Advent & Christmas Eve Resources

Are you finished planning Advent yet? I’ll be finalizing this next week (hopefully!). This year, due to scheduling of the pageant and cantata, we will not have Sunday school classes during worship. I’m excited about exploring how to incorporate faith formation into worship. We’ll likely be using Godly Play scripts, using real people as the figures on the road to Bethlehem, to create our Advent candle lighting liturgy. I’ll post details when they are finalized.

Until then, here is a collection of past Advent and Christmas Eve resources I’ve created or used:

Advent Resources on Bless Each One:

See Building Faith for a Jesse Tree skit which includes all ages. It is perfect for smaller churches hoping to include all ages in the traditional Advent worship service. I hope you check it out! You can find more of my favorite Jesse Tree ornaments on my Pinterest board.

Advent Worship Banners for Year B

Mason Jar Advent Devotional

Family Jesse Tree Centerpiece with Devotional

And a personal story about the beauty of imperfection during holiday preparations

Christmas Eve:

Most years I gather the children up front during the family service and read a picture book with the illustrations projected for the adults to see. I suggest

The Shoemakers Dream by Schell- out of print but a beautiful retelling of Tolstoy’s “Where God is, Love is”

To Whom the Angel Spoke by Terry Kay is a very inclusive story of the shepherds. The book is tiny, so enlarging it is key.

Crooked Halos and Wiggly Sheep Classic, Impromptu Christmas Eve Pageant – more details coming from this adaptation of a script by Rev. Matthew Kozlowski

Looking for beautiful, handmade gifts that children can create? Check these out:

Upcycled Vintage Prayer Beads

Dyed Silk Prayer Shawls

Duct Tape Bible Pen Holder

My go-to sites for Advent and Christmas:

Have you seen the enormous and beautiful Advent coloring pages from Illustrated Children’s Ministry? We plan use them this year as part of worship.

Building Faith Scripts and Articles

Worshiping with Children Advent A – We give thanks for Carolyn Brown’s work creating a comprehensive library of lectionary based resources for including children in worship. She has announced her retirement from blogging but two full lectionary cycles of resources will remain available.