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Preparing to Celebrate the Birth of Christ

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Christmas Pack #11
Preparing to Celebrate the Birth of Christ: Intergenerational

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Preparing to Celebrate the Birth of Christ

A Four Session Activity Guide for Leaders of INTERGENERATIONAL GROUPS

By George Koehler

Author

George E. Koehler is Associate Director of Resource Development for Discipleship Resources, the publishing arm of the Board of Discipleship of the United Methodist Church. He is the author of "Learning Together: A Guide for Intergenerational Education in the Church" and other intergenerational resources.

He also wrote the script for the video The Celebration Revolution of Alexander Scrooge for Alternatives.

Introduction

Celebrating Christmas is no snap. For many of us, Christmas is the most time consuming, harried, expensive, and exhausting event of the year. For some it is the least satisfying. For others it is an emotional and spiritual disaster!

However, we don't want it to be that way. On December 26th we may say, "Now next year...." But as "next year" rolls around we often fall into the old habits again, trapped by our own and others' expectations, captured by the alluring advertisements, perhaps driven by guilts we don't even recognize. And so again, we "go all out."

Oh, to be sure, in the midst of all the bustle there are beautiful moments of singing and sharing, of touching one another's hearts, of sensing the mystery of God's gift of love in Jesus Christ. We treasure these moments. And we wonder, "How can all of Christmas be more like that?"

It can! We can experience a more spiritually fulfilling Christmas if we take time well in advance to consider how best to celebrate Jesus' birthday this year, to make some commitments to do it that way, and to stick by these commitments.

We could each make commitments alone or with a few others our own age. Or, we could make commitments as a family. All considered, one of the best ways to do this is in a group of people of all ages, a group where children, youth, and adults can help one another think through and pray through what it means to rejoice in Jesus' birth. Young and old, single and married  all have gifts to   bring to a discussion of this important issue.

This four session resource was designed to guide intergenerational groups as they consider what kinds of activities are appropriate in the Christian celebration of Jesus birthday, and as they decide which of these actions will be a part of their Christmas celebrations this year.

PARTICIPANTS

The activities suggested for this program are appropriate for first graders through older adults. If you decide to lower or raise the age of the youngest participants, you will want to make some changes in the plans. The plans call for participation by single people, couples, families with children, families with youth, and so on. Although participation "by families" can be a great asset, the program should in no way be limited to those who are living in families. Also, remember that within families there will be some who will not be able to or will not wish to participate.

SCHEDULING THE SESSIONS

There are several ways the four sessions of this program might be scheduled and connected to one another. Consider which of these would best suit your congregation, or invent still another plan of your own: 1. A series of four monthly sessions: mid-September, mid October, mid November, mid December. 2. A first session in late October or early November; the other three sessions in the first three weeks of Advent. 3. First session in late October or early November as a group; then the participants break down into smaller groups for three simultaneous learning centers.

TIME AND PLACE

Once you have decided how to schedule the sessions, consider what time of the week would be best in your church:

PREPARATION NOW

Before the unit starts, look over the following list and order or secure what will be needed:

Session One: Celebration Values

(Note: In this guide, the first session is described in some detail. Suggestions for the other three sessions are sketched more briefly.)

GOALS

PREPARATION

NEED

SESSION PLAN

1. Welcome

Have several people on hand to welcome people as they arrive, to help them make name tags, and to divide them into clusters. In each cluster of about eight, put one or two families and some single persons. (Advance registration would help this process, but adjustments will be necessary during the first few minutes 'of the session.) As people are seated invite them to begin by sharing an early Christmas memory.

2. Orientation

When all have arrived and had a chance to share in the small groups, ask for their attention. Review:

(a) the purpose and main themes of these sessions using materials from the first few paragraphs of this guide;

(b) the overall design for the four sessions;

(c) the goals for this first session.

3. Remembering

After handing out pieces of scratch paper, ask each participant to list the following: the sounds, the tastes, the sights, the smells, and the feelings (emotions) of Christmas. Then ask that each person take a minute to tell the group about one thing he or she did or experienced as part of Christmas last year. Finally, distribute copies of the chart, "Ways We Celebrate Jesus' Birthday." Ask somebody in each group to read slowly through the Acts of Celebration in the left column. Give people time to write in some examples of What did we do last year? in column A. Smaller children will need help here. Don't take time to fill in every blank now.

