Advent 3 C (December 12): Sharing the Christmas Message/If You Have Two Shirts

Bible Readings: Zephaniah 3:14-20, Isaiah 12:2-6, Philippians 4:4-7, Luke 3: 7-18

About the Images:
Upper Left: This is a Microsoft free clipart image on to which I put the text.
Upper Right: This is a free image from www.heartlight.com - a great site for worship images - you will find a link to them in my links column on the left of this page.

Middle Left and Right:  These are two slides from the excellent resources found at Church Galleries - see my link column at left. 

Lower Left: This is another free image from www.heartlight.com - see above for details.

Lower Right: Once when we were in the midst of bushfires, Jenee from textweek.com reminded me that Advent is about waiting in hope and preparing. I took the photo as the fire front was approaching Omeo a number of years ago when I was working up there as a pastoral visitor to fire beseiged families. I think anyone who can put their washing out to dry in the face of an oncoming fire shows great hope - also the clothes prop shapes a cross in the middle of the image. 

Listening Song; When You say Nothing At All
By Ronan Keating on his album, When You Say Nothing At All (pictured at left). This goes very well with the Zephaniah reading where it says that God "silently shows us his love".

Listening Song: If this Thing Should Spill by Born in the Flood

This video clip is the song put to pictures by www.threadschurch.org. The song goes beautifully with the Philippians reading and is a great introduction to the response activity below - how do these things (particularly peace in the song but also gentleness, rejoicing and prayer are evident too) spill out into the community around us and how do they impinge on our own lives. Thanks to Singing the Lectionary -see my link column at left - for this song suggestion.

Kid's Story: Wombat Divine
By Mem Fox and Kerry Argent, Omnibus Books, 1995, ISBN 1862913021 (pictured at right). Brilliant!!!! Everyone has a role to play when it comes to Christmas in in God's scheme of things.

Film Clips: Paperless Christmas

www.paperlesschristmas.com  has the greatest set of short films for use in church based on a modern look at the Christmas story. A brilliant effort! 

Drama: A Publicity Photo

Found in Mega Drama 6 by Verena Johnson (Ed.), Open Book, 2002, ISBN 0859109208, page 79 (pictured at left). This drama goes well with the gospel reading.

Quote/Story: Leonard Bernstein
Scroll down to the third story at http://net.bible.org/illustration.php?topic=756. This goes well with the gospel reading.

Story: Safe Under the Falls

Find this story in the Youth Bible, Word Publishing, 1991, ISBN 0849909252, page 631 (pictured at right). After telling the story, read Isaiah 12:2-6 and use it to re-assure people in times when they are fearful or reluctant to share the Christmas story.

Story: Even Now The Taste

Found in The Speaker's Source Book of New Illustrations by Virgil Hurley, Word Publishing, 1995, ISBN 0849936756, page 38 (pictured at left). This story fits in well with Phillippians 4:6.

Story: Pillsbury Doughboy Wanted for Attempted Murder

Found in Illustrations, Stories and Quotes by Jim Burns and Greg Mckinnon (eds.), Gospel Light, 1997, ISBN 0830718834, page 41 (pictured at right). This story fits in well with Philippians 4:6. 

Poem: The Faithful Are Fearless
Found In Due Season by Herbert F. Brokering, Augsburg Publishing House, 1966 (pictured at left)  in the winter section. Based on Philippians 4:7.

Poem: First Coming
By Madeleine L'Engle in Imaging the Word, Volume 1, United Church Press, 1994, ISBN 082980716, page 85 (pictured at right). This connects well with the Philippians reading.

Response Activity:
Give each person a small card with the words: rejoicing, gentleness, prayer and peace written on one side. Ask people to write the name of a person they would like to share the message of Christmas with on the blank side of the card. Ask them to turn the card over and look at the four words and then ask: How can you share the Good News of Christmas best with the person you named; is it through rejoicing, through gentleness, through prayer, through peaceful words or actions. Give time for silent prayer.

Also:

Kids: Let the Celebrations Begin

By Margaret Wild and Julie Vivas, Box Press,  with lots of ideas for a whole worship service found in Worship is For Everyone by Julie Pinazza, Openbook Publishers, 2000, ISBN 0859109259, page 55. This goes well with the Philippians reading.

Taize Service: Don't Worry; Have Peace

Found in Worship Feast by Taize, Abingdon Press, 2004, page 12. This is based on the Philippians reading.

Worship Activity: Melodramatic Reading

By Jim Burns and Robin Dugall in Worship Experiences, Gospel Light, 1999, ISBN, 0830724044, page 41.  This is based on the Philippians reading.

Prayer Exercise: Centering Prayer

Found in Prayer: Heart of the Pilgrimage by Jenny Youngman, Upper Room Books, Nashville, 2007, ISBN 0835898369, page 60.  This is based on the Philippians reading.

Creative Ideas: John the Baptist: The Prophet from the wilderness

Found in Multi-Sensory Prophets by Mike Law, Scripture Union, 2007, ISBN 9781844272587, page 50. This is based on the Luke reading.

Poem: Yes
Found in In Due Season by Herbert F Brokering, Augsburg Publishing, 1966 (pictured at right) in the Summer section.

Confession and Assurance of Grace

By Wesley Brian Jamison and found in Before the Amen by Maren C Tirabassi and Maria I. Tirrabassi (Eds), Pilgrim Press, Cleveland, 2007, ISBN 978 0 8298 1750 8, page 55. Based on the Isaiah reading.

Prayer/Action: Resolutions/Making Decisions

Found  in Going Home Another Way by Neil Paynter, Wild Goose Publications, 2008,pages 114 and based on the Philippians reading. 

Advent 2 C (December 5): Preparing a Road in the Wilderness/ Messengers from God

Bible Readings: Luke 1:68-79, Baruch 5:1-9, Malachi 3:1-4, Luke 3:1-6, Philippians 1:3-11

About the images:
Upper Left: This is the Australian version of the annunciation found in the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth in Israel. It is my photo so please feel free to use it for worship and related activities.
Upper and Middle Right: This is some of the brilliant clipart from Church Galleries - a site which has had an eventful life recently due to the mindless and vandalistic nature of hackers.  = You can access the site via my link column at left.
Middle Left: John Bell says that in many ways we have handed the Nativity story over to children. Using adults for the Nativity plays gives a more realistic and true perception of the story to everyone. Alma (may she rest in peace), a wonderful lady who belonged to a church I once served in, made a fantastic Gabriel. It is my photo.  Alma was, and I am, very happy for you to use this photo for worship and related activities. 
Lower Left: A free image from Cerezo Barredo - see my link column at left.

Lower Right: A free Heartlight image - see my link at left.

Responsive reading:
The Luke 1:68-79 makes a good responsive reading

Film Clip: Sting - The Angel Gabriel

Film Clip: Little Women
Show the scene from this film (pictured at left) near the beginning where the girls share their breakfast with the poor family and the lady of the house calls them angels (messengers) from God.

Drama: Lucky Day

Found in Cloth For the Cradle by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Group Publications, 1997, ISBN 1901557014, page 38, (pictured at right).  This drama is a great introduction to the Luke 1 reading.

Discussion and Activity: Bible study
Print the latter four bible readings above onto A4/letter sized paper - a different colour for each reading - and have enough printed so that each person receives one page only, not all four. Project the four questions below or have the questions printed on the bottom of each reading:
1.What is the good news in this reading?
2. How is this message helpful to christians/believers?
3. How is this message helpful to those with little or no knowledge of Jesus?
4. The name "Malachi" (one of the readings) means messenger - do you see yourself or this congregation as a messenger? How?
Get people to sort themselves into same paper colour groups of five or six, maybe more, and encourage them to discuss the questions in the light of their particular reading. Ask each group to present to the congregation the thing that impacted on them the most as they discussed the questions. Encourage them to present their finding via a homemade poster, a skit, a song, a poem, a diagram, a clay sculpture etc etc. They will be limited only by the resources and spaces you provide for them to work in. Allow at least 20 - 30 minutes for this whole process.

Meditation:
Provide/project some images of the world and your local area. Ask the Bill Easum question from Leadership on the Other Side, Abingdon, 2000, ISBN 0687085888 (pictured at left) :
What is it about your relationship with Jesus that the world cannot live without knowing?
Give people a quiet space to think about this question.

Poem: Zechariah's Pride
Found in Outback Christmas by Pro Hart and Norman Habel, Lutheran Publishing House, 1990, ISBN 0859105628, page 18 (pictured at right). This is based on the Luke reading.

