Helpful Resource Advent Christmas

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Advent/Christmas/Epiphany:

Themed Materials: 

 

Alternative Christmas:

  • Advent Conspiracy, free online Advent curriculum & resources for all ages based on the idea that we can celebrate Christmas humbly, beautifully, and generously: Click here $, mostly free
  • Ideas for Reclaiming Advent and Christmas – a booklet from the PC(USA) suggesting ways to celebrate the birth of Christ in more meaningful ways than mainstream culture provides: Click here
  • A Great Guide to a More Joyful, Less Debtful Christmas, this article discusses the book, Hundred Dollar Holiday by Bill McKibbe, which offers suggestions on how to rethink Christmastime: Click here

 

Worship Resources:

 

Intergenerational Activities:

Events:

  • A Ferncliff Christmas, December 13-15, 2025: Click here
  • Christingle: An intergenerational Christmas Eve celebration from the Moravian tradition, an article from Reformed Worship: Click here
  • Manger Scene Show and Tell and Planning Session recorded workshop with PRC. Learn how to organize a Manger Scene event at your congregation as a way to engage the generations: Click here
  • An intergenerational event to welcome Advent: Click here
  • Intergenerational Church Caroling Party, Including Outreach: Click here
  • Advent midweek gatherings – Start out all together to share a meal. Light the Advent wreath together, then break into two classes; one multigenerational and one for adults (who prefer to stay with their generational peers). The multigenerational group uses the Advent stories from Godly Play, alongside the Gospel lectionary reading. After reading and reflecting together, break into groups to respond to the readings with legos, use the RCL visio divina from Holy Moments, and make ornaments for our Christmas trees. Can draw families that already attend regularly on Sundays, as well as families that cannot make traditional times on the weekend. Families like the format and finite time commitment.
  • Lite Family Retreats from Cultivate Faith with PRC, $15
  • Intergenerational Celebrations using Traci Smith’s 2020 book, Faithful Families
  • Create, Contemplate, and Calm: Hosting an Arts Retreat for Advent from the Building Faith website: Click here
  • Women Christmas Retreat, free from Jan Richardson, UMC minister: Click here
  • (Links of) Love is all you need (for an Alternative Giving Market!) Alternative Giving Markets provide an awesome opportunity for churches and communities to make a real difference in the lives of people around the world — but it can feel overwhelming to plan one! For an easy and effective way to host an Alternative Giving Market, look no further than the Presbyterian Giving Catalog’s Links of Love activity! Click here
  • A Storytelling Pilgrimage Through the Christmas Story: Click here
  • A Healthy Edible Nativity to Tell the Christmas Story from Building Faith: Click here

At Home:

  • AdventWord, a digital, interactive Advent calendar that not only offers a word and meditation for each day of Advent, but also invites people to develop and share their own creative expressions for the word of the day through photos, reflections, and more. For a host of ideas on engaging AdventWord, check out Miriam Willard McKenney’s article “Ways to Use AdventWord.” (Episcopal)
  • Advent Candle Lighting At-Home Resource— This free downloadable resource from the PC(USA), is a set of cards with art on one side and at-home candle lighting and reflection on the other, which is formatted for half of an 8½ by 11-inch sheet of paper. It is available in Spanish and English.
  • Cokesbury Kids Family Advent Guide, free download (2022): Click here
  • Advent Playlists for Family use at home from the UMC (free): Click here
  • Fun Christmas Worship videos for children from Life.Church Open Network: Click here
  • Interactive Advent Living Rooms: Click here
  • Create Family Advent bags filled with material to help families worship together at home. You can find plenty of suggestions for what to put in these bags online: Click here & Click here
  • Advent Family Take Home Kits: Advent at Home in Community, Advent in a Box, Advent Kits Gallery, and Family Ministry Tools
  • A handout for Advent at home: Click here

Resources:

Crafts:

  • Nativity crafts – There are ideas for a number of different nativity crafts using various materials.
  • Advent & Children’s Craft Ideas Pinterest Board from PRC: Click here
  • Advent & Christmas Banner ideas Pinterest Board from PRC: Click here

Playlists:

  • Advent 2020 Spotify Playlist from Building Faith: Click here
  • Advent Spotify Playlist from Advent Conspiracy: Click here
  • Kid’s Christmas Spotify Playlist from Advent Conspiracy: Click here
  • A Sanctified Art playlist for Words For The Beginning: Click here

Games:

 

Blue Christmas Services:

 

PAGEANTS:

