1st Sunday of Advent
Or.....
The season of Advent is a tradition that expands the spiritual meaning of Christmas outside of the few days of gift giving, just as the 12 Days of Christmas extends it beyond. It is a time of watching and waiting…
An Advent wreath like the one featured on this page is a time-honoured way to count down the four Sundays before Christmas.
Click on the first purple candle wick to light it.
The first candle is lit for hope.
Time for our 1st song
Throughout history, God has been faithful to his people- even when they messed up again and again and again. So much so, that God felt he had to send his only Son to rescue his people from all the bad that they had done. Much of our Old Testament in the bible is books by the prophets who foretold of the coming Messiah- Jesus. Throughout the Old Testament God used his prophets to give prophecies that would point the way to the One he promised in the book of Genesis. The prophets God used to tell the people were Micah, Isaiah and Jeremiah.
Micah
Let’s hear God’s story…
So, God sent his Son to save us from ourselves.
In John’s gospel we read
So God did indeed send not just a rescuer for this life, but also in the life to come- the everlasting one.
Craft Activities-
Let’s make an advent wreath…
1.Colour in the candle template and cut out see below
2. Stick the candles around a toilet roll inner- the flames can be bent down until they are “lit”e.g.
3. Then mark up a paper plate (as in picture)
4. Cut “x’s” in the little circles
5. Cut out berries and leaves and stick onto the bottom of the plate
6.Poke the “x’s” up and put glue on them.
7. Attach the candles to the “x’s” and wait for the glue to dry then you can gently fold and push the flame inside the tube...and pull one out each week as though your candle is lit.
In church we have a 5th candle which is white and is put in the centre. This candle is lit on Christmas Day- Jesus the Light of the World is born.
Advent Calendar
You will need
-white paper plate
- pencil crayons, wax crayons, or pastels to add colour to Mary
- scissors
- glue
- glitter glue, little gems, optional
- white pencil crayon, sharpie, or white gel pen
-paint in purple, white, and blue (or just leave the plate white)
- shiny silver/gold paper, wrapping paper/ sweet paper works well
How we do it…
Starting with pale purple in the centre (white + purple) paint the paper in a circular motion. Darken as you go to dark purple. (purple = blue).
Let it dry.
Trace out or draw free hand Mary, baby Jesus, and the large star on white paper or use an old Christmas card.
Add colour with paint, crayon, pastel.
Decorate the large star with glitter, sequins, and gems if you wish.
Out of the gold shiny paper cut a large circle and glue on the centre of your purple plate. I used a recycled lid as my template. This is the halo of light around Mary and the baby Jesus.
Cut out the pieces from the white paper. Set baby Jesus and large star aside.
For Mary add glue to the back everywhere but near her hand. You want to leave this free so you can slip baby Jesus in behind on the 25th.
Press into place.
Now you need 23 stars- use sticky stars as it is easier. Now you need to number 1 to 24 around the plate.
Put the 23 stars, baby Jesus, and the large star in an envelope. Each day in December glue a star into place. On the 24th add the large star in anticipation of the birth of Jesus, then on the 25th you can add him to Mary's arms.
Prayer time…..
Looking at your “lit” candle 1
And now for a final song