Christmas 1 A (28 December 2025): Jesus was a Refugee/Will Christmas Make a Difference

 

Bible readings: Isaiah 63:7-9, Psalm 148, Hebrews 2:10-18, Matthew 2:13-23

About the Images:

Upper Left and Bottom Left: These are free images from the Hermano Leon clip art site. You can find a link to this site in the Links column to the left however this site appears to have closed or moved - not sure where. 

Upper Right : This is a painting by Eastman Johnson - A Ride for Liberty -- The Fugitive Slaves. This image is in the Public Domain and found at http://commons.wikimedia.org.

Middle Left and Right: These free images both come from www.sundaygraphx.blogspot.com.  See my links column at left.

Lower Left and Right: These are free images from the excellent Heartlight site - see my links column at left.

 Call to Worship: Nocturne
Show a variety of images of Jesus' family fleeing to Egypt and present day refugees while playing Nocturne by Secret Garden as a backing. Nocturne can be found on Secret Garden's album, Songs From a Secret Garden or on the compilation album Encore (pictured at left)

Kid's Story: The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey.

By Susam Wojciechowski and P. J. Lynch, Walker Books, 1995, ISBN 0744554020 (pictured at right)

Kid's Story: The legend of the Spider's Web

Found in The Lion Christmas Book compiled by Mary Batchelor, Lion, 1984, ISBN 0745912206, page 81 (pictured at left)

Kids: Jesus Was a Refugee

This is another brilliant book by Andrew McDonough, Lost Sheep Resources, 2012 (pictured at right). This goes with the Gospel reading.  The great thing about these books is that they only around $A7 and for a further $A10 (or instead of) you can buy on-line the story in any format you need to project the pictures in church.  There are also free activity sheets and for a cost activity book for both teachers and children.  Visit www.lostsheep.com.au to check out all the excellent resources.

Drama: The Soldiers

From Cloth for the Cradle by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 1997, ISBN 1901557014, page 129 (pictured at right). This is based on the Gospel reading. 

Poem: Once in Judah's Least Known City

From Cloth for the Cradle by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 1997, ISBN 1901557014, page 113 (pictured at right).

Meditation and Response Activity: Women Weeping

From Cloth for the Cradle by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 1997, ISBN 1901557014, page 1183 (pictured above right)

Drama: It Happened Again

Found in Mega Drama 2 by Verena Johnson (Ed.), Open Book, 2001, ISBN 085910916Xv2, page 104 (pictured at left).

Story: Christ
Index 677-723 from Bible Illustrator for Windows Version 1.0d, Parsons Technology Inc., 1990. Story about how Turner, the English painter, painted a storm at sea. This is based on the Hebrews reading

Story: The Manger Was Empty
Retold by Cassandra Lindell, in Christmas Stories of the Heart compiled by Alice Gray, Multnomah Books, 1997, ISBN 1576731847, page 17 (pictured at right).

Story: The Ivory and Gold Tablecloth
By Howard C Schade in Christmas Stories of the Heart, as above, page 24 (pictured at above right)

 Story: The Manger is Empty
By Walter Wangerin in The Manger is Empty: Stories in Time, Spire, 1989, ISBN 0340555548, page 3 (pictured at left).

Poem: The Flight

Found in Outback Christmas by Pro Hart and Norman Habel, Lutheran Publishing House, 1990, ISBN 0859105628, page 44 (pictured at right). This is based on the Matthew reading.

Response Activity: Haiku (or Cinquaine)

If you didn't do this in Advent 4 (see my notes on Advent 4), this activity would also work well for this week.

Also:

Brilliant Comments on the Gospel

Found in Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes by Kenneth E. Bailey, SPCK, 2008, ISBN 9780281059751, pages 56-64 (pictured at right).

Holy Innocents

Found in Hay and Stardust by Ruth Burgess, Wild Goose Publications 2005, ISBN 1 905010 00 1, pages 180pp (pictured at left) with lots of other great Christmas stuff.

Brilliant Pre-Reading: Even After God Arrived

Found in The First Advent in Palestine by Kelley Nikondeha, Broadleaf Books, 2022, pages 147ff (pictured at right). Based on the gospel reading. 