Poem: Maggie's Poem
Not sure how to acknowledge this poem properly but thank you to a visitor to this site who gave me some background to this lovely poem as follows: 'The poem was apparently written by a member of a group that Lee Strobel was leading or who was part of his church in the US. I heard him read and quote this when he was in the UK some years ago talking about "Building a contagious church". I got the text from him.'

Do you know,
do you understand
that you represent
Jesus to me?

Do you know,
do you understand
that when you
treat me with gentleness,
it raises the question in my mind
that maybe he is gentle, too?
Maybe he isn't someone
who laughs when I am hurt.

Do you know,
do you understand
that when you listen to my questions
and you don't laugh,
I think,
"What if Jesus is interested in me, too?"

Do you know,
do you understand
that when I hear you talk about arguments
and conflict and scars from your past
that I think, "Maybe I am just a regular person
instead of a bad, no-good, little girl who deserves abuse?"

If you care,
I think maybe he cares --
and then there's this flame of hope
that burns inside of me,
and for a while,
I am afraid to breathe
because it might go out.

Do you know,
do you understand
that your words are his words?
Your face,
his face
to someone like me?

Please be who you say you are.
Please, God, don't let this be another trick.
Please let this be real.
Please.

Do you know,
do you understand
that you represent
Jesus to me?

Adult Response: Two meditations
Found in Found in Bringing the Word To Life Together: Year C by Andrew Collis and Dorothy McRae-McMahon, Mediacom, Adelaide, 2012, ISBN 9781921945083, page 16 (pictured at right) .   This is based on the gospel reading.

Blessing: Commitment to Each Other
Found in Resources for Preaching and Worship - Year C compiled by Hannah Ward and Jennifer Wild, Westminster John Knox Press, 2003, ISBN 066422508X, page 7 (pictured at left). This is based on the Gospel reading and would be lovely said together and to each other.

Also:

Creative Ideas: Malachi: The Prophet of Diversion and Distraction

Found in Multi-Sensory Prophets by Mike Law, Scripture Union, 2007, ISBN 9781844272587, page 50 (pictured at left). This is based on the Malachi reading.

Creative Ideas: John the Baptist: The Prophet from the Wilderness

Found in Multi-Sensory Prophets by Mike Law, Scripture Union, 2007, ISBN 9781844272587, page 50 (pictured at left). This is based on the Luke reading.

Drama: Prepare!

Found in Mega Drama 6 by Verena Johnson (ed.) Open Book, 2002, ISBN 0 85910 920 8, page 68 (pictured at left) . This drama fits with the Luke 3 reading

Useful Stuff: Filled With The Joy Of Jesus

Found in Philippians: Sharing the Joy of Jesus by Groups Biblesense, Group, 2006, ISBN 0 7644 3225 7, page 8

Reflection and Prayer: 
Found in Advent Readings from Iona by Brian Woodcock and Jan Sutch Pickard, Wild Goose Publications, 2005, ISBN 1901557332 (pictured at right). These are based on the Luke reading and found under the heading: December 24th.

Advent 1 C (November 28): Hoping/Watching/Waiting/Preparing/Creating

 

Bible readings: Jeremiah 33:14-16, Psalm 25:1-10, 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13, Luke 21:25-46

About the Images:
Upper Left: This is a photo I took on Norfolk Island which I overwrote with a Bible text. Please feel free to us it for worship and related activities. If you are interested in seeing more of beautiful Norfolk Island visit www.norfolkisland.com.au 
Upper Right: This watch tower was built on the south east coast of Australia at Boydtown near Eden by Benjamin Boyd in the 1840's as a lighthouse and as a whale lookout. It was never completed and was never used as an official lighthouse, however generations of whalers used it for spotting whales. If you want to know more about Boydtown visit http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boydtown. The photo is mine so please feel free to use it for worship and related activities.
Middle Left and Right: I took both of these photos in the old city of Jerusalem - one along  street (the little indented box in the wall) and the other at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, They both reminded me of hope - things growing in hard and unexpected places. Please feel free to use it for worship and related activities.
Lower Left: A free image from the Heartlight site - see my link column at left.

Lower Right: A free Microsoft clipart image with words from the Psalm 

Opening Prayer: Blessing Prayer

Found in Seasons of Celebration by Patricia Mathson, Ave Maria press, 1995, ISBN 0877935661, page 19 (pictured at right). This prayer is useful for the entire advent season.

Confession:
Use bits of the Jeremiah reading and the psalm.

