Helpful Resource Advent Christmas

  1. Home
  2. Our Presbytery
  3. Ministry Resources
  4. Helpful Resource Advent Christmas

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:

 

Miscellaneous Intergenerational Activities:

  • How to make giant stars for Epiphany, step by step tutorial: 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 we read and reflect together, we 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. We are drawing families that already attend regularly on Sundays, but also families that cannot make traditional times on the weekend. Families like the format and finite time commitment.
  • Advent Planning Sessions 2023 Shared Resources & Ideas Page: Click here
  • Light: Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany resources for congregations from PRC, $: Click here
  • A Sanctified Art, best resources from years past: Click here – Bed, Bath, and Beyond – A WDS series that takes you from the first day of the new year through the start of Lent: Click here
  • All Creation Waits: The Advent Mystery of New Beginnings by Gayle Boss, Children’s Edition
  • Lite Family Retreats from Cultivate Faith with PRC, $15
  • Advent Family Take Home Kits: Advent at Home in Community, Advent in a Box, Advent Kits Gallery, and Family Ministry Tools
  • Advent Resources from Illustrated Ministry: Click here $
  • Intergenerational Celebrations using Faithful Families from Building Faith: Click here
  • Lullaby for the King by Nikki Grimes and Michelle Carlos, a children’s book $
  • Faithful Families For Advent: 100 Ways To Make The Season Sacred by Traci Smith and a review from the Outlook. $
  • Create, Contemplate, and Calm: Hosting an Arts Retreat for Advent from the Building Faith website: Click here
  • Lifting Up and Celebrating God’s Promises, 9/2021 APCE article by Rev Cathy Hoop with ideas for Advent: 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! Watch the video  to see just how easy it is to use Links of Love for a festive holiday activity at your church and order the free kit today!
  • Advent and Christmas Resources from the Children’s Ministry Toolbox of the Michigan Conference of the UMC: Click here
  • The Christmas page of the Building Faith website has links to articles on a variety of activities for the Advent season: Click here
  • GenOn Ministries, Intergenerational Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany resources: Click here
  • 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
  • 2023 Advent Resources from the PC(USA): Click here
  • Open Network free Christmas resource page: 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

 

Games:

 

Blue Christmas Services:

 

PAGEANTS:

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Christmas Plays for Children – This site links to free Christmas plays posted on the Ministry-to-Children website as well as several other websites.
  • 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. For more about this script, click here.
  • 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, $
  • 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 Pinterest Board from PRC: Click here
  • New Ways of Doing the Christmas Pageant booklet from PRC

 

Social Media:

  • Free Advent Resources from Social Media For Churches (from Ann Russ). Contains a post, story idea, and video prompts for everyday of Advent: 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
  • Spill The Beans, Advent videos: Click here
  • (Digital Commu) Church Marketing University free Advent digital communications helps: Click here

 

Group Studies (* designates it as being in the Resource Center):

 

DEVOTIONALS