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Preparing the worship space
This act of worship will work best if the worship space can rearranged to create a circle. For those with traditional buildings, be creative with some open space at the front if you can.
Banners
Throughout Advent or during a day workshop, produce several banners depicting the following characters:
These might be made by people of all ages. If you are not able to make the banners, an alternative approach would be to have different groups of people dressed up as these characters.
Stars
Cut out a variety of star shapes, 8-10cms in size, using gold and silver hologram card. Each star needs a hole punched at the top and at the bottom and on the back of each should be the words:
The child at the centre calls us
to be open and vulnerable.
Give a star to each person in the congregation as they arrive, together with a small paper clip which will be opened up to form a simple hook.
Hymns and carols
Keep these familiar and in tune with local custom.
Call to worship
O holy Child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us we pray;
Cast out our sin and enter in;
Be born in us today!
During the singing of an opening hymn or carol, parents with a new baby come to sit centrally or
the youngest members of the congregation bring up a manger with a doll and place it centrally.
On this day we call upon the Christ, who is a child, to cross the bridges of story and space:
be present with us now.
On this day the Christ child comes to us as the Word made flesh:
come and dwell with us today.
On this day the Christ child announces a realm of peace and play in the streets:
take up your place at the centre of our lives.
Opening prayer
Hope of the world,
come to us as the baby born in Bethlehem.
Come and open our hearts and minds;
open our lives to the child within each one of us.
Open our lives to the presence of children in our community.
Hope of the world,
help us to put aside our privilege and power
and renew our spirit of wonder and awe.
Release us to rest in the presence of love;
restore to each other the other's lost infancy.
Hope of the world,
Come to us as the baby born in Bethlehem.
The Christ child stretches out arms to those who surround him.
Who is this community that is centred on the child?
People of all ages carry the banners to a particular place in the worship space and gather there. Each banner is then carried in procession around the worship space while a suitable hymn or carol is sung or other suitable music played, until it arrives beside the crib scene in the centre.
A reader then joins the banner bearers and reads the relevant text. Eventually all the banners move to encircle the child in the manger or the small family group sitting in the centre of the worship space.
The Mary and Joseph banner arrives
We are Mary and Joseph, the bearers of the child.
We are Christ-carriers: the ones who give birth to the Word made flesh.
We are the care-givers, the providers of food and shelter, the holders of boundaries.
We give the child everything that is needed for growth.
We know that sometimes we won't get it right;
nevertheless we will do the best that we can.
Reading: Luke 2.1-7
The procession of the shepherds' banner
We are the shepherds, common people, the workers, practical folk who know how to do things.
We are the ones in touch with winter and summer, the wind, rain and sun.
We know the hard mysteries of birthing and dying, the toughness and realities of life.
Yet today we are the ones full of fear, but also the preachers of joy.
Reading: Luke 2.8-9, 15-18
The procession of the angels' banner
We are the messengers of God who link heaven and earth.
We pull back the curtains to reveal the divine.
Moving upwards and downwards we act as the go-betweens,
heralds of glory,
creatures of wonder,
and visions of splendour;
bringers of good news.
We know that that we can make people fearful but peace to all people is the message we bear.
Reading: Luke 2.10 – 14
The procession of the animals' banner
We are the written out ones,
only mentioned in the sacred writings in passing or by implication.
We are the dumb animals, no language, no words;
creatures used by others for their needs; for food and for carrying.
Yet we are part of Creation, consecrated with divine blessing.
We are Creation that is more than the human, more than the limited.
We are creatures who are loved by the child.
The procession of the Magis' banner
We are the Magi, the travelling ones, those who seek wisdom.
Seekers of knowing and unknowing, travelling with mystery and enquiry.
We are the star-gazers and gift-bringers.
We carry gold to enliven our humanity,
frankincense to enflame our passion,
and myrrh to anoint our endings.
As the circle of characters is complete they turn to face inwards and say:
Child of Bethlehem at the centre of our lives,
release us to rest in the presence of love.
'Restore to each other the other's lost infancy.'
The circle of characters turns to face outwards and invites the congregation to join the circle:
The Christ child calls you to join the circle,
to keep the child at the centre,
to ponder the meaning of childhood,
to share the tasks of redemption.
During a hymn or carol or suitable music, members of the congregation join the circle.
They bring their stars and paper clip hooks with them.
People may choose to stand around a particular banner because of associations it has for them.
Intercessions
As people hold their stars they are invited to pray for different needs and concerns, keeping 'the child in the midst' as their focus. These prayers may be formal or informal, depending upon the congregational practice.
They might include concerns for the world's vulnerable children, for children throughout the world who are imperilled by famine, war, poverty and abuse.
Prayers may also be said for those who minister alongside children, prayers for changes that might enable justice for vulnerable children.
Prayers of thanksgiving may also be offered for the insights and challenges that children bring.
The circle of prayers can be extended by asking people to be aware of the unseen people who join this circle, those throughout the world, the children from the past who have lived the life of vulnerable open love.
Each of the banner groups could create prayers that focus on their theme. Each should keep 'the child in the centre' as the main focus.
For those with screens and PowerPoint™ different images of vulnerable children could help focus the intercessions.
At the end of the prayers the congregation join together saying the words on the back of the stars and then join their stars together using the opened up paper clip hooks.
These may then be attached to the banners or attached to different parts of the church building. They could encircle a Communion table if the service is to move into the sharing of bread and wine.
Say the Lord's Prayer together.
This section could conclude with the peace or a blessing.
Sending out prayer
Go out into the world in peace and great joy.
Be Christ-bearers, share the Good News with all;
be heralds of glory, and people loved by old and young, rich and poor.
Be wisdom seekers, travel with enquiring minds, and share in the tasks of redemption.
We go into the world.
Christ is born!
Thanks be to God!
Amen and amen!
Acknowledgements
The themes of 'Vulnerability' and 'The Child at the Centre' can be found in the book Graced Vulnerability by David Jensen, The Pilgrim Press, 2005, ISBN 978 0829816211.
The line: 'Restore to each other the other's lost infancy' comes from the poem 'For a Child Unexpected' by Ann Ridler in The Sun, Dancing: an Anthology of Christian Verse compiled by Charles Causley, Puffin Books, 1984 ISBN 978-0140315752
You will need six actors: Narrator, Yasmin, Jess, Carly, Harry, Kamal
Props: a string of indoor battery-operated lights; a row of chairs covered with a dark-coloured cloth; a basket of straw; a doll wrapped in cloth; a picture of Jesus; a bag containing a fizzy drink, a video game and a magazine; a hoodie and a mobile phone.
Narrator: Watch out! John doesn’t mess about when he starts to write his Gospel. He gets straight into telling us his mind-blowing news that love and light were there, given by God to all his people from the beginning of time. Then comes Jesus his Son, the ultimate light. He wants this news to explode into our minds.
‘In the beginning was the Word’, he writes.
‘What came into existence was life, and the life was light to live by. The life-light blazed out of the darkness,’ he says.
Sometimes we need messengers, people to hit us ‘full on’ with the truth, so John reminds us that Jesus’ cousin – also called John – was sent by God to do just that.
‘John was not himself the light; he was there to show the way to the light.’
Look, listen…for the bright light that is life itself blazed out of the darkness, the darkness couldn’t put it out.
(Yasmin is standing in the centre of the performance area; she starts chatting to the audience)
Yasmin: (starts hanging lights across the cloth-covered chairs)
I like lights, do you? Especially at Christmas time, but I like them in my bedroom all year round. Nice, aren’t they? I don’t like the dark. But the lights help me feel better, comforted. Can you imagine life without any light?
Harry: (enters with a basket of straw; in it lies a baby doll wrapped in cloth)
They say Jesus was the light. Born in a stable? It’s not how anyone expected the light to come, is it? The mess, the pong, the straw, animals, and Mary – just a poor, teenage mum. Everyone, especially all the holy people, were waiting for this amazing king to come…the Messiah. Poor Joseph, the carpenter, hammering nails one minute, then the next he’s stepdad to the life-light. Joke, innit?
Narrator: The life-light was the real thing. Shining out in the straw-filled manger.
Jess: (holding a picture of Jesus)
But who is this light, really? He said it himself, Jesus: ‘I am the light of the world.’ And they listened for a while to his stories. I heard he spat on mud – urgh, gross! – and put it on a blind man’s eyes, then he could see again…do you honestly believe that?
Narrator: He came to his own people, but they didn’t want him.
Carly: (carrying a bag containing a fizzy drink, a video game and a magazine)
I haven’t got time for the light, have I? I mean, there’s more important stuff. I don’t blame them, you know, back then, when he came…that Jesus fella. I mean, all that talk about ‘the true light which enlightens everyone’. I don’t need to be ‘enlightened’, my life is full of all this good stuff! (she rummages through the bag, holding up each item in turn)
Kamal: (enters wearing a hoodie, his head covered by the hood; he gets a mobile phone out and starts looking at it, then throws it down angrily)
I can’t stand it! Too much pressure. They don’t understand, they just get at me day after day, on here (Kamal picks up his phone again). Look what they’re saying about me on Instagram. I want to be ME, but they keep on posting stuff, getting at me. I feel alone. I feel like I’m stuck in the dark. Where’s the light now?
Narrator: But whoever did want him, who believed he was who he claimed, he made to be their true selves, their child-of-God selves. The life-light was the real thing.
Harry: The life-light, born in a stable…really?
Jess: Teacher and healer, I’m not sure.
Carly: I don’t think there’s room for light in my life.
Kamal: What about a light that is there for me? Is he? Can I turn to him in the dark times?
Narrator: The word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighbourhood. The life-light blazed out of the darkness; the darkness couldn’t put it out.
Yasmin: They make me think, you know.
Carly: What do?
Yasmin: These lights, they calm me down, help me pray. It changes me, when things are dark, helps me to see that there is someone with me, the life-light.
Harry: Who was born in a stable.
Jess: Who came to the change the world.
Carly: Who wants us to live life with him.
Kamal: Who helps us become children of God.
Yasmin: Who is in our lives right now.
(All characters come to the front and say together)
ALL: We have seen the glory of the life-light with our own eyes. Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.
(Hebrews 13.1-8: 'do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it')
Sketch for two people, playing angels Gabriel and Raphael. They enter wearing old clothes, looking tired and hungry.
Raphael
That's it, I'm famished. I'm not walking another step until I've had a decent meal.
Gabriel
We passed a kebab van back there.
Raphael
Not another kebab. Why is it that when we come to earth these days, all us angels ever live on is kebabs?
Gabriel (shrugs)
I guess we've just had enough of MacDonalds.
Raphael
Well, I'm not going to stand for it any more. It's bad enough that we come here wearing these old clothes to 'blend in with our surroundings'. If I have to look like I have no dress sense I'm at least going to feel like I'm eating a healthy, balanced diet. I'm knocking on the nearest door and asking for some dinner.
Gabriel
What, just a random door?
Raphael
Yup, like in the good old days.
Gabriel
Well yes, but…that stopped working years ago.
Raphael
So I've heard, but I think it's worth a try. We might even get a bed to sleep in.
Gabriel (shakes his head)
Suit yourself, but I'm telling you now you'll be disappointed.
Raphael looks around and points in front of him.
Raphael
That house. That's the one. They're just about to serve up a really nice shepherd's pie.
Gabriel (nods)
Mr and Mrs Jackson at number 23. Both retired and living with sizeable pensions, they have lived productive lives and donate a significant amount to various charities each year. Furthermore Mrs Jackson does an excellent shepherd's pie. It also happens that this evening they catered for their daughter and son-in-law who had to pull out at the last minute to help some friends in a pub quiz – so there's plenty of shepherd's pie to go round.
Raphael
Brilliant, what are we waiting for?
Gabriel
They'll turn you away at the door.
Raphael
Why? How can you be so sure? Is it… (he looks down at his clothes) It's the clothes, isn't it. I knew they were a bad idea.
Gabriel
They do lack a certain… style. But it's not the clothes.
Raphael
What, then? They'll think that I'm just going to try to steal their television?
Gabriel
That's what they'll tell themselves. But it's not really the reason. (pause) The thing is… you turn up on their doorstep asking for food, it looks like you're a charity case. Probably homeless, certainly unemployed.
Raphael
You said that they give a significant amount to various charities each year.
Gabriel (nods again)
Indeed they do, all by credit card to people who they want nothing further to do with. They donate to charities because they don't want them on their doorstep. The minute they bring need into their house they'll have to start noticing it.
Raphael
You're absolutely sure?
Gabriel
Positive. You can try if you like, though.
Raphael (thinks for a moment, then points in a different direction)
What about that house?
Gabriel
Henry Broomby, freelance journalist, a generous man blessed with many friends with whom he enjoys two or three pints most evenings at the Slug and Tortoise down the road.
Raphael
In that case he must be able to spare a little bit of food?
Gabriel (shakes his head)
He'll tell himself that he can't spare anything because he works freelance and is on a tight budget.
Raphael (sighs, then looks in yet another direction)
Wait a minute, there's a church over there! It's Sunday evening, they'll just be finishing a service and surely somebody there will be willing to entertain us!
Gabriel (thoughtfully)I wonder. Will the people at that church be any different from anyone else?
They exit in the direction of the church.
This drama tells the Christmas story from the perspective of some of the animals who might have witnessed the event.
Cast: Sally the sheep, Larry the lamb, Dominic the donkey, Molly the cow, Oliver the ox and Carrie the camel. Children can be invited to join in singing the short sections of songs in between each character.
> SING VERSE 1 OF WHILE SHEPHERDS WATCHED
Sally Hello! I'm Sally the Sheep.
Larry And I'm Larry the Lamb.
Sally I remember that it was a beautifully clear night.
Larry We'd just had our tea – grass again! My favourite!
Sally And our shepherds were looking after us.
Larry They were chatting with each other and about to settle down for the night.
Sally When this amazing light appeared
Larry Oh yes – it was so bright
Sally And there were angels in the sky
Larry They were singing a song – how did it go, Sal?
Sally As if you'd forget! They sang 'Glory to God in the highest!'
Larry And they told us that a baby had been born in Bethlehem.
Sally Not just any baby. It was Jesus, the Saviour.
Larry Well, we just had to see him. How exciting!
Sally He was absolutely beautiful.
Larry We just felt so lucky to be there.
> SING VERSE 1 OF LITTLE DONKEY
Dominic Hello, I'm Dominic the Donkey. I was lucky enough to carry Mary all the way to Bethlehem. I say lucky – actually she was quite heavy! She was about to give birth to Jesus after all.
Our journey was long, but we kept plodding on. We had to get to the city in time. I remember feeling so excited when we saw the lights of Bethlehem getting nearer. But when we got there – it was so busy! It felt like the whole world was in town.
We tried to find somewhere to stay, but all the hotels were full. Eventually, a kind innkeeper offered us some space in his barn. And that's just where Jesus was born: a beautiful bouncing baby boy! I just felt so lucky to be there.
> SING VERSE 1 OF AWAY IN A MANGER
Molly Hello there, I'm Molly the Cow.
Oliver And I'm Oliver Ox.
Molly Well, there we were, minding our own business, when all of a sudden our barn was taken over.
Oliver It was really funny. A young couple turned up with Dominic their donkey. He was lovely – a really good laugh!
Molly He was indeed! The couple were lovely too – Mary and Joseph they were called. They'd had such a long journey and were really very tired.
Oliver But they didn't get much chance for a rest – it wasn't long before their child was born, right here in our stable!
Molly Jesus they called him – a lovely name!
Oliver And he was clearly going to be a bit of a star – they had loads of visitors. Everyone who came said how beautiful he was.
Molly We just felt so lucky to be there.
> SING VERSE 1 OF WE THREE KINGS
Carrie Hi, I'm Carrie the Camel. I came from the east with Melchior, Caspar and Balthasar. They'd heard that somebody very special had been born – Jesus, the King. We had a long way to travel – but we had our very own sat nav: the brightest star you've ever seen. It led us all the way there! We saw Jesus straight away – he had a very special 'glow', and a brilliant smile. The men brought gifts of gold, incense and myrrh. Beautiful gifts for a beautiful boy. I just felt so lucky to be there.
End by singing the full verses of the song suggestions or with a favourite carol.
These ideas for bringing the Christmas story to life use nativity scene figures. The ideas are grouped for ease of use. They range from quick and simple ideas, to major projects. Why not try one or more this Christmas?
The author, Peter Privett, says of his ideas, 'How do you use your set of crib figures? Very often they are arranged and left, but they could be a very creative source for activities, prayer and meditation. You could adapt and use the following ideas in the home, school, church or community. Some may well be obvious, but I have learned over the years that what is obvious to one person is new to another.'
Make your own
Your church may not have a nativity set. Is this the year to make one?
1. Life size
Build life size crib figures using a simple structure of a broom handle and cross bar. Heads can be constructed from containers, stuffed tights or foam balls. Clothes can be choir robes or draped lengths of material. Somebody may even have some shop mannequins.
2. Small
Create a modern day crib using collage for the background and make clay figures to paint, or make card figures, using enlarged templates on pages 44-45 of the Children and Young People magazine. A version can also be found on this web site, under Sunday 29 December 2002 as the item 'Image: Crib figures, plus Anna and Simeon'. In the Provence region of France they have numerous characters in their crib sets, the traditional ones plus the local grocer, baker, school children ... in fact the whole village. Who would you add from your community?
Prepare together
1. Unpack together
Instead of a couple of people arranging crib figures, why not have an all-age activity time to do so? Divide the group, allocating tasks:
• Collect or make the stable.
• Prepare the table.
• Collect greenery.
• Carefully unwrap the fitures.
• Arrange them all.
You could intersperse the placing of the figures with carols and readings.
Use the unpacking and preparation as part of the ceremony for a crib service.
2. Change traditions
Where do you arrange your nativity set?
A change might be creative. How about by or under the Christmas tree, under an altar or table, or even outside in a created stable?
