Connecting with families from Advent to Epiphany
One of the best moments to be in contact with people is around Christmas
ACROSS ALL CHURCH OF ENGLAND research around Life Events, those who have encountered church at one of life’s key moments are positive about hearing from us again. One of the best moments to be in contact with people is around Christmas. Use the ideas and resources below to create focused invitations, activities and prayers.
Below is a selection of ideas from which you can choose something that will help to support your ministry to families from Advent to Epiphany. You do not need to do everything, but one or two things may stand out for you.
These ideas are offered to help you connect with families who may not have been to church for a while, to invite them to join in with faith activities and prayer, to share the Christmas story with them and to create spaces where they can remember Jesus amid an otherwise commercialised Christmas.
Tailored events
As well as your usual Christmas services, you might consider hosting one of these additional services which will have appeal to specific groups:
- The first event in your Christmas calendar might well be a fete before Advent – it’s a great time to invite families and make them feel part of the church community. It’s a good place for toddlers and children as well – especially if you have child-friendly activities.
- Space for the stressed and worn out – create an evening in church for the grown-ups just to come and sit in a sacred space, listen to quiet music, perhaps appreciate Christmas art, read Christmas poems, hear Bible readings and enjoy a drink.
- You might consider a ‘Longest Night’ service for those who are grieving at Christmas. Invite your funeral contacts to this, (and to other more joyful events too).
- Christmas can be a special and romantic time for newlyweds or those soon-to-be-married, so don’t forget to invite your local wedding contacts to a suitable Christmas service. Remember to include your banns-only couples too, as they will live locally!
Ideas tried and tested
These ideas have been tried out in parishes around the country.
Building a crib scene at home
I have found that most homes don’t actually have a crib set, and a homemade one is something that can stay in the family for years. They’re more likely to share photos of it on Facebook because it’s homemade too, especially if you suggest that to them.
Duplo/Lego/Playmobil/doll’s house figures can be used, and perhaps a box for the stable. An angel can be made by attaching paper wings to a figure/doll with tape.
When we invited families in our parish to try this, someone later recognised me in Tesco and said that she and her son had made a stable using the Lego police station!
Idea from the Revd Felicity Walters
A crib service with deeper meaning
Here’s one account of a crib service which was developed to help children understand the Christmas story in a deeper way, from the Spiritual Child Network.
Counting Christmas prayer idea
This very simple prayer idea uses aspects of the Christmas story to pray. Invite everyone to hold out their whole hand, folding down fingers to count down.
Five: a whole complete hand representing the whole world. Give thanks for God’s love for the whole world; pray for any particular countries in the news; pray for the Good News of peace to be heard everywhere. Lord, in your mercy. All: Hear our prayer.
Four: represents the shepherds and all those who are working or living on the edge of society. Pray for those who work on Christmas Day, those who have nowhere to go, who are despised and looked down upon; pray that they may find God’s love to be real. Lord, in your mercy. All: Hear our prayer.
Three: represents the Wise men and all who hold power and influence. Pray for leaders in church and nation that they will continue to seek truth and justice for all. Lord, in your mercy. All: Hear our prayer.
Two: represents Mary and Joseph and parents and family. Give thanks for family and friends, near or far. Pray for particular needs locally, and especially for vulnerable families that they will find joy on this day. Lord, in your mercy. All: Hear our prayer.
One: represents Jesus, the one who came among us to bring hope and salvation. Pray for the church celebrating across the world this day, for our own church, and our own individual lives as we worship and serve him day by day. Amen.
Idea from the Revd Canon Sandra Millar
Other ideas
- There are a number of ways to use a bulk supply of ‘Real Advent Calendar’ to help share the Christmas story – use as gifts/giveaways at fetes, Sunday school, toddler groups or wherever you’ll meet families with young children.
- Suggest to your social media followers that as the dark nights draw in, parents can help their child with star-gazing, to enable them to experience awe and wonder. This article will show them how to do that.
- There is a great video produced by the Bible Society, which explains the ‘Well good news of Christmas’ for children. You could share that on social media too, and/or play it during a Christingle service – here it is.
- Some of the nation’s favourite Christmas carols, hymns and songs have been translated into British Sign Language, with specially commissioned music and word arrangement and recording. They’re available for download to use in services, assemblies, concerts and workshops without any additional music licences. See the Christian BSL web page.
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