Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany

Manger

The manger symbolizes the birth of Jesus. This symbol also suggests the ordinary life into which Jesus was born. Animbus(halo) surrounding the manger indicates the presence of the holy child.

Activity: Move your Nativity

Use your Nativity set to its full potential by gradually moving the different pieces of the display in the order listed below. This will help create a powerful visual impact by showing the events that led to Jesus' birth and the eventual visit of the wise men.

1. A decree went out from Caesar Augustus. Display the empty manger and place Mary and Joseph (and the donkey, if you have one) at a distance from the manger.

2. There was no room in the inn. Move Mary and Joseph into the crèche. Place the shepherds and sheep on a "hillside" at some distance from the manger.

3. There were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Move the sheep and shepherds closer to the manger each time your group meets.

4. You will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger. At the last meeting before Christmas, place baby Jesus in the manger.

5. At the first meeting after Christmas (or, if you will not meet for some time after Christmas, do this at the last meeting before Christmas), bring the sheep and shepherds into the crèche. Display the wise men and camels at a point somewhat distant from the crèche.

6. We observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage. Start moving the sheep and the shepherds back toward their hill and move the wise men closer to the manger (or into the manger itself if your group meets on Epiphany, January 6).

7. Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him. Start the wise men on a different route home and show Mary and Joseph heading out for Egypt.

How quickly the figures of the Nativity set are moved from one point to another will depend upon how often your group meets. If you use this activity at home with your family, you can move the Nativity figures daily. If you are doing this with a group that meets once a week or less, you will have to make a move every week or combine some of the moves.

Manger

Gifts of the Magi

Since there were three gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh --brought to the Christ Child, western legend has it that there were three wise men. Gold was considered valuable at the time of Jesus' birth for the same reasons it's considered valuable today. Frankincense and myrrh (Matthew 2:11) were used as incense. Frankincense was also used in medications. Myrrh was used in preparing bodies for burial. Both were considered appropriate gifts for a king.

Activity: Throw a Christmas Baby Shower

Sponsor a baby shower for a local children's home, adoption agency, or homeless shelter as a symbol of the gifts that the wise men brought to Jesus. Check with agencies or shelters in your community to discover their needs. Make a list of these needs and set a time to deliver the gifts.

Have your group make "shower invitations" that show the date when all gifts must be collected. Be sure to indicate what types of gifts are needed and where they are to be collected.

Designate a centrally located "collection area," but make sure that it can be locked if the collection is to take place over more than one day. Placing the gifts under a Christmas tree or around a crèche can help to remind people of the reason why they are giving.

Set a time for your group to gather to get the gifts ready for delivery. You will need boxes or large garbage bags in which to put all the baby things. Don't forget to tag the boxes or bags as indicated by the receiving agency.

Deliver the gifts to the agency or shelter as a group. If you'd like, you could provide a little Christmas caroling for the workers of the organization. Be sure to include carols that deal with the baby Jesus, such as "Infant Holy, Infant Lowly," "Away in a Manger," "That BoyChild of Mary," and so forth.

After delivering the presents, return to your church or starting point for hot chocolate and cookies and games. Have the group prepare a report for the congregation about how much was received and donated. This report could be done as an oversized "thank you" card to the congregation to be placed in a central area where all can see it, as an announcement after a worship service, or as a notice in your church newsletter.

Gifts of the Magi

Angel

Angels are messengers of God and appear in both the Old and New Testaments. Art of angels often shows them with wings, which symbolizes their divine mission. Angels brought the news of Jesus' impending birth to both Mary and Joseph, and an angel was at the tomb of Jesus to announce the Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-10).

Activity: Mosaic Angels

Mosaics were created as far back as 4000 B.C. The earliest-known picture of Jesus is a mosaic that was made in the fourth century A.D. Mosaics were made of stone or ceramic, and present vivid symbols of the faith.

Group Mosaic

You will need:

¼" plywood cut into a square
sandpaper
pencil
scissors
photocopy of the angel symbol pattern (page 13)
craft or wood glue
colored stones or small cermaic tiles

Cut ¼" plywood into as large a square as you desire. Sand the wood.

Use a photocopy of the angel symbol pattern on page 13 (enlarged if desired) as a pattern for the mosaic. Outline the sections of the mosaic lightly in pencil. Then, in paint-by-number fashion, label the colors to be used in each section.

Let the groups work together over several weeks to fill in the spaces with colored stones or small ceramic tiles. Use a good quality craft or wood glue. Place the finished mosaic on display in a prominent area.

Individual Mosaics

You will need:

cardboard, foamboard, or ¼" plywood cut into squares
sandpaper
pencils
scissors
copies of the angel symbol pattern (page 13)
craft or wood glue
colored stones, small ceramic tiles, or colored foam sheets
Cut cardboard, foamboard or ¼" plywood into 8" to 12" squares.

Ask each group member to

• Sand the square (if using wood).

• Trace the angel symbol pattern (page 13) onto the board, or draw an angel.

• Spread glue on ONE area of the picture at a time.

• Press stones, small ceramic tiles, or colored foam sheets (cut into small pieces) firmly onto the glue-covered area. To add colors and textures to the mosaics, sort the stones or tiles by color and use similar stones or ceramic tiles in the...