Film Clip: The Man in the Egg
Found on Leunig Animated, Madman, 2001 (pictured at left).  This clip goes well with both the Gospel and the Thessalonians reading.

Film Clips: Paperless Christmas
www.paperlesschristmas.com has the greatest set of short films for use in church based on a modern look at the christmas story. A brilliant effort! 

Kids: Hope 
Ask the kids if they have ever planned something that didn't work out the way they intended it to. Share a story from your own life which will illustrate this and show them if possible (mine is a quilt which went horribly wrong between the planning and the completing!!!)
Tell them that Advent is the time when we remember all of God's terrific promises to us that everything will work out because Jesus is the one who brings us ......
Have huge letters H O P E stuck up in random order around the worship space. Ask the kids to help you sort them into a word they know.
Discuss with them what the word means and how it relates to Christmas.

Discussion: In pairs or threes.
What do you think has gone wrong with the world? How do you think it should be?
What do you think has gone wrong with our local community? How do you think it should be?
What do you think has gone wrong with our church? how do you think it should be?
Talk about waiting for change and about changing back or changing forward. Then discuss:
What are you waiting for?
What are we as a church waiting for?
What is this particular congregation waiting for?

Story: Goodness and Mercy Will Win
By Erskine White in Together in Christ, CCS Publishing Co. or find it at illustrations@CLERGY.NET This goes well with the Jeremiah reading.

Story: Some Things are Immovable
Found in Illustrations, Stories and Quotes to Hang Your Message On by Jim Burns and Greg Mckinnon, Gospel Light, 1997, ISBN 0830718834, page 47 (pictured at right). This story fits well with both the gospel and the Thessalonians reading.

Poem:
Accept surprises
that upset your plans
shatter your dreams,
give a completely
different turn
to your day
and - who knows? -
to your life.
It is not chance.
Leave the Father free
himself to weave
the pattern of your days.
By Dom Helder Camara in A Thousand Reasons For Living, ISBN 0800606647.

Prayer/poem: The Coming Bushman
Found in Outback Christmas by Pro Hart and Norman Habel, Lutheran Publishing House, 1981, ISBN 0859105628 (pictured at left).  This fits in well with the gospel reading.

Meditation: And This Shall Be A Sign to You 
By Robert A Raines in Imaging the Word Volume 1 by Kenneth T Lawrence, Jann Cather Weaver and Roger Wedell (Eds.), United Church Press, 1994, ISBN 0829809716, page 78 (pictured at right). This fits in well with the Gospel reading. I put these words with a series of images of babies and used the 11th Commandment by Ben Harper and the Blind Boys from Alabama on their album, Let there Be Light, (pictured at left) as backing music.

Meditation: Waiting

From Cloth for the Cradle by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 1997, ISBN 1901557014, page 20 (pictured at right). This fits well with all the readings.

Prayer for Others; Pinning Our Hopes on Jesus (i)
Found in Cloth For The Cradle, page 54 - see at right
 
Response Activity: Pinning Our Hopes on Jesus (ii)
Found in Cloth For the Cradle, page 56 - see at right

Response Activity: Advent Angels: 
This is an advent version of secret buddies. Encourage or organise people (in the sense that you pair people up somehow without them knowing - like you do for secret buddies or Chris Kringles) to be advent angels ie where people do unexpected favours or give unexpected encouragement or praise anonymously to others in the congregation.

Response Activity: Fridge magnets:
Give everyone a small (laminated maybe) card with the words of Psalm 25:4-5 on it attached to a small fridge magnet (see above image)

Also:

Kids: Oi Get Off Our Train

By John Burningham, Random House,  with lots of ideas for a whole worship service found in Worship is For Everyone by Julie Pinazza, Openbook Publishers, 2000, ISBN 0859109259, page 42 (pictured at left). This goes well with the Thessalonians  reading.

Creative Ideas: Jeremiah: The Prophet of Hope

Found in Multi-Sensory Prophets by Mike Law, Scripture Union, 2007, ISBN 9781844272587, page 37(pictured at right). This is based on the Jeremiah reading.

Four Advent Mediations:

Found in In this Hour by Dorothy McRae-McMahon, Desbooks, 2001, ISBN 094982433X, page 46ff (pictured at left). 

Drama: The World's Going to End

Found in Mega Drama 6 by Verena Johnson (ed.) Open Book, 2002, ISBN 0 85910 920 8, page 60 . This drama fits with the gospel reading