4. Celebration Values

Ask all to turn so that they can see you. You may wish to sing a carol at this point  perhaps the first of the season! Then invite the group to consider with you what values are important in the celebration of Christmas, what sort of birthday party Jesus Christ really wants, what we as a church believe to be God's will for this very special festival.

Using a Bible and the newsprint quotation charts you have prepared in advance, point out some key meanings of the Christmas event. Encourage group discussion.

5. Evaluations of Last Christmas

Still in small groups, have the participants use column B of the "Ways We Celebrate" chart to begin some assessment of their celebration activities last year. Allow time for them to cover at least three or four activities.

6. General Sharing

Guide the total group in closing discussion. Ask for insights and evaluations regarding last year's Christmas celebrations. Help individuals affirm celebration values that are beginning to emerge as important.

Urge individuals and families to take home the "Ways We Celebrate" chart, discuss it, and complete the first section on "Giving and Receiving." This will involve moving on to column C, that is, beginning to imagine some changes that they might make this year. Review your plans for the next session, indicating how the chart will be used then.

7. Closing

Sing another carol or two together. Then ask participants to join in a litany by sharing, one at a time, their hopes for a meaningful celebration of Jesus' birth, followed each time by the group response, "God lead us into a Christmas like that!" Lead in a closing prayer and benediction.

Session Two: Giving and Receiving

GOALS

SESSION PLAN

1. Welcome

As before, welcome each arrival and help all get into groups of about eight. Use the same groups as before or new ones, as you wish.

2. Orientation

Help persons understand the goals and plans for the session.

3. Sharing

Ask that each individual share with their small group one item from the "Giving and Receiving" section of their chart. (The information should have been written in columns A, B, and C for one of the items #1 10.)

4. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"

Gather to view the video. This entertaining audio visual helps viewers of all ages recognize three problems with many of our celebrations: they have little meaning; they are too consumptive and wasteful of the earth's resources; and they separate us from our hungry brothers and sisters around the world.

Make a chart on newsprint or a chalkboard that reviews the changes of celebrating suggested in the video:

MORE WITH LESS

If you do not have access to the video, you might consider using a story or other resources that stress these values.

5. Guidelines for Giving

Based on work individuals have already done on their "Ways We Celebrate" chart and on discussion of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, ask each small group to develop a set of guidelines for appropriate giving at the time of Jesus' birthday. If suggestions are needed, you can refer to Guidelines for Alternative Giving. It is available in the Christmas Packet or you can order copies from Alternatives.

6. Acting Out Guidelines

Ask each group to select a few of its guidelines to illustrate in a short skit, and to prepare the skit. Have each group share its skit with the others.

7. Diverted Dollars

Introduce the concept of diverting a portion of Christmas expenditures to your church's mission causes. Ask participants to make a list of how much money they spent for Christmas last year include gifts, wrappings, food, decorations, etc. Have each person figure out what 25 percent of the total is. Suggest that people consider giving an amount equal to this figure to those who are less fortunate.

8. Forces That Block and Help

Changing our ways of giving is not easy. Ask the whole group to help you list factors that make it difficult to change our giving habits. Also list some forces that may help us to change.

9. Closing

Close with carols, prayers and personal commitment to the vision of Christian giving and receiving.

Session Three: Decorating and Eating

GOALS

SESSION PLAN

1. Welcome

Greet each other and break up into groups, either the same or new ones.

2. Orientation

Review the goals and plans for this session.

3. Sharing

Give the groups time to share two things:

(a) their commitments for Christmas giving;

(b) one item each from the "Decorating and Eating" section of the "Ways We Celebrate" chart.

4. Guidelines for Decorating and Eating

Lead the entire group in a four part discussion as follows:

(a) Why do we decorate our homes and churches at Christmas time? What has this got to do with Jesus' birth? (If desired, explore how certain customs, such as the Christmas tree, originated.)

(b) What guidelines can we list for appropriate decorations for decorations that truly express the meaning of Christmas, are people loving and are earth loving?

(c) Similarly, why do we prepare and eat special foods at Christmas? What do cookies, fruitcakes, egg nog, roast beef, and all the rest have to do with the birth of the Christ Child? How do they help (and hinder) our celebrations?

