Choose Your Own ADVENTure

Choose Your Own ADVENTure

Advent/Christmas Resources

There are so many ideas that you can use for Advent & Christmas.

And one size does not fit all!

We’ve done the hard work of finding and collating the ideas for you, so that you can choose what is going to work for your congregation and households.  We’ll continue to add to these resources as we find more or more are updated. Currently updating for 2023.

Below you’ll find a selection of resources.  There are resources for intergenerational worship & events.  Plus there are resources that you can share with households of all types & ages.

If you’re looking for something that you don’t find here, email Jill – intergen@mrpres.org.au  We might be able to help you find what you’re looking for.

Qld Synod Advent/Chrismas Resource – Love in Action: Preparing & Nurturing the Garden of the Soul

The Plenty Discipleship working group has again created intergenerational Advent & Christmas Resources to help Churches connect with their congregations and the wider community. The resources include themes and ideas for worship, community and congregational reflections and studies.  These resources are available here.

Here’s a few of the resources that are linked in the table below.

 

There are a number of different daily & weekly family devotions options listed

 

 

 

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Advent/Christmas Resources …

Many of the links are still for previous years resources.  They’ll be updated as new 2023 resources are released.  We’ve tried to note which resources are new or updated.

Faith At Home

Advent Packs

Make up a box or pack for advent, including a number of resources in a box for households.  You can use others ideas or make up your own box or provide a sample of a range of resources that households can choose from.

Advent 2022 resources:

Other Ideas include:

You can buy or make an advent wreath for households to use.  One simple idea is to use a green plastic plate for the "wreath" with candles in little candle holders or even battery operated candles.  Below are a few more Advent Wreath ideas, many also include weekly devotions.

There are many advent calendar ideas available that individuals and families can use.  Here's just a few:

Or instead of a calendar use paper chains:

A Jesse Tree is a tree branch decorated with symbols representing the stories of people in Jesus' family tree. In Isaiah 11:1 we read, "A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots." Jesse was the father of David, Israel's greatest king. And it was from David's lineage that Jesus came. That's where the idea of using a Jesse Tree to celebrate Advent came from.

Advent Prayer Beads - Prayer beads give you something to hold on to and help you focus as you pray.  These prayer beads are a tool you can use to help guide your prayers during the season of Advent.  Includes instructions for making the prayer beads, along with devotions for adults and children.

God's Big Rescue Family Time Activity - add to a bracelet or key ring as each part of the story is told

#AdventWord is a world wide movement where you focus on one word each day during advent. The 2023 Adventword prompts have been announced.  You can share a photo each day based on the word. Download bulletin inserts and social media-friendly images here, or join their Facebook page   (updated)

Books for Ideas:

The Season of the Nativity by Sybil MacBeth

Books to read a chapter of each night:

This series by Arnold Ytreeide has a different main character in each book but they all end up in Bethlehem at the time of the birth of Jesus.  Each chapter ends on a cliffhanger so you want to find out what happens.  Great for age 4 - 18+.

More Books to Read

Illustrated Ministry Colouring pages 

Praying in Colour Advent Sheets - Mark of each day as we journey to Christmas by drawing or doodling a section on the calendar each day as you pray & reflect.  Includes a calendar template with ideas of how to use it.  A great resource for children and adults.

  • Messy Christmas - This Messy Church at Home session focuses on the true meaning of Christmas and explores the theme of God’s gift to us in Jesus.
  • Christmas Family Time - This minibook aims to transfer the core values of Messy Church to the home and family context, encouraging families to talk together, be creative, be hospitable, be Christ-centred and celebratory, and including activities for all ages.

 

Intergenerational Worship & Events

  • Christmas songs from God Gives 4 - Nine Christmas songs from the classic 1990's songbook God Gives 4 have been rereleased for free with the permission of the publisher (UCA Assembly) and the songwriters.
  • Christmas Songs from David MacGregor - Minister and Songwriter David MacGregor has made available some of his child-friendly Christmas Songs downloadable and with permission for streaming in worship/educational contexts.
  • The Greatest Present - from Snack Music

Lost Sheep Stories – Great stories to read in church or gift to families, including Bethlehem Town, Jed & Roy McCoy, Jesus was a Refugee, The Three Wise Camels, Tonight in the Palace.

Books to read in worship:

Books to help with worship preparation: