Advent Sunday
 

Today's selected readings: Normal readings set for the Sunday
 

The Practical Sermon Activity

* How many of you have made a cake or biscuits (cookies)? Discuss
* Can you just make these, or do you need to prepare for this task (Discuss)
* What would be some of the things you would have to do to be ready.
* Does anyone know what the word Advent means? (Coming)
* What do you think is coming then? (Christmas)
* Advent is a special time when we prepare for Christmas.
* In some way, like preparing to bake a cake etc.
* The difference is that as we prepare for Christmas (buying presents, getting the supplies for the christmas dinner etc) we are also asked by God to prepare ourselves for the true Christmas event.
* We are asked to look at ourselves. Do we need to say sorry to anyone, do we need to return something we should have returned etc
* We have to look at how we live our lives and change those things that are not nice.
* Then we are ready to receive the real spirit of Christmas and be able to show our love to others like Jesus did.
* We have 4 weeks to think about these things and to help remind us of this, we light one candle (Advent Candle) per week until the Christ candle is lit of Christmas Day.

Kids Church Activity:
* To make Advent Candles

Each styrene wreath needs to have 4 holes made to fit the candles. Candles are then fitted. Fresh ivy is wound around the wreath with the stalk joining in the middle of the wreath. Insert a deep aluminum holder into the middle. The idea is for the stalks to be fitted into the middle and this area filled with water, and topped up daily. This wll keep the ivy fresh for at least 2-3 weeks. The children them obtain fresh ivy after this time and repeat the process. Then every sunday at the dinner table, one of the candles is lit. The second week 2, then 3 etc.

What you need to get ready:

Florist wreath bases - About 6" - 8" in diamater (1 per child), 4 votive candles per person, Good quantity of fresh ivy, 1 soldering iron, Aluminum cups about the size of the base of the small frozen pies (sweets) you can buy.