns." After all have finished say, "God loves you and gives you a new beginning."

    (Taken from Christian Education in Family Clusters by Mel Williams and Mary Ann Brittain.)

  5. Sing the songs listed in the materials section.

PRAYER FOR THE SECOND ADVENT CANDLE:

O Jesus Christ, as we prepare for the celebration of your birth, let us cling ever more closely to the Word of God, so that we may be your faithful disciples. Take away from us any selfrighteousness that makes us think that because we are religious we are good. We light this second candle, heeding the cry of John the Baptist that we repent and bring forth in our lives the fruits that befit repentance. In your name we pray. Amen.

LIGHT THE SECOND ADVENT CANDLE

Session Three: Can the Good News Be Offensive?

GOAL:

ADVANCE PREPARATION:

  1. Read Matthew 11:2 11.
  2. Gather the following materials: glue; magazines such as Time, Newsweek, or National Geographic which have pictures of all kinds of people; scissors; large paper circle, cut in half; "Christmas Without Santa Claus" by Milo Shannon Thornberry.
  3. Preview "Christmas Without Santa Claus."

Family Plans

CHECKING IN: Ask members to tell where they are in their planning for Christmas. What are they doing that is different from years past? You may want to use the "What

I Plan to do Instead" section of "Guidelines for Giving II" to help in this discussion.

BIBLE READING:

  1. The leader reads Matthew 11:2 11 out loud. After the passage has been read out loud, read it again, sentence by sentence, pausing after each sentence to ask "What does this sentence mean?" Do not force a discussion. If no one has anything to say, move on to the next sentence. When the entire passage has been examined sentence by sentence, repeat the reading of the whole passage out loud. Matthew 11:6 is a key verse in this passage. The people whose bodies are whole and who have plenty to eat are blessed if they are not offended by the fact that Christ came for everyone, including those who are the least in the eyes of the society.

ACTIVITIES:

  1. Read "Christmas Without Santa Claus" by Milo Thornberrry, which is in the Christmas packet.

    Ask children: Do you ever see children at your school who are left out because they are different? How were they different? Have you ever felt left out? How did you feel? What can you do to make people you know feel included?

  2. Divide into two groups. One group is to cut pictures out of the magazine depicting poor people and people who are different in other ways, their homes, their work. When the group is finished they glue these pictures on one of the half circles prepared beforehand.

    The other group is to find pictures of more affluent people and fill the other semi circle with these.

    The leader shows one of the halves depicting poverty to the group and says that Jesus came for the poor and afflicted on earth. He or she then tapes the other half to it and says, "Jesus came for everyone. Blessed is the person who takes no offense."

PRAYER FOR THE THIRD ADVENT CANDLE:

O Jesus Christ, many were offended at your coming and your message. Give us the strength and faithfulness to be true proclaimers of your good news, even though it may be offensive to many. We light this candle as a sign of your bright light in the midst of a dark world. Help us to be bearers of that light and to call others out of the darkness. This we ask in your name. Amen.

LIGHT THE THIRD ADVENT CANDLE.

Session Four: When God's Action Confuses Us

GOAL:

ADVANCE PREPARATION:

  1. Read Matthew 1:18 25.
  2. Print the names of the family members on small pieces of paper, fold and put in a sack.
  3. Gather paper, pencils, envelopes and marking pens or crayolas.
  4. Hymnbook with "Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel" and any other Advent songs.

Family Plans

CHECKING IN: Ask, "With Christmas so close, what do you plan to do this week to be ready?"

BIBLE READING:

  1. Each person reads Matthew 11:18 25 to him or herself Adults can read to children who are non readers. Choose one person to read aloud.
  2. Leader asks: "What did Joseph wish to do when he found out that Mary was to have a child? What did the angel say to Joseph? Did God act as Joseph would have expected? If you had been Joseph would you have been surprised? What did Joseph do after the angel appeared to him? Can you think of other unusual births in the Bible?" (Sarah and Isaac, Elizabeth and John the Baptist, Hannah and Samuel). The Bible reports Jesus' birth to be the most unusual of all, indicating the great significance of his life on earth.

