What is the one thing that starts Christmas for you? For me it's the four Sunday in Advent, when the children perform their nativity play.I was back in my home church for the first Sunday since September. It was nice to be back; the young church invited me. One lady even said "welcome home". It was odd, though, I am a young church leader there, so I am usually heavily involved in the rehearsals. This year all I did was help my husband make one of the props.
The young church at my home church always take over the whole service with their nativity play, not the usual 20-30 minutes. Also, I can't remember the last time they did a "traditional" children's nativity. There's usually something different. One year, it was a take on the Grinch at Christmas.
This year was the best yet. Back at the National Gathering, one of the tents had a Tardis. As soon I saw it I knew the young church had to do a nativity play which involved a Tardis - the children love Doctor Who and as for me...I have the potential to be a Doctor nerd!
The leaders were a little concerned about getting a script. One of the leaders was in the Scottish Story Telling centre and found a nativity script which involved people from the future travelling through time collecting others in their quest to find the King of Kings. Perfect or what?!
My husband and I built a Tardis. IMHO it looked really good. The children loved it and that's the most important opinion, as far as I am concerned. I never thought I would get Tardis blue paint for fences and sheds. Yes, that's what we used!
The play was brilliant. The children obviously really loved the time travel theme. But, most importantly, the heart of the message was people from throughout the ages going to meet with the King of Kings born in a stable to save the world.
Jesus was born for us all. No matter where we're from, what we have, who we are. We can still meet with Him.
Now, Christmas has begun for me.
For the last few years Christmas hasn't even been thought of until my exams have been done. Don't mistake that for dedication. More like blind panic.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I think it really starts when I am at my first 'proper' carol service. My home church doesn't 'do' advent and the only concession on a Sunday was an evening carol service the Sunday before - wouldn't want advent getting in the way of a verse-by-verse reading plan through a book of the Bible. But in recent years we've started doing a more traditional lessons and carols service as well as other 'nods' to advent.
I do like the build-up to Christmas day - it reminds us that it's not just about one day of frenetic excess that the consumerist version is.
I hope you and yours have a lovely Christmas. Every blessing.
Brilliant idea... and IMHO your Tardis looks fantastic!
ReplyDeleteHave a great Christmastime and I wish you every blessing for 2009.