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.

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.

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 …

Some of the links are still for 2020 resources.  They’ll be updated as the new 2021 resources are released.  We’ve tried to note which resources are new or updated.

Faith At Home

If you’re looking for ideas for each week of advent there are some extra ideas in the At Home ideas – Year C accordion file on the Faith At Home page of this website.

Advent in a Box

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.  Here some ideas sent to Building Faith of what some churches did in 2020.

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:

  • Christmas Family Faith Trail - This Australian resource is designed to support families to grow in faith in the home through Bible reading, conversations and activities such as crafts and games.  Families can pick and choose activities that are most useful for their particular family.  Print the booklet off to give to each family in your congregation & ministry programs. This letter has information for ministry leaders. (updated)
  • Advent 2021 Downloadable Resource - A family resource with a page for each week of Advent & a page each for Christmas & Epiphany.  From Candle Press - this site is closing on the 17 Dec so check out their other resources while they are still available.
  • Use FAITH5 for Advent - Using the formula of Share, Read, Talk, Pray, Bless; families gather around the table or before bed, light a candle and engage in a 5-minute daily check in.
  • The Songs of Christmas Advent Worship Guide 2021
  • Advent Reading Plan - A free Advent reading plan based on the 4 Advent candle themes of Hope, Joy, Peace and Love in the Discovery Bible Study format.
  • "Less is More" Christmas Poster & Devotional - fun-filled, faith-filled way to help families dial back the more & get closer to the heart of Advent & Christmas.
  • Naming Jesus: A Family-Friendly Advent Devotional - about the many names we give to Jesus, & the life-changing names he gives to us.  Simple home-based weekly ideas around the themes hope, peace, joy & love.
  • Redeeming Advent - 24 Days - Each day starts with an anecdote or familiar activity from the ‘secular’ preparations for Christmas, leading in from that to a Bible passage and punchy commentary.
  • Creation to Crib: An All Age, Intergenerational Advent Journey - this beautiful, hand illustrated devotional gives you opportunities to pray, discuss, think, and journal your way from Creation to Crib
  • Tracing Glory: The Christmas Story Through the Bible - 25 days - From the creation of the world in the book of Genesis, to the new creation in the book of Revelation.  In each day’s reading, there is a key Scripture to look up, a devotional commentary to read, and a helpful summary highlighting the key point and showing how that particular Bible passage points to Jesus, and questions to prompt discussion with your family.
  • The Adventure of Christmas: 25 Simple Family Devotions for December - simple 10-minute family devotions for Advent, with graphic-novel-style illustrations. Different sets of questions for 3-4s, 5-7s, 7-12s, teens and even parents.
  • The Advent Creative Retreat Activity Book - 5 sections - offers a combination of meditations, prayers and activities.

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.  You can also purchase a devotional from Forward Movement to reflect on the word each day. (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 (updated)

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 3 of his child-friendly Christmas Songs downloadable and with permission for streaming in worship/educational contexts.

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. (updated)

Books to read in worship:

Books to help with worship preparation: