Advent
Labyrinth - Journey to Christmas
It's been a while since my last blog, after 6 years of
running Toddler Praise Mum's and Tot's group, I had to suddenly give up. This
was due to my hours at work changing but the Lord leads us on to do other things,
so I guess my time was over. My husband with the help of others still runs the
group but sadly without the bible crafts that I produced to go with the theme.
There is another reason I haven't blogged for a while, I
downloaded Microsoft 10, which wasn't compatible with Blogger. If you are
reading this then I guess those issues have now been sorted, otherwise I'm
writing this to no avail.
This weekend we had a joint service for all 8 churches in our
cluster of north Scarborough churches.
The guest speakers were the wonderful couple and writers, Adrian and Bridget
Plass and singer/songwriter Rob Halligan (check him out he's really good). I
found myself on Sunday school duty and needing to prepare something for an
unknown number of children and an unknown age range.
As it was Advent Sunday I decided to focus on advent as
being a Journey to Christmas, a time of preparing our heads and hearts for the
birth of Jesus. A labyrinth seemed an obvious way of presenting a journey, with
different simple activities on the way and Jesus being at the centre. The
activities were kept simple as they are symbolic, although the suitcase craft
does take a bit of time, allowing it to be a good gathering craft, while
everyone is arriving.
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| Station 7- Pipe cleaner 'selfs' in the nativity. |
Labyrinth
With the nativity at the centre, the labyrinth is set up
as a spiral around the room with stations of prayer or craft along the route.
The
nativity is at the centre of the room because throughout advent we are
preparing for Jesus, it is our focus. The labyrinth is a spiral because day by
day in all that we do we are getting closer. The labyrinth needs a distinct
path, made in any way, chairs, rope, fairy lights, chalk etc…
Station
1 - My journey
Advent is a time of preparation for the birth of Jesus,
preparing our hearts to let Jesus in. It can be considered as a journey,
although not a physical one but a journey for our heads and hearts.
Make a person out of pipe cleaners to represent yourself
on a Journey to Christmas, carry it with you as you go around the labyrinth.
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| Station 1 - Make a pipe cleaner 'self' |
Station
2 - Preparations for a Journey
Before we go on a journey we need to prepare: where shall
we go, what shall we take with us, what are we going to eat, have we got
tickets, passports, filled the car with petrol, whose going to look after the
pets, are the bills paid, plants watered. So many things to consider. Mary and
Joseph also had to prepare for their long journey, what would they be able to
carry on their long journey to Bethlehem and what would they need for the baby
who was going to be born.
Draw and cut out things we need when we go on a journey
and things Mary and Joseph would have needed. On one side of the suitcase (box)
stick what we need and on the other, what Mary and Joseph would have needed.
We were
given wooden cigar boxes, which we used as suitcases, any box could be used or
draw an open suitcase onto A4 paper.
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| Station 2 - Pack a suitcase for a journey |
Station
3 - Prayer Chain
Israel was under occupation by Romans soldiers, all
citizens had be called back to their birth towns for the census. The roads were
very busy with people travelling and Mary and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem
with them.
Prayer paper chain - pray for countries affected by war
and natural disasters and all people displaced by them. Write on a strip of
paper a situation in the world you want to pray for, then attach it to the
chain.
Ready
gummed paper chains.
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| Station 3 - A prayer paper chain |
Station
4 - The Journey
It was a journey of 70 miles to Bethlehem from Nazareth,
walking all the way, they possibly had a donkey but the bible doesn't mention
it. Mary and Joseph would have had to face many obstacles on their journey,
mountains to climb, rivers to cross, roadside robbers to avoid, wild animals,
where would they sleep. All the time Mary was heavily pregnant.
We have obstacles to negotiate before we arrive at the stable
too. Many things we have to do before Christmas arrives; school, work, presents
to buy, cards to write, concerts and nativity plays, homework to complete,
people to visit.
Continue on your journey through the Labyrinth by
negotiating the obstacles.
Build
an obstacle course out of whatever you have to hand, chairs, tables, slides,
tunnels, anything as long as it's safe.
Station
5 - The Shepherds
The Angels appeared to the shepherds in the fields
outside Bethlehem and proclaimed the good news of Jesus birth. The Shepherds
left their sheep in the fields and journeyed into Bethlehem to see the new
King, the Good Shepherd who had been born.
Make a little sheep and on it write the name of someone
you want to thank God for, someone who has shepherd you, led you, taught you,
loved you, shown you the way to go.
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| Station 5 - Sheep prayers |
Station
6 - The Magi
The Magi were star gazers, interpreting the future in the
stars. They witnessed the birth of a new star, which heralded the birth of the
King of the Jews. The Magi followed the star to Bethlehem, where they found
Jesus, they bowed down and worshiped him and gave him gifts worthy of a king;
Gold Frankincense and Myrrh.
Decorate a star as a Christmas decoration, a reminder
throughout advent and Christmas of Jesus the King of all.
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| Station 6 - Follow the star to Bethlehem |
Station
7 - Baby Jesus
See the tiny baby at the centre of the Nativity, a
helpless baby born to be king of all people. Spend a few moments thinking about
this remarkable baby.
Place your pipe cleaner self in the nativity as a symbol
that you want Jesus at the centre of your Christmas and your life. You can
collect your pipe cleaner self after the service if you wish to keep it, maybe
put it in your own nativity scene at home.