Brilliant Pre-Reading: Homeland, But Not a Home

Found in The First Advent in Palestine by Kelley Nikondeha, Broadleaf Books, 2022, pages 163ff (pictured at right) . Based on the gospel reading. 

God Hidden and Present

Found in Australian Psalms by Bruce Prewer, Lutheran Publishing House, 1979, page 72 (pictured at left) and based on the Isaiah reading. This book is an oldie but a goodie.    

Christmas Day A (2025): The Light Wins/The Big Gift

 

 

Bible readings: Isaiah 62:6-12, Psalm 97, Titus 3:4-7, Luke 2:1-20

About the Images:

Upper Left: This is a microsoft free clipart image with my Biblical text

Upper Right: This is a Christian Clipart.com image with Biblical text preceded by a line from the song "Sweet Little Jesus Boy" by Rebecca St James (see below).

Middle Left: This is my image taken of the ancient entrance and wall into Bethlehem. Please feel free to use it for worship and related activities.

Middle Right: This is a slide from Church Galleries currently down at the moment- see my link in the column at left.

Lower Left:  A painting on the present day 8 metre high wall built by Israel surrounding Bethlehem and the West Bank preventing residents from freedom of movement. This is my photo - please feel free to use it for worship and related activities. 

Lower Right, Bottom Left, Bottom Right: The story of the shepherds in three parts depicted in wall murals in the Shepherd's Field Church in Beit Sahour, southeast of Bethlehem, West Bank, Palestine. These are also my photos - please feel free to use them for worship and related activities. 

Listening Song: Sweet Little Jesus Boy
By Rebecca St James on the WOW Christmas album (pictured at right)

Kid's Story: Chi-Wee's Special Present 

Found in The Lion Christmas Book compiled by Mary Batchelor, Lion, 1984, ISBN 0745912206, page 22 (pictured at left). This is a lovely story about what it really means to give a gift.

Kid's Story: One Little Angel

By Ruth Brown, Red Fox, 1998, ISBN 0099404362 (pictured at  right). This story has a delightful surprise ending.

Kid's Story: The Fox's Story
By Nick Butterworth and Mick Inkpen, 1988, ISBN 0551015799 (pictured at left).  This is one of a set of excellently illustrated stories. They have been republished in sets of four however I never let mine out of my sight - just in case.

Kid's Story: Great Joy

By Kate DiCamillo and Bagram Ibatoulline, Candlewick Press, 2007, ISBN
9780763629205 (pictured at right).

Kid's Story: Jed and Roy McCoy
by Andrew McDonough, Lost Sheep Resources, 2007 ISBN 9781921229121 (pictured at left). Visit lostsheep.com.au for downloads of this book in a number of different formats for both Mac and PC.  The site also has free activity sheets and lots of other resources. 

Film Clip: When God was Born

Drama: Angel Space

Found in Lightning Sketches by Paul Burbridge and Murray Wells, Hodder and Stoughton, 1981, ISBN 0340267100, page 28 (pictured at left).

Drama: Accept My Gift
Found in Mega Drama 2 by Verena Johnson (Ed.), Open Book, 2001, ISBN 085910916Xv2, page 96 (pictured below right)

Drama: The Shepherd

From Cloth for the Cradle by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 1997, ISBN 1901557014, page 94 (pictured at left). 

Drama: Unto You

Found in Mega Drama 2 by Verena Johnson (Ed.), Open Book, 2001, ISBN 085910916Xv2, page 90 (pictured at right).

Plenary Discussion:
How many people received Christmas cards this year?
How many people received religious ones?
With neighbours: Is the real story gradually being lost?

Story: Chippie's Bad Day

Found in More Hot Illustrations for Youth by Wayne Rice, Zondervan 1995, ISBN 0310207681 page 51.  An illustration of the difference Christmas can make to our lives.

Poems: From Outback Christmas
By Pro Hart and Norman Habel, Lutheran Publishing House, 1990, ISBN 0859105628, page 32. If you want to give your service a real Australian flavour the following poems and their corresponding artwork go very well with the Luke reading for today: The Ride to Bethlehem (vs1-5), Jesus' Birth (6), The Bethlehem Pub (7), The Stockmens' Story (8-14), Report of the Stockmen (15-20)

Poem and Prayer: defiant light

Found in Dad and Daughter by Ron Gordon and Jennie Gordon, 2012, ISBN 9780646586601, page 6.  I am giving everyone a bookmark copy of this lovely poem to take home and discover at their leisure. This wonderful book has poems and prayers for the three year cycle of the lectionary.  

