Praxis Throws A Party
Children's Liturgy and Story
Call to Worship:
As John the Baptist called people to prepare themselves for the coming of the Messiah, so let us prepare ourselves in our worship today for the coming of the Messiah into our hearts and lives.
Invitation to Confession:
Lord Jesus, we are often unprepared to meet with you.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, help us to repent and turn to you again.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, make us clean.
Lord, have mercy
Reading:
Luke 3
The Proclamation of John the Baptist
1. In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene,
2. during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.
3. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
4. as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,
"The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
"Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
5. Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth;
6. and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.' "
Story:
Children and adults are not always aware of the need for good preparation, especially with regard to worship and to meeting with Christ. Yet the necessity for good preparation was emphasised by God through John the Baptist who came to prepare the way for Jesus.
This is another story about Praxis, the little pixie whose skin changes colour according to his moods. This story shows the need for good preparation.
Praxis Throws A Party.
"Shall we have a party?" asked Praxis' mother.
Praxis jumped up and down in delight and his skin changed to a bright pink colour. "Oh yes, please!" he cried in delight. "Can all the pixie children come?"
His mother nodded. "Of course they can! But I'll need some help in getting things ready. Will you help me, Praxis?"
"Yes, yes, yes," said Praxis impatiently. "Can I go and tell my friends now?"
"Off you go," his mother replied, laughing.
Praxis danced off to find his friends. His pink skin glowed brightly and he was so happy that he spent all afternoon playing with his friends. When he went home he was tired.
"Will you write the invitations?" asked his mother.
"All right," Praxis replied, wearily. But he was so tired that as he settled down to watch pixie television, he quite forgot.
The next day, Praxis' mother said, "We need to go shopping today. Will you help me?"
"All right," Praxis replied. But he ran off to find his friends and quite forgot.
That afternoon, Praxis' mother said, "Shall we cook for the party today, Praxis?"
Praxis nodded happily. "Oh yes!" he said. But he wandered into the garden to find some acorns and he quite forgot.
On the day of the party, Praxis mother said to him, "Will you help me decorate the toadstool?"
"All right," Praxis replied. But he was so busy dreaming about how wonderful the party was going to be, that he quite forgot.
Then his mother said, "Would you make a list of games to play, Praxis?"
Praxis jumped up and down and clapped his hands. "Of course!" he cried. He started to look through a book of games, but he grew so absorbed in what he was reading that he quite forgot.
When the time came for the party to begin, Praxis was ready. His mother had decorated the toadstool and cooked the food, and Praxis sat down to await the arrival of all his friends.
But nobody came.
Praxis skin changed to a pale shade of blue. "Nobody is going to come," he said mournfully.
"Did you send the invitations?" asked Praxis' mother.
Praxis turned even bluer. "Oh dear," he said, "I quite forgot."
"Did you help with the shopping, or the cooking, or the decorations, or making a list of games?" continued mother.
Praxis hung his head. "I quite forgot," he whispered, feeling very blue indeed.
"How can you have a party if you don't make any preparations?" asked his mother.
A big, fat tear began to roll down Praxis' cheek. "I'm so sorry," he said. "I've spoilt it for everyone, not just myself. Now no-one can have a party because I quite forgot to prepare properly." And his skin turned a little green.
"Hmm," said his mother, "it's just as well I prepared for you, isn't it?"
And with that the door of the toadstool burst open and all Praxis' friends came running in. They had a wonderful party and Praxis' skin gradually changed back to its bright, healthy, shocking pink. But he knew that if it hadn't been for his mother, there would have been no party at all. And after that, he vowed that he'd always prepare properly.
Activities:
Continue with the Jesse Tree. This week represent the prophets and kings. You could have a star of David, and a crown, and a burning bush (for Moses), and a plumb line for Amos, and pictures of the prophets or their names. You could have John the Baptist as the last of the prophets. Hang your symbols on the next branches up on your Jesse Tree.
A prayer for the hanging of the symbols:
Thank you God, for special people who teach us and lead us. Help us to be ready for Christmas so that we can welcome baby Jesus into our hearts once more. Amen.
Light again the first candle on the Advent Wreath, and light the second candle. The second candle represents the Prophets - our teachers in the faith. A prayer for lighting the second Advent candle:
We light this candle to give thanks for the prophets, who prepared the way for God's people in the Old Testament. Thank you God, for sending the prophets to help people get ready for Jesus. May we too be prepared for Jesus this Christmas. Amen.
Intercession:
God of hope and expectations, when we prepare ourselves properly for worship, we meet with you. Remind us in your Church to take the time to make sure we're ready to receive you.
God of hope and expectations, too often the world prepares for hostility and violence and war. As we look forward to Christmas, may our world leaders begin to prepare for a time of peace and tranquillity in our world.
God of hope and expectations, help us to take time out with you each day, so that you are able to prepare our inner being for anything we might have to face in life. Give us strength, endurance and commitment so that we are always ready to respond to any crisis.
God of hope and expectations, we place into your care those who need especial prayers this morning. Whether they are in trouble or sick, anxious or bereaved, may they know your warmth and love and comfort. We name them before you now ...
Blessing
May you take trouble over the small things
So that they never grow into big troubles.
May you always be ready for Jesus.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Be with you,
Be in your homes and in your families,
With those you love
and those for whom you pray,
both now and always. Amen.
