Starter: (Provide hymn books/carol sheets)
What is your favourite Christmas carol? Go round the group and share yours.
Worship:
Choose the most favourite carols. Read/sing the words together.
Reflect on the words of these carols and their meaning.
Now offer prayers for the issues raised from the carols.
Reading
(Either divide group in two and read in unison or ask 2 people to read the parts). From The Angel and the Paper Bag and other sketches by Cecily Cupit.
Countdown to Christmas - and Bah, Humbug to everybody
Protagonist: I love Christmas
Antagonist: I hate Christmas
Pro: Whad'ya mean hate Christmas?
Anti: Whad'ya mean love Christmas?
P: It's the best time of year
A: It's the worst time of year
P: It brings out the best in everyone
A: It brings out the worst in me - and in everyone else I know
P: You're just a cynic
A: Tell me one good thing about it
P: For a start there's the air of anticipation ..
A: Caused by all the unpaid bills, you mean? Yes do go on.
P: And shopping for Christmas gifts.
A: The joy of buying things they won't want, for people you don't like. What else?
P: Decorating the Christmas tree
A: Just what we all need. Another reason to chop down a few trees. Do continue.
P: Watching the kids open their presents
A: Like so many little pirhanas ..
P: Catching up with the family ..
A: And remembering why you've kept away from them the rest of the year ..
P: Christmas dinner
A Roast beef and relatives. Not to mention that unforgetable Christmas pudding.
P: I still say it's the whole air of anticipation ..
A: That's not anticipation, that's indigestion. Told you to stay away from the Christmas pud. Just tell me, Why do we do
it every year? What's it all about?
P: Well you know, like it says in the carols ..
A: Which one? Jingle Bells? Rudolph the red nose reindeer? Santa Claus is coming to town? Or one of the other great hymns of the retail year?
P: No, the religious ones 'Away in a .. whatsit?
A: Hark the herald thingsos sing glory to whatever his name was? That sort of thing? Bet you £10 you can't tell me the third verse of 'O Come all ye faithful'
P: Well, I like Christmas. And what would Christmas be without all that stuff?
A: I don't know. But sometimes I think I'd really like to find out.
Reflection and Questions: (Spend a few moments thinking alone and then in threes discuss the questions. )
1. Who do you identify with most Protagonist or Antagonist?
2. What value is there for Christianity in Christmas being celebrated by all people as a secular festival?
3. What passages of the nativity might support the view that Christmas is for all people?
(see suggested texts below)
4. What do you think God wants us to know/remember in our Christmas celebrations?
(After your discussion share any insights with the whole group.)
Life Focus Questions:(consider as a whole group)
1. How can we, as Christians celebrate the season and bring out the purpose of God as we do so?
As individuals, as a Church?
Prayers:
Reread one of the passages you have explored tonight as an introduction to your prayer time.
Offer to God your Christmas preparations.
Pray for people you know who would benefit from hearing God's message for them this Christmas.
Review :
The Advent material is designed to take our thinking from our experience/questions into the Bible passage, rather than the opposite direction we have used in previous material.
Have you found this different format helpful?
Major Nativity Biblical Texts:
Matthew Chapters 1 & 2
Luke Chapters 1 & 2
John Chapter 1 verses 1-18
Isaiah Chapter 9 verses 2-7; Chapter 11 verses 1-10; Chapter 63 verses 7-9.