Meditation: The Word

From Cloth for the Cradle by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 1997, ISBN 1901557014, page 98 (pictured above left).

Response Activity: Christmas Cards
Give everyone a business sized card as above (upper right image) and a time of silence to pray.

Response Activity: Light in the World

Have a big gift box at the front on the church filled with enough stars for everyone to take one home. Print a prayer about being light in the dark on each star. This idea is roughly based on an idea by Christine Wright in Christmas Wrapped Up! by Scripture Union, 2003 ISBN 9781859997956, page 78. (pictured at right and which is full of brilliant ideas for Christmas).

Also:

Meditation: Quiet Remembering

Found in Meditations from the Iona Community by Ian Reid, Wild Goose Publications, Trowbridge, 1998, ISBN 1901557022, page 16.

Brilliant Comments on the Gospel

Found in Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes by Kenneth E. Bailey, SPCK, 2008, ISBN 9780281059751, pages 25-37.

Christmas Day Resources

Found in Hay and Stardust by Ruth Burgess, Wild Goose Publications 2005, ISBN 1 905010 00 1, pages 15-22.

Drama: No Beds in Bethlehem

Found in Let's Make a Scene for..... by Verena Johnson, Open Book, 1998, ISBN 0859108937, page 89 (pictured at right). This goes well with the Luke reading. 

Jesus the Light of the World

Found in Messy Church 2 by Lucy Moore, The Bible Reading Fellowship, 2008, ISBN 978 1 84101 602 3, page 100ff. This is based on the Luke reading.

Drama: Jesus Birth

Found in From Advent to Emmaus by Jim Hayward, page 16 (pictured at right). This book is available in Print and Digital PDF versions, is based on Luke's gospel and is ideal for Lectionary Year C. For more information and/or to buy, visit the CMLA website - cmla.org.au.

Drama: Shepherds and Angels

Found in From Advent to Emmaus by Jim Hayward, page 18 (pictured at right). This book is available in Print and Digital PDF versions, is based on Luke's gospel and is ideal for Lectionary Year C. For more information and/or to buy, visit the CMLA website - cmla.org.au.

Listening Song:

Psalm 97 stars twice on the Sons of Korah album, Refuge, Wordsong Artists, 2011 (pictured at right).

Activity: Dissolving

Found in Multi-Sensory Scripture by Sue Wallace, Scripture Union, 2005, ISBN 1 84427 166 8, number 2. This is based on the Titus reading.

Activity: Wiping the Slate Clean

Found in Multi-Sensory Scripture by Sue Wallace, Scripture Union, 2005, ISBN 1 84427 166 8, number 3. This is based on the Titus reading.

Christmas Eve A (24th December 2025): Peace on earth/Hope for the Future

 

Bible Readings: Isaiah 9:2-7, Psalm 96, Titus 2:11-14, Luke 2:1-20

About the Images:
Upper Left: A free microsoft clipart with text from the Bible

Upper Right: Found at http://www.gwpda.org/photos/greatwar.ht It is an actual picture of two soldiers with Christmas trees during the Christmas Truce on the Western Front.

Middle Left: A free clipart with text from the Bible.

Middle Right: This free image comes from www.sundaygraphx.blogspot.com
Lower Left: This is a free image from the Hermano Leon website - see my link column at left.

Lower Right: The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem at night.  This is my image so please feel free to use it for worship and related activities.

Bottom Left: This is a free image from the Heartlight site - see my link column at left.

Call To Worship: This, Tonight, is the Meeting Place

From Cloth for the Cradle by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 1997, ISBN 1901557014, page 83. (pictured below at left).

Listening Song: Christe Elieson
By Michelle Tumes on her album, Centre of My Universe (pictured at left).

Listening Song: Emmanuel

By Michael W. Smith on WOW Christmas or on his album, Christmas Time (pictured at right).

