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"MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD. . ."
Services and Activities by Julie Peeples and Paul Davis
Worship and Activities for Advent and the Christmas Season
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Introduction
- First Sunday of Advent
- Second Sunday of Advent
- Third Sunday of Advent
- Fourth Sunday of Advent
- Christmas Eve/Day
Worship and Activities for Advent and the Christmas Season
INTRODUCTION:
The season of Advent comes before Christmas, both in time and spirit. Advent begins on the Sunday nearest November 30 and includes the four Sundays before Christmas. Originally, Advent (from the Latin adventus meaning "coming") was a season of solemn self-examination and repentance by the faithful in preparation for celebrating the birth of Christ. How different is the way our society observes the season! The first Sunday of Advent is often overshadowed by the Thanksgiving weekend, the biggest shopping weekend of the year. Even in the churches the first Sunday of Advent often seems to inaugurate four weeks of pre-Christmas celebrating. During these weeks, anything but parties, frantic shopping and decorating seems out of place That's a shame.
In our society, we are bombarded daily with images of a "good Christmas" that have little to do with either reality or faith. With such energy-and money-spent on cultural trappings during December, when Christmas does come it often finds us spiritually, emotionally and financially exhausted. Vague feelings of guilt about misspent energy and resources may undermine the great joy and renewal we might experience at the celebration of Jesus' birth. We can resist commercialization only with careful and deliberate preparation.
Those who first began observing Advent in the early centuries of the church did not have to contend with the forces of our commercialized Christmas, but they did have to contend with other pagan festivals. They, like we, needed to put some distance between themselves and the popular celebrations in order to keep their perspective. Advent was, and is, a way to get ready to observe the birth of Christ so that it can be an occasion for genuine joy and renewal.
The following Advent services and activities are designed for use in the household by individuals, families or other intergenerational groups. Prepare the services and activities during the week prior to each Sunday. Involve as many of the participants as possible, encouraging those who will read the Bible passages aloud to practice reading them beforehand.
FIRST WEEK OF ADVENT
ACTIVITIES
Household Activity: Making An Advent Wreath
The tradition of using an Advent wreath and its candles to set apart the Sundays of the season comes from early in the history of the church. Traditionally, it is a holly and evergreen garland, holding four small candles and one large central candle. The four small candles are usually purple, the color of Advent that reminds us of repentance and preparation. The large candle is either red or white. The evergreen branches placed around the candles remind us of God's unending love.
The wreath can be constructed in any number of ways with a variety of materials. One way is as follows
- Take a large flat shallow bowl (at least 9 inches in diameter) and fill it with sand or course salt.
- Place the four Purple candles around the outside with the large candle in the center. Stick them down into the sand or salt so that they are placed securely.
- Make a circle of evergreens and place them around the bowl.
- Place the wreath and candles in a prominent place (at the center of the table, on a mantle, etc.) where they can stay through Christmas.
SERVICE
Household Service: Readiness
QUESTION: What are we doing?
RESPONSE: We are getting ready for God. Advent is a time to get ready to
celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. It is a time to watch for the new things
God is doing in the world. We have made this Advent wreath to remind us to
get ready. Today we light the first candle: the candle of readiness. (Light
the candle.)
Q: How can we get ready?
R: We can listen. (Read Jeremiah 33:14-16 and Luke 21:25~36)
Q: What else can we do?
R. We can decide that we will not let old ways of doing things interfere
with our getting ready for God.
Let us pray: You are the God who shakes up old things and who brings newness. It is your kingdom and your rule that is drawing near. Give us patience and discipline to watch for your coming rule, that we may receive your gift of new relations as that gift comes among us.
SECOND WEEK OF ADVENT
ACTIVITIES
Household Activity: Making Decisions About a Birthday Gift
1. Get the whole household together for a discussion of the articles "What Can I Give?" or "Reclaiming Christmas: Alternative Giving." If you are single, or a single parent, try to get together some of those with whom you ordinarily exchange gifts to discuss the ideas here. Since the purpose of this activity is to make decisions about special Christmas giving, it doesn't matter if you have already done your Christmas shopping for family and friends.
2. See that each person has pen and paper. Ask each member of the household or group to prepare an expense report on last year's Christmas spending. Encourage the children to prepare reports as well. How much did you spend for
- Christmas Gifts?
- Decorations?
- Christmas Cards?
- Special Food?
- Entertainment?
- Other?
3. Discuss taking an amount equal to 25% of last year's total and spending it on a birthday present for Jesus. You may want to take time to read Matthew 25:31-46 together and discuss the meaning of "a birthday present for Jesus." Look at "What Can I Give?" and "Reclaiming Christmas: Alternative Giving" for suggestions. Make a covenant on what is decided. Plan to give your "birthday present" during Christmas.
4. You may want to consider writing a letter to your extended family and
friends inviting them to join you in this covenant. Look at "What Shall We
Tell The Folks."
SERVICE
Household Service: Repentance
Q: What are we doing?
R: We are getting ready for God. Advent is the season of careful preparation
for the coming of Jesus. We would rather begin celebrating now, without the
preparation of Advent. John comes before Jesus. Repentance comes before our
unrestrained celebration at Christmas. Today we light the candle of readiness,
and we light one candle more: the candle of repentance (Light two candles.)
