Here is the devotion page for the Christmas Eve/Christmas Day, December 24 and 25, 2013
Note – Clicking on the picture will download the insert to your computer or device in PDF format
Did you miss a week? Go to the Weekly Devotion page to download past weeks!
Prepare: You will need a really good blindfold, so that whoever is wearing it is completely in the dark.
As the children gather find a volunteer to be blindfolded. They do not need to do anything other than sit and listen, they just need to wear the blindfold. Ideally this is one of the children, but if none of them are willing it can be a youth or adult helper. They will need to talk about wearing the blindfold at the end, so it should be someone who is not too shy.
I bet you are wondering why (person’s name here!) is wearing a blindfold. We will get to that, but first we should talk about the reading from Isaiah. Did you hear that? What a great Christmas story, don’t you think? (give a little time) Wait, you didn’t hear the Christmas story in that reading?
Well, let’s see if we can tell the Christmas story together, what do you think? (Prompt the children through the story, starting with the Mary and Joseph traveling, and end with the angels and the bright light that the shepherds saw. Take a little time, we want that person in the blindfold to be there for a while!)
Wow! You guys know this story really well! Well, let’s see if we can find that story in the reading from Isaiah. The story of Christmas is the beginning of something new. Jesus being born changes everything. The Isaiah reading talks about people who can’t see the good things in life, or don’t have hope, finding hope and love. It is about people who difficult lives finding relief from the things that are hard. Some of those difficult things could be being sick, or getting bullied, or just being sad about something. We get used to these things, so when they are taken away it is surprising. All of this is why Jesus came to earth, why he was born!
So, what does it feel like to have a burden lifted? Let’s see – (Take off the blindfold) what do you see? (Give a little time for the blindfolded person answer).
God of hope and light, we praise you for the gift of your son and for the chance to share his love. Help us to keep you in our hearts during this season and throughout the year. Amen
May God’s Word shine a light into your life today and always.
~GB
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Here is the Weekly devotion for the Fourth Sunday in Advent – December 22, 2013
Note – Clicking on the picture will download the insert to your computer or device in PDF format
Did you miss a week? Go to the Weekly Devotion page to download past weeks!
Preparation: either make little cards that say Immanuel God with us or get some small crosses or those cross in a pocket coins or some small item to symbolize God with us.
Gather the children to the front. (If you know some of their names already be prepared with knowing some of the name meanings if you can.) Ask, “Does anyone here know what their name means?” Take answers or point out some you know. For instance John is ‘beloved of God’ , etc. Share what your name means.
“In our scripture from Isaiah, the prophet who was declaring hope to people in a time when they did not feel much hope, he says that one day a son will be born and his name will be Immanuel. Do you know who we as Christians say that son is? (taken answers) Yes, we are reading this scripture today because in just two days we will celebrate the birth of Jesus, a son come into the world. and another name we hear sometimes for Jesus is Immanuel. This has a special meaning too, it means ‘God with us.’ What do you think of when you hear the name Immanuel means God with us?” (take answers and give some of your own–sharing ways that God is with us each day and all the time.)
I have a _______ (card, pocket coin, cross, whatever it is you can give them to think of God with them all the time) for you today. You can take this back with you and put it in your pocket or wherever you might want to keep it to help you remember that God is with you all the time.
Jesus, we know your light comes into the world and we know your name Immanuel means you are with us always. Help us to feel your presence and know your love. Amen
God is with you all the time and all the time God is with you. +
Gather the children to you up front. Ask, “So what is that you are thinking you want for Christmas?” Take a few answers–we realize this is dangerous so you may need to just share what you are asking for as gift.
So when we talk about what we ask for Christmas, that is like talking about what we hope for or what we expect in the future. So what other things do you hope for? Like what do you hope to be when you are older?
We heard from the bible today about what God hopes for. God has some pretty big hopes–even bigger than wanting a 3DS! (or whatever they have mentioned). At Advent we are watching for God’s hope and light to come into the world at Christmas in Jesus. So we hear from Isaiah that God’s hope is a big vision for there to be light for all people and that all people will know that even when it seems like the world is very dark that Jesus’ light still comes and brings a word of peace and hope for the future. This is a future that is hard to imagine, like it’s hard to imagine being 20 isn’t it?! So the lights that we have in our advent wreath or on the tree or on our house–where do you have lights? Well all these lights, no matter where they are, help us remember God’s big vision, that God’s light is everywhere and that God’s big hope is for the world.
Holy God, We hope for your light in the world. Help us to see all lights as a reminder of your love for all people and that the darkness will not last but be lit up by God. Amen
May you see hope and light from God today and always +
Here is the Weekly devotion for the Third Sunday in Advent – December 15, 2013
Note – Clicking on the picture will download the insert to your computer or device in PDF format
Did you miss a week? Go to the Weekly Devotion page to download past weeks!
Preparation: have a stump or a picture of a stump with a shoot coming out of it. Or a picture of a sidewalk with a shoot or sprig of something poking through.