Listening song: I Still Pray
By Casey Chambers on The Spirit of Christmas 2001 (pictured at left)

Listening Song: Blessed is...
By The Cafe of the Gate of Salvation on their album, A Window in Heaven (pictured at right) 

Reading: The Journey of Jesus

From Cloth for the Cradle by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 1997, ISBN 1901557014, page 84 (pictured at left below).

Film Clip: He Came Down

Drama (Monologue): The Shepherd
From Cloth for the Cradle by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 1997, ISBN 1901557014, page 94 (pictured at left).

Story: Two Babies in the Manger
Author unknown but it can be found in many places on the net by googling the title. It is the story of a little orphan boy called Misha and is set in the early 1990's.

Story: The Christmas Truce on the Western Front

The web has lots of pictures and accounts of this amazing truce which occurred on Christmas Eve 1914. Just google the title. Wikipedia is as good a source as any. However if you are really stuck, The Lion Christmas Book by Mary Batchelor (ed.), Lion Publishing, 1986, ISBN 0745912206 (pictured at right) has the story on page 69.

Film Clip: Joyeux Noel
This is the film (pictured at left) of the above story.

Listening Song: Belleau Wood
By Garth Brooks on his album, Sevens (pictured at right). This is a song about the Christmas truce. I turned the sound off the documentary above and played this song as the backing for silent scenes of the soldiers coming out of their trenches to make their peace with each other.

Film Clip: Belleau Wood

This puts original photos, paintings and modern film stills together with Garth Brooks' song - it may not be available anymore. It is a youtube clip. 

Story: The Christmas Troll

By Eugene H Peterson and Will Terry, Navpress,2004, ISBN 1576836819 (pictured at right)

Meditation: The People Who Walked

From Cloth for the Cradle by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 1997, ISBN 1901557014, page 24 (pictured above left).

Meditation: How Can I Keep from Singing
Show a series of images of the nativity and play How can I Keep from Singing (by Enya on her singles album, Silent Night - pictured at left) in the background.

Responsive Prayer: A Boy Has Been Born For Us
From Cloth for the Cradle by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 1997, ISBN 1901557014, page 114 (pictured above left).

Prayer for Others: When The World Was Dark

From Cloth for the Cradle by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 1997, ISBN 1901557014, page 92 (pictured above left).

Proclamation: They Have Heard It on the Hills

From Cloth for the Cradle by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 1997, ISBN 1901557014, page 97 (pictured above left).

Response Activity: Candle Lighting and Offering at 12 midnight:
Works as follows:
Our offering tonight is for......fill in the blanks but not your own church - someone else instead. Please come forward and place your offering in the bowl provided and take a taper. If you have not brought anything with you, don't worry, just come and take a taper. Form a large circle around the church instead of returning to your seat. (This can be done with just about any number of people). Jesus said "I am the light of the world". (Light the Christ candle, light your taper off the Christ candle and light the tapers of the people on each side of you. Encourage them to light the taper of the person next to them and so on). As Jesus' light travels around the circle, we pray that God's love will be in everyone's hearts tonight and always.

Response Activity: Jesus the Light of the World
At some point in the service (where it fits) ask people to take a tea light, light it and place it around a small wooden feed box (with or with out baby) to represent Jesus as the light of the world. If your service ends at midnight, turn the lights off completely at this point so that only the manger is highlighted.

Also:

Meditation: Quiet Remembering

Found in Meditations from the Iona Community by Ian Reid, Wild Goose Publications, Trowbridge, 1998, ISBN 1901557022, page 16 (pictured at left).

Drama: Unto You

Found in Mega Drama 2 by Verena Johnson (Ed.), Open Book, 2001, ISBN 085910916Xv2, page 90 (pictured at right). This drama is based on the Isaiah reading.

Drama: Men In White

Found in Mega Drama 2 by Verena Johnson (Ed.), Open Book, 2001, ISBN 085910916Xv2, page 91 (pictured at right). This drama is based on the Luke reading.

Poems: From Outback Christmas
By Pro Hart and Norman Habel, Lutheran Publishing House, 1990, ISBN 0859105628, page 32. If you want to give your service a real Australian flavour the following poems and their corresponding artwork go very well with the Luke reading for today: The Ride to Bethlehem (vs1-5), Jesus' Birth (6), The Bethlehem Pub (7), The Stockmens' Story (8-14), Report of the Stockmen (15-20)