3. Take time
Build up your figures over a space of time, gradually adding characters as Christmas approaches.
4. Share preparation
Arrange for different people or groups to host the figures of Mary and Joseph for a few days each throughout December. They can be delivered to individuals, families, schools, the post office, doctor’s surgery, old people’s home and community groups in turn. You could even write a short prayer for the handover each time. The final hosts bring the figures to the crib on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
5. View as a child
Ask the children to arrange the figures. They may not conform to the traditional arrangements. What thoughts are being portrayed through their ideas?
6. Light it up
Think about the lighting effects around the crib. Would night-lights, torches, spotlights, or a combination be best?
Gather quietly
1. Offering time
Instead of a collection, or plate at the back, ask people to come during a hymn and put their offering in a container by the crib.
2. Prayer collection
Have a small basket or container by the crib to receive peoples’ written needs, thoughts and intercessions.
3. Meditation
Use the nativity set as a focus for meditations. Just sit quietly in front of it. With which of the figures do I identify? What is it about this figure that speaks to me? What quality, characteristic is speaking to me? What does this say about my relationship with others, with myself, with God? What other connections are being made?
Take a picture
1. Christmas card
Take a photo of your crib and use it to make a Christmas card. Accessibility to computers, scanners, printers could offer numerous creative possibilities. Children and young people are experts.
2. Christmas book
Take a series of photos of the characters in your crib. Select Bible passages, poems, writings and so on to make a Christmas book. Again, access to home computers would offer possibilities for layout and printing.
3. Photo montage
Ask everybody in your family, community, or group to provide a passport sized photo. Or take pictures of individuals yourself. Glue all these together into a photo montage and use it as a crib background.
4. Big screen
Using a home camcorder you could create a short video in a similar way.
Arts and crafts
1. Be inspired
• Write
Use the crib figures as a stimulus for creative writing. Tell the story from one character's point of view. Take each character and explore the five senses. What do I see, hear, taste, touch and smell? Write in the present tense, 'I can see…' Who might be present but you can't see? Who isn't there but should be?
• Record
You could record these writings on tape and add appropriate carols and other music. Photo slides could add a multi-media dimension.
• Make pictures
Use the writing exercises to create mood pictures with paint, pastels, crayon, collage and so on.
• Pray
Write a prayer for each of the crib figures.
2. Get dramatic
Use the crib set as a stimulus for drama. Look at a figure and physically put yourself into the same position..
• What does it feel like?
• What would the figure say?
• What happened before this position was reached?
• What happens next?
• What position would be the opposite?
• What would be said?
Choose two characters and develop a conversation between them.
What might a shepherd say to a king, or to an angel?
What might the donkey or ox say to Mary?
What might Jesus say to Joseph?
3. Pray the story
Create a set of 'stations' (like 'stations of the cross') using the crib figures. Add readings, music, carols, drama, art and so on to create piece of liturgy that enables movement from one to the other. You could title it Journey to Bethlehem.
Involve the community
1. Crib festival
One church I know has a magnificent crib festival where everybody brings a crib set in to the building. Over a hundred sets are displayed, each lit with a small night light. Some are ancient and hand carved, some knitted, some from other countries, some very small, and so on. If your church is small, try joining with other local churches to manage a crib festival.
2. Procession
Carry the figure of Jesus in procession on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Create a ceremony for placing him in his manger. Be dramatic. The continental custom of carrying the figure of a saint or the Virgin, on a decorated platform that is then held on people's shoulders, could be adapted. Carry your crib set around the community for a Christmas procession, or take it carol singing.
3. See it yourself
The tradition says that it was St. Francis who introduced the idea of the crib. He used real people and real animals. Why not you? Have a mother with a real baby, a real donkey, real shepherds, (or plumbers or electricians) and the really wise one from your community.
After Christmas
1. Remember the abused
December 28th is the day to remember the slaughter of the innocents by Herod. Visit the crib this day to remember all children who are neglected, abused and ill-treated throughout the world. Anmest International can supply information about children as political prisoners.
2. Bring the wise men
Move the figures of the Wise Men nearer to the crib each day to arrive on January 6th, the Feast of the Epiphany.
Packing away
1. Turn to the cross
Think about when you put the crib away, usually Epiphany, but maybe Candlemas. If it is Candlemas (the festival of the presentation of Christ in the Temple on 2nd February), place the crib at one end of the worship space, and a cross at the other. As an act of prayer, literally turn from the crib to the cross.
2. Ceremonial packing
Mark the end of the season with a procession of crib figures going out of a service, to be packed away.