Gather the children. “We are in our second week of Advent. Does anyone remember what advent is?” (take brief answers) “Yes, Advent is when we are watching and waiting for the birth of Jesus. It’s the time we remember that God comes to us even in the darkness.”
Show them your stump or picture. “What is this here? Yes a stump. What is a stump?” (take answers) “Yep, a stump is what is left of a tree that is cut down, would you think a stump looks alive or dead?” (take answers) “A stump has been cut down and doesn’t look very alive. But look closer, do you see this shoot coming out of the stump? It’s like this little miracle that something new can grow out of something that was totally cut down.”
**you can also add a picture of a shoot coming up from a sidewalk and have them notice how the plant has to push through any crack in the thick, hard concrete to make it through and it still is able to be push it’s way out!***
We heard from Isaiah today and he is talking to people who have lost a lot. They feel pretty cut down and lifeless, kind of like a stump. They might even be afraid of what is happening in their lives. But Isaiah is also telling them that there is hope. He says from the stump of Jesse a root will spring forth. This means that even though right then the people did not have a king who was from God and they were captive to other people that God was still with them and that God promised to continue to be with them and one day send a messiah that might not look like a king but that would be a light and gift for the world. That is part of our watching and waiting because we know that even when we feel scared or cut off or sad or lonely that Jesus is with us and that we can have hope in God’s promise. Just like that miracle of a shoot of a plant that comes out of a dead stump or pushes through the sidewalk, God’s love and peace are with us even when it’s hard to see.
Jesus, we wait and watch for you. Help us to see hope and remember that you are with us always. Amen
May you know the hope of Christ +
Here is the Weekly devotion for the Second Sunday in Advent – December 8, 2013
Note – Clicking on the picture will download the insert to your computer or device in PDF format
Did you miss a week? Go to the Weekly Devotion page to download past weeks!
Preparation: if you would like to pattern your children’s sermons off of our take home devotions for advent the pick an ornament that reminds you of peace or says something about peace.
You also need a picture of a sword and plowshare to show how they look alike. You can simply google for images.
Faith+ Connect: Gather the children with you and near the advent wreath. “Good morning! Look around and tell me if you notice anything different about our space today” take answers and highlight any Advent preparations you have made.
Faith+ Bible: “Today is the beginning of Advent, a season where we prepare for… (Let them say Christmas if they know the answer). You have noticed some things we have done to prepare and you may be making preparations at home too. Today we hear from the prophet Isaiah in our Bible reading. Isaiah is talking to the people about the promises of God that one day we will all walk I the light and on the path of God. We know that this light is in Jesus. One way Isaiah tries to describe what this is like is to say that God will turn swords into plowshares. Do you have any idea what that means? I bet you know what a sword is though, right? So a sword would have been used for fighting and for taking land or things away from someone else. The vision that Isaiah has is for people to come to God and put away their weapons and live together. A plowshare is a part of a farming tool called a plow and it looks like a blade that is also in the shape of a sword. So Isaiah calls people to come together to live in Gods ways and to live in peace.” (Show your picture or toy plow)
If you’re using the home devos take out the ornament that you picked and talk about why it reminds you of peace. Show the children the devotion book and give them each one. Take a few minutes to talk about how to use it and that each week they (and you) will pick an ornament to share.
Faith+Chat: Another way he says this is to say that we will walk in the light. Each week of advent we will light a candle. Today we light the candle and remember the promise that we are people of the light and we can work to live in peace with others in the world. You can light a candle at home as well this week to prepare for the birth of Jesus and to live in the light.
Faith+Prayer: Jesus, we wait your coming and pray for peace in our days and in our world. Thank you for being our light in all ways and all the time.
Faith+Blessing: Walk as a child of the light. +
Just in time for the start of Advent! A simple four week resource for gathering together to prepare your hearts and minds for Christmas. Please print, copy and handout (or share electronically!) to whomever you so desire.
This is a devotion that homes and families of all shapes and sizes will find to be worth their time in spending a few minutes together each week of this week Advent. These links will let you download whichever format works best for you. Note that all the links will take you to our Mediafire site so you can view the files before you download them.
Booklet Style – prints as a landscape on 8.5 x 11 inch and folds into a booklet
A Page a Week – each page is one devotion, great for eReaders and tablets
Supplemental Images for make your own ornaments
Here is an overview:
Faith+Connect-a ritual of lighting a candle, picking an ornament off your tree for your time together, and singing or listening to a Christmas song that fits the scripture for the day
Faith+Bible and Faith+ Chat–scripture and discussion prompts plus optional activities
Faith+Prayer–a prayer together
Faith+Blessing–a time to bless one another as the devotional time ends.
We encourage you to use this in your home and share with others. For all you wonderful youth directors, children’s ministers and pastors we encourage you to have this available for your congregations and visitors throughout Advent.
We love feedback so let us know if you used it and what you thought!
Link supplemental pages
+Blessings to you all this Advent and Christmas,
Leta, Brigette, Gus
