At church, December may be filled with special events and the practice sessions that go along with them. Children’s music programs, pageants, or fellowship events may affect your faith formation classes during the season of Advent. Whatever your church’s schedule during these busy December Sundays, check out these tips to help you plan.
Worship
- During Advent worship services, be intentional about including child-friendly music and responsive readings, such as the one included below.
- With the many sights and sounds during this season, Advent is a good time to encourage families with children to sit closer to the front of the sanctuary during worship.
- Provide coloring sheets related to the Advent theme, along with crayons or markers, for people of all ages.
- Invite children and youth who are learning musical instruments to play prepared Christmas music before or during worship.
Faith Formation
During Shine faith formation sessions, plan to spend more time with Connect to God and Connect to the Bible during Advent. Often there are plans for an Advent wreath or a special way to mark the Sundays in Advent. Quiet time and prayer can help children and youth unwind from their own busyness and be ready to engage with the Bible story.- One youth group regularly shares “God sightings”—occasions when they were aware of God’s presence during the time since the previous session.
- Refresh your room décor and have Christmas music playing as children enter. Be ready to welcome everyone and move quickly into Connect to Each Other to capture the energy.
- Is your meeting time shortened by a play or music practice on several Sundays? Move directly into the story after children/youth arrive and have one creative activity that they can add to each week.
- No Sunday school the week before or after Christmas? Combine elements of sessions 3 and 4 so that children will hear the whole Christmas story.
- Ask for an extra volunteer to assist you each week. Another set of hands can help with special art activities or allow you to offer a choice of Explore options.
- Check out the Shine Pinterest boards below for quick links to media related to each session, artwork depicting the Christmas story, peace resources, craft projects, and other materials to supplement Shine sessions.
Waiting prayer
Include this “Waiting prayer” in worship during Advent:
Group 1: We lift up our souls to you, God.
Group 2: Like the prophet Isaiah, we wait for renewed strength from the Lord.
All: We want you to make things right in the world.
Group 1: Like John the Baptist, we prepare ourselves while we wait.
Group 2: Forgive us for times we hurt others.
All: Help us to prepare our hearts to receive your love.
Group 1: Like Mary, we say yes to God’s plan, even while we wait to understand it.
Group 2: Thank you for choosing people like us to share your good news.
All: We wait with joyful expectation!
During this Advent season may you be filled with the peace of Christ and may we all experience anew the joy of this season as we await Jesus’ birth.
Today’s post was written by Joyce Peachey Lind, Shine’s curriculum editor.
Illustrations by Sherry Neidigh and Angela Hawkins.