Advent Worship Service Celebrates Christmas

Stay Christ Centred Through Christmas by Praying and Serving

Nov 4, 2009

Busyness and materialism can erode the meaning of Christian Christmas celebrations. Use this Advent worship service to set up the season for purposeful prayer and action.

This four-part Christmas Advent service to prepare for Christmas is based on Luke 10:1-9, Jesus' instructions to his disciples known as prayer evangelism: sharing peace, fellowshipping, caring for needs and proclaiming the gospel. Each section suggests a song, creative idea, scripture reading and action response. It connects prayer with action turning people’s attention from present buying to sharing peace and serving others.

Speak Peace – Declaring Intentions to Bridge Gaps

Angels sing of the glory of God on the arrival of His son knowing that he comes to bring peace to the world. There are many gaps that separate people – ethnicity, religion, gender, generation, education, class, sexual orientation. According to the Bible, the angels acknowledge the necessity of reconciling the self to God and to each other. Singing Hark the Herald Angels Sing reminds people that Jesus came to reconcile people to his Father and to each other.

Christian worshipers can speak peace to one another corporately using this responsive reading that declares God's purpose for sending his son - to give glory to God and bring peace. Reader: At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God's praises: Glory to God in the heavenly heights, Women: peace to all men, Men: peace to all women, Women and Men: on earth who please him. Luke 2:16-18 Reader: It is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. Hebrews 11:6 All: I am at peace with God, and He has given me the work of helping others find peace with him. 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Following the responsive reading, ask congregants to choose a family to speak peace to this Christmas. Pause to allow them time to pray for the family they have chosen using the BLESS acronym based on the blessings found in Numbers 6:24-26.

Then, as the first candle is lit, pray that God will give people His peace and help them speak peace to others this Christmas.

Fellowship – Bridging the Gaps Between Different People

From the time of Jesus' conception through to his resurrection, he fellowshipped and brought people together to fellowship. Mary fellowshipped with Elizabeth, the shepherds fellowshipped with Mary and Joseph at the manger and the wise men fellowshipped with Jesus as a young child. Jesus fellowshipped with some of the unlikeliest of people like the woman at the well and the criminals on the cross. The Christmas season lends itself well to fellowshipping together. Together with speaking peace, encourage congregants to fellowship with these Advents activities.

Sing Oh Come All Ye Faithful and dramatically present Mary's monologue, Mary, Fourteen and Pondering Everything, which speak of the fellowship that occurred around Christ when he was a child. Then, ask readers to read Luke 2:16-17 and Luke 23:40-43 and instruct the congregation to brainstorm together ways they can fellowship with people at Christmas. Ask them to share a few of their suggestions. If they have not already done so suggest that they can invite people to a Christmas presentation, afternoon baking, choosing a Christmas tree and/or Christmas dinner.

When lighting the 2nd candle, remind the congregation that there are many opportunities to fellowship together and pray that God will help them fellowship with people who need hope.

Care for needs – Using Abundance to Provide for Lack

The wise men worshiped Jesus as God the Savior and gave him gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These gifts were meaningful, practical and expensive and may have been sold to care for the needs of Mary, Joseph and Jesus while in exile. Giving gifts that care for people’s needs shows them love. Like the wise men, meeting needs of people are often met by sharing from abundance. These Advent activities encourage congregants to consider how they can use what they have to meet people in their place of need.

Begin this section by singing The First Noel and ask a reader to read Matthew 2:10-11 aloud. Following the reading, ask participants to write a Christmas blessing on the tag, take a pair of socks, roll them up, tie them with ribbon and attach the tag. Deliver socks, other clothing and a lunch to care for the needs of the homeless.

When lighting the 3rd candle, remind people that there are many opportunities to care for others. Ask God to help them care for people’s needs at Christmas and throughout the year.

Proclaim the Gospel – Bringing Hope and Life to People

In Prayer Evangelism, Ed Silvoso suggests that bringing the kingdom of God near should be like pulling up beside someone who is walking in the desert and providing them with a cold drink of water. A cup of cold water may be a word or action that brings hope and life to people who desperately need it. The shepherds were so delighted with meeting Christ that they could not contain themselves and went about sharing the good news. Encourage congregants to share the good news of Christmas using these Advent activities.

Sing Go Tell It on the Mountain and then, depict the Christmas message by showing "A Child is Born," the downloadable media clip from Sermon Spice. Ask readers to read the scriptures found in Luke 2:20 and Luke 2:18. To encourage families to share the Christmas story provide a retelling of the first Christmas on card stock and place in bags of Christmas candy symbols, i.e., candy cane for shepherd’s staff, candy baby soothers, gold chocolate bar, star candy, joy chocolate bell, angel wing yogurt pretzels. Congregants can then share the Christmas story with those who lack joy.

As you light the fourth candle, ask God to help people be His light proclaiming good news in a dark world.

Complete the Advent service by blessing those who have participated and singing Joy to the World.

Christmas is a superb time to remind people of what the bible says about why Christ came. Encourage participants to pray for people, fellowship, meet people's needs and bring the kingdom of God near throughout the Christmas season. Then, suggest that they make caring for people's needs a lifestyle all year long.

Silvoso, Ed. Prayer Evangelism: How to Change the Spiritual Climate Over Your Home, Neighborhood and City. Regal Books: Ventura. 2000.

The copyright of the article Advent Worship Service Celebrates Christmas in Protestantism is owned by Lynda Allison. Permission to republish Advent Worship Service Celebrates Christmas in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.