  • On The Spot Christmas Pageant – volunteer child or adult participants act out with silent movements the Christmas story, as it is read.
  • The Birth of Jesus – This simple kids Christmas skit is written directly from the Bible, only adding songs and direction for the actors. There are no speaking parts for the actors, only a narrator.
  • Interactive, No-Rehearsal Intergenerational Christmas Pageant – This humorous script has a narrator, two youth leaders, and three guest stars, with the congregation participating as prompted.
  • No Stress, No Fuss Christmas Pageant & Worship – Theresa Cho offers this Intergenerational pageant which takes no rehearsal; the only planning involved is acquiring the costumes. The only speaking part is the narrator and everyone, adults and children, can participate at their comfort level, whether it is wearing a costume or singing in the pews.
  • Christmas Participation Story – Intergenerational, interactive script with a narrator instructs congregation involvement through sound effects by Paul Osborne.
  • A Rehearsal-Free Christmas Pageant – This intergenerational Christmas Pageant is designed to take place during worship service. Resources which are free to download include a list of what you need to get started, a narration script, an example bulletin, and lyrics for suggested songs.
  • Do Not Be Afraid: A Christmas Pageant from Illustrated Ministry, $
  • Christmas Plays for Children – This site links to 3 free Christmas plays posted on the Ministry-to-Children website as well as several other websites.
  • Sunday School Center – This website offers a variety of free pageant scripts for different ages, as well as original songs. Suggestions for costumes, props, sound, and lighting are included, as well as director’s notes.
  • Christmas Pageant Ideas, Tips, and Scripts – The Building Faith website has several articles for inspiration and practical tips. They also offer six free Christmas pageant scripts and a link to professionally written scripts you can purchase for a small amount.

 

Your Church’s Welcome:

  • Is Your Congregation Ready to Welcome Christmas Guests? A 12/23 article by Yvonne Gentile from ShareChurch: Click here
  • 7 Ways to Welcome Church Visitors on Christmas Eve, an article from Building Faith: Click here
  • Webinar: Welcoming Visitors; Tips for The Holidays: Click here

 

Social Media

  • Free Advent Resources from Social Media For Churches (from Ann Russ). Contains templates for Advent posts for both the Narrative and Revised Common Lectionaries. AND get 90 post/story/video Advent ideas via Google sheets. : Click here
  • Free Christmas verses for posting on social media from Life.Church Open Network: Click here
  • Free customizable Christmas invitations from Life.Church Open Network: Click here
  • Free Christmas images from Life.Church Open Network: Click here
  • Fun Christmas Worship videos for children from Life.Church Open Network: Click here
  • Spill The Beans, free Advent videos to share: Click here
  • Work of the People, short Advent videos: Click here
  • (Digital Commu) Church Marketing University free Advent digital communications helps: Click here

 

Epiphany:

  • Prayers for Epiphany from A Sanctified Art, 2023: Click here
  • Worship Words: Star Words for Epiphany: Click here
  • A pdf of star words: Click here
  • How to make giant stars for Epiphany, step by step tutorial: Click here
  • How to make Waldorf window stars: Click here
  • Star Words Liturgy from A Sanctified Art, 2023: Click here
  • Epiphany Star Words from Illustrated Ministry: Click here
  • Downloadable 2023 Epiphany coloring sheet from the PC(USA): Click here
  • The Good Book Club – An online daily Bible reading challenge for adults. It provides an opportunity to read a book of the Bible with others during the season of Epiphany. The program includes free daily reflections that you can receive by email. It can be a useful resource to engage individually, with a partner, or in a Bible study group. (Episcopal)
  • A handout for Epiphany at home: Click here

 

Group Studies (* designates it as being in the Resource Center, Click Here to see the full list of our Advent Resources):

 

DEVOTIONALS

  • Patterns of divine possibility: An Advent search for God’s diverse ordering, 2024 Outlook devotions, $35: Click here
  • D365 – this is a year-round devotional site which includes, music, reflection, and scripture delivered to your email inbox. “Following the star” is their Advent series. You can click here to get a daily email reminder during Advent.
  • Pray As You Go – From Jesuit Media Initiatives, offers a framework for daily prayer, designed to be downloaded to your MP3 player. Each podcast is 10-13 minutes long and includes music, prayer, scripture, and questions to help you think about your relationship with God. Bonus: all of the music is linked so that you can find out more about the musician(s) and purchase the music if you wish.
  • Unsettling Advent, free daily devotions for abnormal times from Word&Way: Click here
  • Three Wise Women: 40 Devotions Celebrating Advent with Mary, Elizabeth, and Anna by Dandi Daley Mackall (Paraclete Press), $
  • A Surprising God: Advent Devotions for an Uncertain Time by Thomas G. Long & Donyelle C. McCray, 2021 $
  • Attending to Advent: poetry, prose and prayer, 2022 daily devotions from the Outlook, $33: Click here
  • Apocalyptic Advent: Embracing Hope in the Second Coming of Christ, devotions from Outlook editor Terri Ott, $35
  • Unwrapping the Names of Jesus: An Advent Devotional by Asheritah Ciuciu, 2017 Moody, $
  • An Illustrated Advent for Families: Now in Flesh Appearing: Click here $
  • Advent Devotional free from Austin Seminary: Click here
  • Words for Waiting, UKirk Advent devotionals
  • Advent Devotionals – These devotionals for each day of Advent on the Advent Conspiracy website are written by pastors and church leaders from around the world.
  • Fling Wide the Door – The GodPause page of Luther Seminary offers a free downloadable devotional in regular and large print.
  • Kindling the Flame of Love – This free downloadable Advent devotional from Presbyterians Today embraces the observance of Celtic Advent, which encompasses a full 40-days, mirroring the season of Lent.
  • The Season of Waiting –  Author Kate Bowler offers this free downloadable 4-week devotional which includes a short devotional entry, a scripture passage, and a reflection question. It also includes activities for the 12 days of Christmastide.
  • Holding Hope: Grieving Pregnancy Loss During Advent by Ashley-Anne Masters, a four-week Advent devotion for all those suffering from pregnancy loss. $