(d) What are some guidelines we might use this year in buying food, in cooking and baking, and in eating?

5. Workshops

Help members choose one of the two workshops in which they wish to participate:

(a) Decorations Workshop  Provide skilled leadership and supplies for helping individuals to make simple decorations for church, home, or, better yet, to be shared with someone else. Without being too "teachy," reinforce the guidelines listed above as you work. If time does not permit an actual workshop, group members might bring from home some decorations that have special meaning to them, sharing their stories with the group.

(b) Food Workshop  The other half of the group can take part in making some nutritious, low calorie Christmas snacks. Here, too, leaders can reinforce the guidelines discussed earlier. These snacks can be shared with the whole group or taken to someone as a gift. For recipe ideas that take little or no baking time, see The More with-Less Cookbook by Doris Janzen Longacre or Simply Delicious, Quantity Cooking for Churches by Grace Winn. (Both are available from Alternatives if you can't find them locally.) If time does not allow for such a workshop, members might bring snacks and/or recipes from home to share at this time.

6. Sharing

Allow time for the two workshop groups to share their products with one another.

7. Closing

Encourage individuals to express their resolve for a more meaningful and appropriate celebration of Jesus' birth this year. Close with carols.

Session Four: Singing and Worshipping

GOALS

SESSION PLAN

1. Welcome

Allow the participants to greet one another as they break up into groups.

2. Orientation

Review the goals and plans for this session.

3. Sharing

Suggest that in the small groups each person have the time to make two contributions:

(a) Review one of the items in the "Singing and Worshipping" section of their "Ways We Celebrate" Chart; and

(b) Share one memory or family tradition of Christmas worship such as Bible reading, story telling, lighting Advent candles, singing, etc.

4. Why We Worship

Guide the entire group in discussing:

(a) Why worship is an appropriate way to respond to the birth of Jesus. You might underscore the worship responses recorded in the Biblical stories: The angels shouted praise to God U. 2:13  14); the shepherds "made known the saying" (Lk. 1:17); the magi "fell down and worshipped him" (Lk. 2:19).

(b) Lead the group in listing some of the ways we worship at Christmas: caroling, storytelling, Bible reading, candle lighting, offering our gifts, and so on.

5. A Christmas Plan

Invite people to pair up, preferably with someone of a different age, and help each other work out a tentative schedule for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. You might provide each with a blank schedule from 4:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve through 10:00 p.m. on Christmas Day, and invite people to plan an "Ideal" celebration. Ask the group, "Considering all we have talked about for these four sessions, how shall we celebrate the birth of Jesus this year? What will be the place of giving and receiving, of decorating and eating, of singing and worshipping? How will the values and guidelines we have talked about be expressed?"

Suggest that people take their schedules home and use them in coming to an agreement with others as to how this precious time is to be spent.

6. Creating the Closing Worship

Invite people to volunteer for various creative tasks in preparing a closing service of worship and commitment one that will express the values you have been sharing these four sessions. Depending on the number of people you have and the time available, you might plan for a service like this (each part of which is to be developed by a small team):

7. Closing

Guide the teams in carrying out the plans they have made for this final worship service and act of dedication.

WAYS WE CELEBRATE JESUS' BIRTHDAY

A. What did we do last year?

B. How well did this help us celebrate Jesus' birthday?

C. What changes might we make for this year?

Acts of Celebration

GIVING AND RECEIVING A. B. C.

1. Sending cards

2. Giving $$ through church

3. Giving $$ to other causes

4. Buying gifts

5. Making gifts

6. Wrapping gifts

7. Giving gifts

8. Receiving gifts

9. Expressing thanks

10. Other

DECORATING AND EATING

11. Decorating the home

12. Decorating the church

13. Buying & trimming tree

14. Buying food

15. Buying "goodies"

16. Baking "goodies"

17. Eating "goodies"

18. Eating special meals

19. Sharing food with others

20. Other

SINGING AND WORSHIPPING

21. Caroling at home

22. Caroling for others

23. Singing at church

24. Worshipping at home

25. Worshipping at church

26. Telling stories

27. Reading the Bible

28. Pondering God's love

29. Personal prayer

30. Other

Make copies of this resource under the Creative Commons attribution, not-for-profit license.

Page updated 11 Sept. 2013

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