1st Sunday of Advent

29 November 2020

Bible readings for today

Collect

Holy God,
throughout the generations
the prophets foretold the coming of the Messiah;
prepare us to receive him,
turn us from darkness to the glorious light that is your Son,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.

1st Sunday in Advent

The start of Advent is a wonderful time to begin the Christmas journey with families. Here are some ideas for how to celebrate this Sunday. The Mark 13 verse today speaks to how we will not know when Jesus is coming - both for those in the days of Jesus, and for us know not knowing when Jesus will come back.

Jesse Tree

Tūmanako

The Jesse Tree is a great way to get the big picture of the Bible in Advent. Here is a beautiful free resource from Scripture Union New Zealand.

Our te reo word for the week is tūmanako, which means hope.

Icebreaker ABC

A quick Christmas Icebreaker
Give each person or team a piece of paper and instruct them to write the alphabet vertically from A-Z. When you say "Go!" they are to write a Christmas word that starts with each letter. The first one(s) to complete the list wins.
To make it harder make this the 'Nativity ABC's" where children must think of a word from the nativity story for each letter.
For example:
A: Angel
B: Bethlehem
C: Census

Counting the days of Advent

Here are some alternative ideas for counting the days of Advent that can be made or used at home:

Advent Candle
Another option is to use a candle, and mark off 24 sections (leaving a stub big enough to put in your candle holder and safely light the candle on Christmas Eve). Burn the candle each day. A taller, thinner candle will work better than a pillar candle as children can easily see the candle getting shorter each day. You will find an example and instructions here, though just writing the numbers on the candle with a permanent marker also works!
Advent Spirals

A call to worship

Using an alarm clock for the call to worship (or to introduce the children’s talk) Use an alarm clock for the Call to Worship. Begin with it ringing. Then launch into a call and response something like
Leader:          Wake up, you sleepy Christians!
People:          The night is gone. The day is here.
Leader:          Be ready because God is at work in the world.
People:          Let us worship and serve God together.

From Worshipping with Children

Assemble a nativity scene

If you have a community-facing noticeboard or window, you can assemble the nativity scene over the weeks of Advent, building a sense of anticipation.
Perhaps you can start with the stable standing empty, add Mary and Joseph the following week, shepherds the next week and fill the sky with angels on the fourth week. These could be simple figures, coloured by the congregation (see http://www.lucypaintbox.org.uk/Colouring-Christmas-Bible.htm for several options). If you have a crib service or other Christmas Eve worship, this is great timing for adding Baby Jesus to the scene.
Alternatively, you might be using the new Strandz ‘Christmas on the Move’ resource. In which case you would start with the stable, and maybe add more things to the stable each week (animals, manger) as Mary and Joseph make the pilgrimage closer and closer.

A gift of thanks

Create a giant gift to help children say thank you for Jesus
Supplies: Gift wrap a small cardboard box in Christmas paper complete with a ribbon tied around it or paste a square of gift wrap onto a large piece of flat card and add ribbons for a 2D gift.
Engage the children in a discussion about Christmas...
What does Christmas have to do with this box? (refer to gift box)
Eg: At Christmas we get a lot of presents, Santa gives us gifts like that, we give presents to other people etc
(You could extend the conversation here to talk about why we give gifts (because we love others) and what the best gifts are that children have ever received)
Explain that as Christians we celebrate Christmas because of one very special gift, can anyone guess what it is?
For us Christmas is all about God giving us the gift of Jesus, it was the best way that God could show His love for us.
Why do you think Jesus is such a special present for us?
Today we're going to pray and say thanks to God for the very special gift of Jesus.
Hand out some sticky labels or small pieces of paper. Encourage the children to write or draw on these their prayer of thanks for Jesus.
You could play some quiet music whilst children come up to stick these on the gift box.

The M&M Christmas Story

Supplies
A packet of M&M chocolates, copies of the poem printout in the picture below (available here or google image search "M and M Christmas poem")
This is a good activity for children who are already familiar with the elements of the Christmas story. Hand out some of the chocolates and have the children hold them the right way up as you walk through the steps. You could encourage different children to read each step out loud as you reach it.
Pause on the "W" and before inviting the children to eat their chocolates ask them to say out a prayer of thanks for Jesus coming to us.
Finish the prayer activity by enjoying your chocolates together.
You could consider making up small gift bags/jars of these chocolates and printable with the children for them to then give to a friend or family member this advent.

Advent Wreath song

Colouring posters

A simple song that can be sung after the lighting of the Advent candle each week (to the tune of Frere Jacques)
Light of Jesus, Light of Jesus,
Show the way, Show the way,
Shine in us forever, Shine in us forever,
This we pray, This we pray.

Illustrated Children’s Ministry have digital files for purchase of large size posters and colouring pages with the words Hope, Love, Joy, Peace and Emmanuel. Different groups in the parish could prepare each poster, or they could be done collectively during worship or at morning tea-time. If you have a parish working bee to prepare the church for Advent and Christmas, these could also be part of the day. They also have alternative posters with the themes Dream, Believe, Inspire, Laugh, and Imagine.

Strandz: A colouring in resource from Christmas on the Move -- a colouring in sheet with the themes of the 4 Sundays of Advent, as well as 4 beautiful Kiwi Advent illustrations

Media

The Bible Project have a series of animations that unpack the themes of Advent -- here is the one about 'Hope', which is best suited for teenagers and adults.