Jasmine's Christmas Present
Children's Liturgy and Story
Call to Worship:
Just before the first Christmas, an angel appeared to Joseph to tell him that Jesus would also be called "Emmanuel", meaning "God With Us." Let us listen to the guidance of the angels today as we prepare to receive God With Us once again.
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, fill me with the awe of Christmas.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, fill me with the mystery of Christmas.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, fill me with Emmanuel -- God with us.
Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
Matthew 1:18-25 (NRSV)
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. [19] Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. [20] But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. [21] She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." [22] All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
[23] "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,"
which means, "God is with us." [24] When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, [25] but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
Story:
Christmas is about love -- God's love for human beings. God's love for us is so strong that he gave himself to us fully and completely, that first Christmas. That love has never wavered. We are still joyfully welcomed back with no questions asked, and love is poured into us.
This is a story about Jasmine, to illustrate the sort of love God has for each of us.
Jasmine's Christmas Present
When Jasmine was eight, she was given her best Christmas present ever. It was grown-up necklace, a cross on a chain, which had belonged to Jasmine's grandma who had worn it all the time. Grandma had died a while ago, but now Jasmine was eight, she was old enough for the necklace.
Jasmine wore her new necklace all the time, just like Grandma. When she went to school, she wore it underneath her school shirt, so that it didn't show. But at all other times she wore it proudly so that everyone could see it. Somehow, the necklace made her feel close to Grandma again.
Then one day she lost it. She put it on in the morning just as she always did, but when she came to get ready for bed that evening, the necklace had gone. Jasmine was distraught. She felt very guilty, as though she had betrayed Grandma. And without the necklace, she felt she had lost Grandma all over again.
It made everybody feel bad because it meant they had all lost a last link with Grandma, so the whole family searched high and low for the necklace. They retraced all Jasmine's steps that day, revisiting the places where Jasmine had been and examining the whole area, but the necklace was nowhere to be found.
Jasmine's mum bought her a new cross and chain, but it wasn't the same. It was pretty enough, but it had no real meaning for Jasmine, so she hardly wore it. It wasn't Grandma's necklace.
As Jasmine grew up, she eventually forgot about the necklace. She forgot a lot of other things, too. She forgot about Grandma, who had been dead a long time by now. She forgot a lot of what she had learned in school and she forgot a lot of what she had learned at home. She went a little wild and she got into bad company and began to indulge in bad habits.
As soon as she was old enough, Jasmine left home. She left without a word to anyone. One Christmas Eve, she packed her bags and took off.
Surprisingly, Jasmine made good. She landed a job in an office and discovered she had a flair for the work. She rose at amazing speed through the ranks and was soon earning a great deal of money. Of course, she had to lie a little and cheat a little and tread on other people to get to the top, but that was the accepted way of life for all those in high positions. It was the only way to get on. Besides, she told herself that as soon as she had earned enough, she'd retire and let someone else take over.
The trouble was, she never did earn enough. Although she became a very wealthy woman, Jasmine always wanted more. She was never quite satisfied. And although she had a fantastic and glamorous lifestyle, she was aware of feeling just a little empty inside. She told herself fiercely that she was being ridiculous and plunged herself even harder into her wheeling and dealing.
Then one day, as she passed a little old antique shop in a scruffy London street, she spotted a cross on a chain. It was exactly like the one she had lost all those years ago. On impulse, Jasmine went into the shop and bought the necklace, which she slipped around her neck.
Immediately, memories started flooding back. She remembered her grandma and the love she had always shown Jasmine. She remembered her home and the warmth she had always felt. Suddenly, she realised with a blinding flash of clarity that she no longer cared about her money. Suddenly, it didn't matter. Only one thing mattered and that was going home.
Jasmine drove home as fast as she could. But when the door of the old house was opened, everything was different. Over the years her parents had grown old and frail. Her brothers and sisters had grown up and now had children of their own. The house was decorated quite differently and the rooms seemed much smaller than Jasmine remembered.
But one thing was exactly the same. Love poured out of the house and enveloped Jasmine without any questions asked. There was no anger, no resentment, no recriminations. Jasmine was welcomed home joyfully and welcomed back into a love which made her feel safe and secure and wanted.