ACTIVITIES:

  1. Leader: "Tell about a time when you were surprised, confused by something that happened to you." Let any one who wishes answer. "What happened as a result of it? Did something good come out of a seemingly impossible situation? Have you ever felt a bit like Joseph felt? How do you think people felt when they found out that the Messiah's parents were a poor young couple whose livelihood was carpentry? How did many expect Jesus to live on earth?"
  2. Draw the names of people from the sack, one per person. Have each person think of a way to surprise that person sometime during the next week. (A child unaccustomed to vacuuming surprises his or her mother with a clean floor when she comes home from work. A child reads a bedtime story to his or her father.)
  3. Write a letter to the person whose name you chose earlier telling what you appreciate about the person. Use colored marking pens or crayons to decorate the paper and envelope. Younger children may dictate letters to adults to write for them. Save the letter to give to the person at the Christmas meeting.
  4. Ask each person to be ready to tell the group next week what birthday present they hope to give to Jesus.

PRAYER FOR THE FOURTH ADVENT CANDLE

O Lord Jesus Christ, your coming into the world caused confusion even to those closest to the event, and yet faith overcame their confusion and allowed them to be participants in the redemption you brought. Your coming into our world continues to create confusion for us. In our attempts to be just we are still confused, unless our faith in you holds firm. Let this candle be the sign of that gift of faith that can hold back the confusion that darkens our minds so that we too may be participants in the great salvation that is heralded by your birth in our midst. 'Amen.

LIGHT THE FOURTH ADVENT CANDLE

Session Five: Don't Be Afraid

GOALS:

ADVANCE PREPARATION:

  1. Read Luke 2:1 4.
  2. Remind everyone to bring their letters of appreciation to the family meeting and to think about their idea for Jesus' birthday gift.
  3. If anyone plays a musical instrument, ask him or her to bring it.
  4. Hymnbooks with Christmas carols in them. Records of Christmas music.
  5. A creche, if available.
  6. Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree or The Littlest Angel, if available.

Family Plans

CHECKING IN: Each person tells of a gift they plan to give Jesus for his birthday. (Involvement in a shelter for homeless, becoming friends with a lonely person at school, regularly checking on the welfare of an elderly person down the street, giving money to a project which is supportive of Christ's ministry)

BIBLE READING:

  1. Select one person to read the entire passage of Luke 2:1 14.
  2. Select a narrator, a person to read verses 10 12, and a person to read verse 15. The whole group will read verse 14.
  3. Talk about people's favorite parts of the story.
  4. Ask, "Why do you think the shepherds were afraid? How were they reassured? Have you ever been afraid of something new? How did you overcome your fear?"
  5. "Why do you think that God gave the good news to the poor shepherds instead of other people?"
  6. If you have a creche scene let someone either tell or read the Christmas story as the children use the figures to act out the story.

ACTIVITIES:

  1. Pass out letters from the previous week. Encourage people to read their letters aloud if they wish to do so.
  2. Read The Littlest Angel out loud. Both children and adults enjoy this story. Another good book about giving is Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree.
  3. Sing Christmas carols from hymnbooks or sing along with records. Play the Christmas section from Handel's Messiah if available.
  4. If anyone plays a musical instrument, it is great fun to sing accompanied by a guitar or piano. Children will enjoy simple percussion instruments.

PRAYER FOR THE CHRISTMAS CANDLE:

O Lord Jesus, help us to Celebrate your birth rightly so that we may indeed be bringers of peace to the world, even as you are the Prince of Peace. May this candle that we light remind us of the great glory that surrounded the shepherds as they heard the announcement of your birth. May we be unafraid to hear the Good News of your birth in all of its fullness. Be with us throughout this Christmas season, so that this time of celebration may renew and strengthen us for the year ahead. This we ask in your name. Amen.

LIGHT THE CHRISTMAS CANDLE.

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