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Advent/Christmas/Epiphany

Themed Materials

  • Words For The Beginning, The 2024 Advent series from A Sanctified Art about an Advent series filled with blessings, with the scriptures and reminders we need to hear again and again as we begin a new season, $ 

Spotify Playlist for Words For The Beginning

Past Advent & Christmas Resources from A Sanctified Art.

2024 theme is  On The Way To Bethlehem, based on the 2024 Advent study of the same name by Bob Fuquay,

a 4-week DVD study that follows the long journey to Christmas

  • Advent in Plain Sight: A Devotion through Ten Objects by Jill J. Duffield, (Westminster John Knox Press, 2022) Draws readers’ attention to ten ordinary objects that appear in the biblical narratives of messianic prophesy and incarnation. Through focusing on these objects, we can see the near kingdom of heaven on earth and ponder what that divine proximity enables and asks us to do and be. With the free digital resources, you’ll find images and guides to augment your Advent sermon series and small-group discussions, as well as marketing materials to help you invite others to join you.

  • purchase the book and you can access free digital resources which include a group study guide, sermon series guide, and images for use during worship or study and to promote your outreach

Alternative Christmas

  • Advent Conspiracy, free online Advent curriculum & resources for all ages based on the idea that we can celebrate Christmas humbly, beautifully, and generously: $, mostly free

Worship Resources

  • Advent Hymns from the Outlook, $

  • Worship at Home: Advent and Christmas 2020 (Abingdon Press, 2021) These weekly worship services can be used by individuals, families, or groups; they can be used for online or hybrid worship. There are services for each week in Advent, Christmas Eve, the Sunday after Christmas, and Epiphany. Each service includes essential worship elements along with links for online musical selections and traditional hymn suggestions. $9.99

  • Sermons4Kids, search “Advent” & “Christmas” for children’s sermon ideas

  • Storypath Advent page from the Center for Excellence in Christian Education from Union Seminary – great ideas to use for children’s sermons

Events

  • Christingle: An intergenerational Christmas Eve celebration from the Moravian tradition, an article from Reformed Worship

  • Intergenerational events to welcome Advent

  • Advent midweek gatherings – Start out all together to share a meal. Light the Advent wreath together, then break into two classes; one multigenerational and one for adults (who prefer to stay with their generational peers). The multigenerational group uses the Advent stories from Godly Play, alongside the Gospel lectionary reading.

After reading and reflecting together, break into groups to respond to the readings with legos, use the RCL visio divina from Holy Moments, and make ornaments for our Christmas trees. Can draw families that already attend regularly on Sundays, as well as families that cannot make traditional times on the weekend. Families like the format and finite time commitment.

  • (Links of) Love is all you need (for an Alternative Giving Market!) Alternative Giving Markets provide an awesome opportunity for churches and communities to make a real difference in the lives of people around the world — but it can feel overwhelming to plan one! For an easy and effective way to host an Alternative Giving Market, look no further than the Presbyterian Giving Catalog’s Links of Love activity!

At Home

  • AdventWord, a digital, interactive Advent calendar that not only offers a word and meditation for each day of Advent, but also invites people to develop and share their own creative expressions for the word of the day through photos, reflections, and more. 

For a host of ideas on engaging AdventWord, check out Miriam Willard McKenney’s article “Ways to Use AdventWord.” (Episcopal)

  • Advent Candle Lighting At-Home Resource— This free downloadable resource from the PC(USA), is a set of cards with art on one side and at-home candle lighting and reflection on the other, which is formatted for half of an 8½ by 11-inch sheet of paper. It is available in Spanish and English.

  • Create Family Advent bags filled with material to help families worship together at home. You can find plenty of suggestions for what to put in these bags online:

Crafts

  • Nativity crafts – There are ideas for a number of different nativity crafts using various materials.

Blue Christmas Services
Pageants

  • The Birth of Jesus – This simple kids Christmas skit is written directly from the Bible, only adding songs and direction for the actors. There are no speaking parts for the actors, only a narrator.