Q How can we get ready?
R: We can listen. (Read Malachi 3:1-4 and Luke 3:1-6.)
Q: What else can we do?
R: We can repent. We can turn from our preoccupation with what we might receive
at Christmas and turn to what God wants us to give.
Let us pray: We wait for your visit, O Christ. We are not yet ready. But we are making preparation. Stay by us in this time of hard preparation, that we may receive in confident joy your new presence. May your presence be our new home. Amen.
THIRD WEEK OF ADVENT
ACTIVITIES
Household Activity: Making Paper Crane Decorations
In 1955 a thirteen-year old Japanese girl died of "the atom bomb
disease"-radiation-induced leukemia. She was one of the many children to
suffer the after-effects of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945.
During her illness, Sadako buoyed her spirits by folding paper cranes. In
Japan, the old myths say that cranes live for a thousand years, and that
the person who folds a thousand paper cranes will have a wish granted. With
each paper crane, Sadako wished that she would recover from the fatal disease.
She folded 644 cranes before she died.
In honor of her memory, Sadako's classmates folded 356 more cranes so that
she could be buried with a thousand paper cranes. Friends collected money
from children all over Japan to erect a monument to Sadako in Hiroshima's
Peace Park. The inscription reads:
This is our cry, This is our prayer, Peace in the world.
Each year people place paper cranes at the base of the statue to recall the
tragedy of war and to celebrate humanity's undying hope for peace. By folding
paper cranes to use as Christmas decorations, we show our hope and willingness
to labor for the desire of all children to live in a world without war. (Find
the instructions for folding the paper cranes in "Fun for Kids.")
SERVICE
Household Service: Hope
Q: What are we doing?
R: We are getting ready for God. Advent is the time to prepare for the mighty
one who is coming! This powerful coming will cause rejoicing. Advent is for
hoping that through this coming our lives and the world itself can be different
Today we light the candles of readiness and repentance, and we light one
candle more the candle of hope. (Light three candles.)
Q: How can we get ready?
R: We can listen. (Read Zephaniah 3:14-20 and Luke 3:7-18)
Q; What else can we do?
R: In hope, we can share what we have with others. In hope, we can stop using
others for our own ends. In hope, we can refuse to hurt others.
Let us pray: O coming one, we are anxious about your coming because we are not ready. Give us courage and discipline that we may know what to do and have energy to do it. Be present for us in ways that banish fear. Give us hope for new life. Amen.
FOURTH WEEK OF ADVENT
ACTIVITIES
Household Activity and Service: Remembering God's Promises
Unlike the previous household activities, this one is designed to be done
in two parts: the first part to be done before the household service and
the second part to be done immediately following the reading of the Scripture
in the service.
Part I:
1. See that each person has pen and paper. Ask each one to write down three
or four of the most important promises they have ever made, and three or
four of the most important promises made to them.
2. After all have had time to write, discuss the importance of making and
keeping promises. Participants may or may not want to share what they have
written.
SERVICE
Household Service: Promise
Q: What are we doing?
R: We are getting ready for God. Advent is a time to remember God's promises.
Advent is a time to remember that plain ordinary people, blessed by the power
of God, can make a difference. Today we light the candles of readiness,
repentance and hope, and one candle more: the candle of promise. (Light
four candles.)
Q: How can we get ready?
R: We can listen. (Ask participants to listen especially for promises that
God makes in the passages. Read Micah 5: 1-4 and Luke 1:39-55.)
ACTIVITIES
HOUSEHOLD ACTIVITY Part II:
1. Ask participants to write on their paper the promises God has made in
these passages.
2. After all have had time to write, discuss these promises of God. Which
of these promises have been realized? Which are yet to be realized? When
all have had a chance to share, proceed with the next question in the household
service.
Q: What else can we do?
R: We can remember God's promises and the people who have lived by these
promises. We can decide that we will live by these promises.
Let us pray: God of Jerusalem and of Bethlehem, God of the rich ones and the empty ones, we thank you for your life-giving promises. Open us to trust your promises, even when they make us uneasy, and help us to notice where your promises are being made visible. Amen.
CHRISTMAS EVE/DAY
SERVICE
Household Service: Lighting The Christ Candle
Q What are we doing?
R: We are getting ready for God. The waiting is almost over. This is the
night when the Messiah comes. This is the night of good news of great joy
for all people. Tonight we light the candles of readiness, repentance, hope
and promise, and we light one candle more. We light the center candle: the
Christ candle. (Light all of the candles.)
Q: How can we get ready?
R; We can listen. (Read Isaiah 9.2-7 and Luke 2:1 -21)
Q; What else can we do?
R: With the shepherds we can look too at what God has done. With the angels
we can sing praises to God. With the wise men we can bring our gifts to the
Messiah.
Let us pray: Holy God enthroned in splendor, let our lives be interrupted
by your coming. Permit us to be dazzled by your glory which is brighter than
the lights of shopping malls. Deliver us from sentimentality. Make us your
agents for peace on earth. Amen.
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Page updated 22 October 2012
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