As John the Baptist called people to prepare themselves for the coming of the Messiah, so let us prepare ourselves in our worship today for the coming of the Messiah into our hearts and lives.
Invitation to Confession:
Lord Jesus, we are often unprepared to meet with you.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, help us to repent and turn to you again.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, make us clean.
Lord, have mercy
Reading:
Luke 3
The Proclamation of John the Baptist
1. In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene,
2. during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.
3. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
4. as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,
"The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
"Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
5. Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth;
6. and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.' "
Story:
Children and adults are not always aware of the need for good preparation, especially with regard to worship and to meeting with Christ. Yet the necessity for good preparation was emphasised by God through John the Baptist who came to prepare the way for Jesus.
This is another story about Praxis, the little pixie whose skin changes colour according to his moods. This story shows the need for good preparation.
Praxis Throws A Party.
"Shall we have a party?" asked Praxis' mother.
Praxis jumped up and down in delight and his skin changed to a bright pink colour. "Oh yes, please!" he cried in delight. "Can all the pixie children come?"
His mother nodded. "Of course they can! But I'll need some help in getting things ready. Will you help me, Praxis?"
"Yes, yes, yes," said Praxis impatiently. "Can I go and tell my friends now?"
"Off you go," his mother replied, laughing.
Praxis danced off to find his friends. His pink skin glowed brightly and he was so happy that he spent all afternoon playing with his friends. When he went home he was tired.
"Will you write the invitations?" asked his mother.
"All right," Praxis replied, wearily. But he was so tired that as he settled down to watch pixie television, he quite forgot.
The next day, Praxis' mother said, "We need to go shopping today. Will you help me?"
"All right," Praxis replied. But he ran off to find his friends and quite forgot.
That afternoon, Praxis' mother said, "Shall we cook for the party today, Praxis?"
Praxis nodded happily. "Oh yes!" he said. But he wandered into the garden to find some acorns and he quite forgot.
On the day of the party, Praxis mother said to him, "Will you help me decorate the toadstool?"
"All right," Praxis replied. But he was so busy dreaming about how wonderful the party was going to be, that he quite forgot.
Then his mother said, "Would you make a list of games to play, Praxis?"
Praxis jumped up and down and clapped his hands. "Of course!" he cried. He started to look through a book of games, but he grew so absorbed in what he was reading that he quite forgot.
When the time came for the party to begin, Praxis was ready. His mother had decorated the toadstool and cooked the food, and Praxis sat down to await the arrival of all his friends.
But nobody came.
Praxis skin changed to a pale shade of blue. "Nobody is going to come," he said mournfully.
"Did you send the invitations?" asked Praxis' mother.
Praxis turned even bluer. "Oh dear," he said, "I quite forgot."
"Did you help with the shopping, or the cooking, or the decorations, or making a list of games?" continued mother.
Praxis hung his head. "I quite forgot," he whispered, feeling very blue indeed.
"How can you have a party if you don't make any preparations?" asked his mother.
A big, fat tear began to roll down Praxis' cheek. "I'm so sorry," he said. "I've spoilt it for everyone, not just myself. Now no-one can have a party because I quite forgot to prepare properly." And his skin turned a little green.
"Hmm," said his mother, "it's just as well I prepared for you, isn't it?"
And with that the door of the toadstool burst open and all Praxis' friends came running in. They had a wonderful party and Praxis' skin gradually changed back to its bright, healthy, shocking pink. But he knew that if it hadn't been for his mother, there would have been no party at all. And after that, he vowed that he'd always prepare properly.
Activities:
Continue with the Jesse Tree. This week represent the prophets and kings. You could have a star of David, and a crown, and a burning bush (for Moses), and a plumb line for Amos, and pictures of the prophets or their names. You could have John the Baptist as the last of the prophets. Hang your symbols on the next branches up on your Jesse Tree.
A prayer for the hanging of the symbols:
Thank you God, for special people who teach us and lead us. Help us to be ready for Christmas so that we can welcome baby Jesus into our hearts once more. Amen.
Light again the first candle on the Advent Wreath, and light the second candle. The second candle represents the Prophets - our teachers in the faith. A prayer for lighting the second Advent candle:
We light this candle to give thanks for the prophets, who prepared the way for God's people in the Old Testament. Thank you God, for sending the prophets to help people get ready for Jesus. May we too be prepared for Jesus this Christmas. Amen.
Intercession:
God of hope and expectations, when we prepare ourselves properly for worship, we meet with you. Remind us in your Church to take the time to make sure we're ready to receive you.
God of hope and expectations, too often the world prepares for hostility and violence and war. As we look forward to Christmas, may our world leaders begin to prepare for a time of peace and tranquillity in our world.
God of hope and expectations, help us to take time out with you each day, so that you are able to prepare our inner being for anything we might have to face in life. Give us strength, endurance and commitment so that we are always ready to respond to any crisis.
God of hope and expectations, we place into your care those who need especial prayers this morning. Whether they are in trouble or sick, anxious or bereaved, may they know your warmth and love and comfort. We name them before you now ...
Blessing
May you take trouble over the small things
So that they never grow into big troubles.
May you always be ready for Jesus.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Be with you,
Be in your homes and in your families,
With those you love
and those for whom you pray,
both now and always. Amen.