  • No Stress, No Fuss Christmas Pageant & Worship – Theresa Cho offers this Intergenerational pageant which takes no rehearsal; the only planning involved is acquiring the costumes. The only speaking part is the narrator and everyone, adults and children, can participate at their comfort level, whether it is wearing a costume or singing in the pews.

  • Christmas Participation Story – Intergenerational, interactive script with a narrator instructs congregation involvement through sound effects by Paul Osborne.

  • A Rehearsal-Free Christmas Pageant – This intergenerational Christmas Pageant is designed to take place during worship service. Resources which are free to download include a list of what you need to get started, a narration script, an example bulletin, and lyrics for suggested songs.

  • Christmas Plays for Children – This site links to 3 free Christmas plays posted on the Ministry-to-Children website as well as several other websites.

  • Sunday School Center – This website offers a variety of free pageant scripts for different ages, as well as original songs. Suggestions for costumes, props, sound, and lighting are included, as well as director’s notes.

  • Christmas Pageant Ideas, Tips, and Scripts – The Building Faith website has several articles for inspiration and practical tips. They also offer six free Christmas pageant scripts and a link to professionally written scripts you can purchase for a small amount.

Epiphany

  • The Good Book Club – An online daily Bible reading challenge for adults. It provides an opportunity to read a book of the Bible with others during the season of Epiphany. The program includes free daily reflections that you can receive by email. It can be a useful resource to engage individually, with a partner, or in a Bible study group. (Episcopal)

Group Studies

(*designates it as being in the Resource Center, Click Here to see the full list of our Advent Resources)

  • Journeying the Way of Love Advent Curriculum – 4 free online sessions from Luke’s gospel provides a pattern for understanding how we can live the Way of Love as individuals, as families and friends, as a community, and out in the world. (Episcopal)

Pairs with the Worship Design Studio’s theme Angels Among Us. $

  • *The Redemption of Scrooge (Abingdon Press, 2021) by Matt Rawle. This Advent DVD study with four sessions looks at the familiar classic through the lens of faith.

Pairs with a Worship Design Studio Theme, God Bless Us Everyone.

  • Christmas In The Four Gospel Homes, Cynthia M. Campbell (BK10240) – Four sessions – For each week of Advent, Campbell reflects on the distinctive perspective of the birth of Jesus or the incarnation offered by each Gospel. $

  • *Names For The Messiah, Walter Brueggemann (BK9909) – Tackles the questions: What were the expectations in the OT? and Did Jesus fulfill them?

  • *Not A Silent Night, Adam Hamilton (DVD9931) – 5 sessions, the story through Mary’s eyes. (8 books, DVD missing)

  • *The Journey, Adam Hamilton (DVD9617) – Five sessions, take your group on a journey with Hamilton as he travels on video from Nazareth to Bethlehem taking a look at the birth of Jesus Christ.

  • Advent in Narnia, Reflections For The Season Heidi Haverkamp (BK9891) – 28 meditations, also 4 sessions for small group discussion and more. $

Devotionals

  • D365 – this is a year-round devotional site which includes, music, reflection, and scripture delivered to your email inbox. “Following the star” is their Advent series. 

You can click here to get a daily email reminder during Advent.

  • Pray As You Go – From Jesuit Media Initiatives, offers a framework for daily prayer, designed to be downloaded to your MP3 player. Each podcast is 10-13 minutes long and includes music, prayer, scripture, and questions to help you think about your relationship with God. Bonus: all of the music is linked so that you can find out more about the musician(s) and purchase the music if you wish.

  • Advent Devotionals – These devotionals for each day of Advent on the Advent Conspiracy website are written by pastors and church leaders from around the world.

  • Fling Wide the Door – The GodPause page of Luther Seminary offers a free downloadable devotional in regular and large print.

  • The Season of Waiting –  Author Kate Bowler offers this free downloadable 4-week devotional which includes a short devotional entry, a scripture passage, and a reflection question. It also includes activities for the 12 days of Christmastide.

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