Jasmine never left home again. And that Christmas was the best Christmas ever.
Activity:
(N.B. Remind all children about the Crib Service and remind them to come to the service dressed as angels or shepherds. You could also select two children to dress up as Mary and Joseph.)
Finish the Jesse Tree. This week all the symbols should represent Jesus. You could have a baby, a crib, a cross or crucifix, a fish, a Greek chi-rho, or anything else which represents Jesus to your group. Hang your symbols on the top branches of your Jesse Tree.
A prayer for the hanging of the symbols:
Lord Jesus, we welcome you into our world and into our hearts this Christmas. Bless our Jesse Tree so that all who see it are reminded afresh of God's divine plan for the world, culminating in your birth as our Saviour at Christmas.
Light again the first, second and third candles on the Advent Wreath, and light the fourth candle. The fourth candle represents the Virgin Mary.
A prayer for lighting the Advent candle:
We light this candle to thank God for Mary, who was willing to become the mother of Jesus. Thank you God, for choosing Mary to be the mother of your dear son. Like her, may we learn to trust you so much that we do whatever you ask. Amen.
Prayers:
God of love, thank you for the gift of the baby Jesus at Christmas. Thank you that Jesus demonstrated your unconditional love for us. And thank you that you always welcome us back with no questions asked.
God of love, at this time of good will towards all people, we continue to pray for peace on earth. We hold within this sacred space of prayer, all those nations who are engaged in violent conflict and ask for your blessings on all the people.
God of love, we are so human and therefore so frail. Help us to follow your example and give ourselves fully and freely in love to each other, so that we might be complete and our emptiness dispelled.
God of love, we pray for all who will have a sad Christmas. We pray for those who are sick and ask your healing touch for them. We pray for all who have lost someone they love during this year, and for whom this first Christmas will be difficult. And we pray for all those for whom Christmas brings painful memories.
Blessing:
May you be so filled
with God's love this Christmas
that you are radiant with his beauty.
And may the blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Be with you, be in your homes
And in your families,
With those whom you love
And with those for whom you pray,
Both now and always. Amen.
Just before the first Christmas, an angel appeared to Joseph to tell him that Jesus would also be called "Emmanuel", meaning "God With Us." Let us listen to the guidance of the angels today as we prepare to receive God With Us once again.
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, fill me with the awe of Christmas.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, fill me with the mystery of Christmas.
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, fill me with Emmanuel -- God with us.
Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
Matthew 1:18-25 (NRSV)
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. [19] Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. [20] But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. [21] She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." [22] All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
[23] "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,"
which means, "God is with us." [24] When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, [25] but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
Story:
Christmas is about love -- God's love for human beings. God's love for us is so strong that he gave himself to us fully and completely, that first Christmas. That love has never wavered. We are still joyfully welcomed back with no questions asked, and love is poured into us.
This is a story about Jasmine, to illustrate the sort of love God has for each of us.
Jasmine's Christmas Present
When Jasmine was eight, she was given her best Christmas present ever. It was grown-up necklace, a cross on a chain, which had belonged to Jasmine's grandma who had worn it all the time. Grandma had died a while ago, but now Jasmine was eight, she was old enough for the necklace.
Jasmine wore her new necklace all the time, just like Grandma. When she went to school, she wore it underneath her school shirt, so that it didn't show. But at all other times she wore it proudly so that everyone could see it. Somehow, the necklace made her feel close to Grandma again.
Then one day she lost it. She put it on in the morning just as she always did, but when she came to get ready for bed that evening, the necklace had gone. Jasmine was distraught. She felt very guilty, as though she had betrayed Grandma. And without the necklace, she felt she had lost Grandma all over again.
It made everybody feel bad because it meant they had all lost a last link with Grandma, so the whole family searched high and low for the necklace. They retraced all Jasmine's steps that day, revisiting the places where Jasmine had been and examining the whole area, but the necklace was nowhere to be found.
Jasmine's mum bought her a new cross and chain, but it wasn't the same. It was pretty enough, but it had no real meaning for Jasmine, so she hardly wore it. It wasn't Grandma's necklace.
