Christmas

The Advent Crown

The Christmas tree with some of the poinsettias in memory of lost loved ones

The Nativity scene

Joseph, Mary the baby Jesus a shepherd and the donkey that carried Mary

Rev'd Lyn's thought for the week

John the Baptist fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths”.

What needs straightening out in your life to make you ready to meet the Lord when he comes?

Experience Christmas

On 4th and 6th December, over 4 sessions, the whole of Hey with Zion school came to the Experience Christmas event at St John.  Many thanks to Headteacher Mr Clowes for a number of the pictures, especially those that include pupils.

The preparation.

Each Sunday during the season of Advent, a candle is lit on Advent crowns in churches.  These are to help us prepare our hearts, homes and churches for Christmas

The Announcement.

God sent the Angel Gabriel to Mary in Nazareth and said to her "Greetings you are highly favoured, you will conceive and give birth to a son and you will call him Jesus"

The Promises.

The wise men used the stars to find Jesus as promised in sacred texts.  They brought gifts of gold frankincense and myrrh for him.

The pupils were asked what they would like to give Jesus and to draw it on a piece of paper which they placed in the gift box.

The Journey.

Joseph was required to go to his home town of Bethlehem to be counted in the census.  Mary was carried by a donkey as she was expecting her child.

The Message.

An angel of God appears before a group of shepherds caring for their sheep and greets them in peace; he then tells them of the coming of Jesus

The pupils were invited to write a note of peace on a paper angel which they can then put on their Christmas tree at home.

The Gift.

The great gift which God has given us is Jesus Christ.  The pupils were invited to place the gift boxes containing their gifts to Jesus around the candle ring.  A choir of helpers sings the last verse of  "In the Bleak midwinter"

What can I give Him,
Poor as I am? —
If I were a Shepherd
I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man
I would do my part, —
Yet what I can I give Him, —
Give my heart.

Our guest shepherd

Some of the helpers with Rev'd Natalie from Zion Methodist Church and Rev'd Lyn 

Wayside pulpit

Jesus is the reason for the season

#followthestar

Clicking on the QR code opens the A Church Near You page for our Christmas services, you can view it here

Christmas Fair