Tag: church

Mothering Sunday resources

Posted on By Chris

Students and staff from St Mellitus led by Jane Williams, Assistant Dean and Tutor in Theology, have written a beautiful Mothering Sunday liturgy for Mothers’ Union which can be downloaded below:

St Mellitus and Mothers’ Union Mothering Sunday Liturgy WORD

St Mellitus and Mothers’ Union Mothering Sunday Liturgy PDF

 

The Mothers’ Union also have to offer a number of additional NEW Mothering Sunday resources for the use of Churches and Children’s groups.

2018 Resources

Mothering Sunday Childrens Resources

Mothering Sunday Family Service

Mothering Sunday Notes for Family Service

Mothering Sunday 2018 Prayers 

 

2017 Resources

Mothering Sunday Prayer Bookmark

Mothering Sunday Prayers

Mothering Sunday Bible Reading, Hymns and Songs 

Mothering Sunday Talks

Mothering Sunday Children’s Songs, Prayers and Memory Verses

Mothering Sunday Children’s Activities

Mothering Sunday Mothers’ Union Stories 

Mothering Sunday Sample Service Outlines

Church accidentally prints 2Pac lyrics in carol service booklet!

Posted on By Chris

Someone probably should have told this church that there’s more than a few ‘Hail Mary’ carols.

Sadly they choose rapper 2Pac’s version.  Not the most suitable lyrics!

The Church in Colombo were hosting their carol service ‘Joy To The World’ last year when this mistake happened.  They were meant to be singing a Catholic prayer, also called ‘Hail Mary’, when they spotted the wrong lyrics.

Pictures have since spread on social media, with people sharing those 2Pac’s lyrics.  Here’s just a little snippet:

‘I ain’t a killer but don’t push me
Revenge is like the sweetest joy next to getting p*ssy
Picture paragraphs unloaded, wise words being quoted
Peeped the weakness in the rap game and sewed it
Bow down, pray to God hoping that he’s listening
Seeing niggas coming for me, to my diamonds, when they glistening
Now pay attention, rest in peace father
I’m a ghost in these killing fields’

 

Christmas video 25: Christmas according to kids

Posted on By Chris

What happens when you ask a bunch of kids to tell the story of Christmas? Enjoy this story of Bethle-ha-ha-ham and the magical star that appeared.

The natural humour of the children of Southland Christian Church describing the nativity story makes this an obvious video to show at your Christmas family service:

 

Christmas video 24: Christmas Starts with a Baby’s Giggle

Posted on By Chris

The constant onslaught of Christmas advertising from October onwards can start to wear a little thin as we enter December. Something inside us knows that however lovely the advert featuring a snowman giving a gift to a unicorn is – or whatever this years iteration is – it’s not really what Christmas is all about.

Instead, here is a concise and creative away of sharing the crux of the Christmas message: two parents, one baby and a whole lot of love.

 

The vicar’s reaction to people only appearing in church at Christmas

Posted on By Chris

Jody Stowell wrote a great article in The Independent, a couple of years ago, on the vicar’s reaction to people only appearing in church at Christmas:

Do I mind that people come to church at Christmas and occasionally at Easter, and remain absent the rest of the year?  The honest answer is yes and no. Of course I want people to come to church each Sunday, but do not think for one moment that I care one tiny jot about bums on seats.  When people come to church at Christmas, I would like to see them again, simply because they have made the connection between the twinkly lights in the darkness and the Light that Shines in the Darkness.

You may only come to church at Christmas, but it really is Christmas every day.

Christmas video 22: 88 Piano Keys Control 500,000 Christmas Lights!

Posted on By Chris

The Piano Guys have created a brilliant video of Jon Schmidt controlling half a million lights from his paino.

500,000 Christmas lights, linked to 4,900 digital channels to ensure that the entire spectrum of the piano’s keyboard was featured brilliantly.  46,000 watts of juice were used to electrify this!  The piano was actually being played:

A camera attached to a drone served as the primary angle to capture the captivating Christmas Spirit of these festive homes.

The best bit is:

The police actually did show up. For real. (We’d like to thank them for their kindness and mercy. 🙂 No pianists were harmed or jailed in the making of this video … yet!

 

Christmas video 20: The Scale and Morgan Freeman

Posted on By Chris

This video, ‘The Scale’ is narrated by Morgan Freeman.  ‘The Scale’ leaves you wondering all the way through what he is talking about.  Only at the end to you get it, and yes it is very clever.  But more than that it is challenging and thought provoking too:

 

 

Best children’s Christmas story book

Posted on By Chris

One of my favourite resources for the Christmas season is Jesus’ Christmas Party by Nicholas Allan.

Nicholas Allan writes and illustrates the nativity through the eyes of a grumpy inn keeper who is unexpectedly at the centre of Jesus’ birth.  The story follows him as he is woken up repeatedly by Mary and Joseph and guests visiting the newborn.

I first heard of the book when I was a child and it was used for a Sunday School drama to present the Christmas narrative to the whole church.  As a children’s and youth worker I’ve used it numerous times, be it with young pre-school children, older teenagers, or non-Christian adults.  The book is easy for people to follow and join in, and yet still allows for profounds truths to be taught.

It can be bought in a number of sizes – from A6 just to fit in the pocket and use to tell a large group of people, to a large A4 size which a class of children can crowd around and look at the pictures.

What Joey Essex teaches us about Christmas

Posted on By Chris

Heat Magazine: Will you put a nativity scene under the tree?
Joey Essex: What does that mean?
Heat: You know what a nativity scene is, surely…
Joey: An activity screen? Is it a box you put presents in
Heat: You know, when Jesus was born…
Joey: Oh! The hay round the bottom of the Christmas tree!
Heat: His mum and dad, Mary and Joseph…
Joey: They put him in a cot?
Heat: A crib…
Joey: Like a house? What was that song they used to sing? :Bursts into song “Baby Jesus! Bethlehem! And he used to sit in a little barn?” That was a sick song. I really want to start going to church.
Heat: And the three wise men brought him gold, frankincense and myrh…
Joey: [incredulous] How do you know all of this…

Krish has more on how modern society understands (if at all) what Christmas is about. Here’s the original interview.

What children want for Christmas: a Dad

Posted on By Chris

When it comes to Christmas, it might be safe to assume children will ask Santa for an extensive list of toys, games and treats.  But a survery of their typical lists for Father Christmas has shown many have more serious concerns, requesting “a dad” instead.

A study of 2,000 British parents found most children will put a new baby brother or sister at the top of their Christmas list, closely followed by a request for a real-life reindeer.

A “pet horse” was the third most popular choice, with a “car” making a bizarre entry at number four.  But despite their material requests, the tenth most popular Christmas wish on the list was a “Dad”.

The survey, of consumers at Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City, found children aged three to 12 years also wanted a dog, chocolate and a stick of rock.  Traditional hopes for a white Christmas were represented by a wish for “snow” in ninth place, with sensible youngsters also requesting a “house”.

Of the top 50 festive requests, 17 related to pets and animals, with some imaginative children hoping for a donkey, chicken and elephant.

iPhones and iPads also appeared on the list, with some quirky children asking for the moon, a time machine, a pond cover and beetroot.

A request for a “mum” reached number 23 on the list.