As Jasmine grew up, she eventually forgot about the necklace. She forgot a lot of other things, too. She forgot about Grandma, who had been dead a long time by now. She forgot a lot of what she had learned in school and she forgot a lot of what she had learned at home. She went a little wild and she got into bad company and began to indulge in bad habits.
As soon as she was old enough, Jasmine left home. She left without a word to anyone. One Christmas Eve, she packed her bags and took off.
Surprisingly, Jasmine made good. She landed a job in an office and discovered she had a flair for the work. She rose at amazing speed through the ranks and was soon earning a great deal of money. Of course, she had to lie a little and cheat a little and tread on other people to get to the top, but that was the accepted way of life for all those in high positions. It was the only way to get on. Besides, she told herself that as soon as she had earned enough, she'd retire and let someone else take over.
The trouble was, she never did earn enough. Although she became a very wealthy woman, Jasmine always wanted more. She was never quite satisfied. And although she had a fantastic and glamorous lifestyle, she was aware of feeling just a little empty inside. She told herself fiercely that she was being ridiculous and plunged herself even harder into her wheeling and dealing.
Then one day, as she passed a little old antique shop in a scruffy London street, she spotted a cross on a chain. It was exactly like the one she had lost all those years ago. On impulse, Jasmine went into the shop and bought the necklace, which she slipped around her neck.
Immediately, memories started flooding back. She remembered her grandma and the love she had always shown Jasmine. She remembered her home and the warmth she had always felt. Suddenly, she realised with a blinding flash of clarity that she no longer cared about her money. Suddenly, it didn't matter. Only one thing mattered and that was going home.
Jasmine drove home as fast as she could. But when the door of the old house was opened, everything was different. Over the years her parents had grown old and frail. Her brothers and sisters had grown up and now had children of their own. The house was decorated quite differently and the rooms seemed much smaller than Jasmine remembered.
But one thing was exactly the same. Love poured out of the house and enveloped Jasmine without any questions asked. There was no anger, no resentment, no recriminations. Jasmine was welcomed home joyfully and welcomed back into a love which made her feel safe and secure and wanted.
Jasmine never left home again. And that Christmas was the best Christmas ever.
Activity:
(N.B. Remind all children about the Crib Service and remind them to come to the service dressed as angels or shepherds. You could also select two children to dress up as Mary and Joseph.)
Finish the Jesse Tree. This week all the symbols should represent Jesus. You could have a baby, a crib, a cross or crucifix, a fish, a Greek chi-rho, or anything else which represents Jesus to your group. Hang your symbols on the top branches of your Jesse Tree.
A prayer for the hanging of the symbols:
Lord Jesus, we welcome you into our world and into our hearts this Christmas. Bless our Jesse Tree so that all who see it are reminded afresh of God's divine plan for the world, culminating in your birth as our Saviour at Christmas.
Light again the first, second and third candles on the Advent Wreath, and light the fourth candle. The fourth candle represents the Virgin Mary.
A prayer for lighting the Advent candle:
We light this candle to thank God for Mary, who was willing to become the mother of Jesus. Thank you God, for choosing Mary to be the mother of your dear son. Like her, may we learn to trust you so much that we do whatever you ask. Amen.
Prayers:
God of love, thank you for the gift of the baby Jesus at Christmas. Thank you that Jesus demonstrated your unconditional love for us. And thank you that you always welcome us back with no questions asked.
God of love, at this time of good will towards all people, we continue to pray for peace on earth. We hold within this sacred space of prayer, all those nations who are engaged in violent conflict and ask for your blessings on all the people.
God of love, we are so human and therefore so frail. Help us to follow your example and give ourselves fully and freely in love to each other, so that we might be complete and our emptiness dispelled.
God of love, we pray for all who will have a sad Christmas. We pray for those who are sick and ask your healing touch for them. We pray for all who have lost someone they love during this year, and for whom this first Christmas will be difficult. And we pray for all those for whom Christmas brings painful memories.
Blessing:
May you be so filled
with God's love this Christmas
that you are radiant with his beauty.
And may the blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Be with you, be in your homes
And in your families,
With those whom you love
And with those for whom you pray,
Both now and always. Amen.
