Imagine the scene if you will, your typical all-age Junior Church where every Sunday without fail Julie the fresh young eager leader has another exciting session planned. Helping her this week is Judith, a young at heart Grandma who is a wiz with the knitting needles!
This week the children file into their room. Allow me to introduce you to
them.
Martha, a sweet 10 year old who is happy to sit quietly.
Daisy, a
questioning and lively 5 year old.
Sam, he is loud and never still, and oh
yes he's 13, enough said.
Ben, he's the youngest only 3 and always brings
teddy with him.
So there you have it: a small group, but big in ideas and willingness.
Everyone gathers on the carpet for introductions and the setting of today's theme. As it is December all the children are excited and with only one full week left until the end of term - yes can you feel it too - the we can't wait for that Christmas Eve feeling. Oh - and just to add some more interest, it's begun to snow. Sam spotted it first as he made his first orbit of the room before diving onto the carpet and colliding with Ted.
“Settle down everyone” says Julie “we have something to show you now. Sit so
you can all see.”
All heads move to look at what Julie holds - a large gold
box tied up with shiny red ribbon.
“Oh I like that,” says Daisy, “It looks
special”.
“Well it's all right, if you're a girl,” says Sam. “ Bet you can't plug it in
and zap purple monsters though.”
“Ted can't see” says Ben.
“Yes he can,”
says Martha. “Look, he's watching.”
“Now,” says Julie, “What have I got to show you all?”
“It's a present”
says Daisy. “Is it your birthday, how old are you? and is there any cake?”
“Sorry Daisy, no it isn't my birthday, but you are right: it is a present.”
“Should we help open it?” suggests Judith.
“Yes!” everyone shouts.
As the ribbon falls to the floor, the lid is lifted and a stunned silence
follows.
“Well I might of known” says Sam “all show and nothing in - told
you you should have been able to plug it in and zap.”
“Just a minute,” says
Julie, “Here is a note.”
“Let's read it out” suggests Judith, “I'll just put
my glasses on.”
Judith reads out the message. Use the clues inside to tell a story, and discover a message.
“Teddy has found something” shouts Ben, bringing out a donkey from the box.
“We like donkeys,” says Daisy.
“Hey, two more in here,” says Sam. “Great –
look, a cow. Moo.”
“Let me see,” says Martha. “Oh look, I've found a star,
and it's shiny too.”
“I like stars” says Daisy. Judith ,my Grandma says I'm
a star.”
“Of course you are, Daisy,” says Judith. “You all are.”
“Ben, what have you found?” asks Julie. “Can I eat it? Teddy likes
pies.”
“Sorry Ben, you can't eat this pie - it's made of clay, but it does
look real.”
“Yeah, and mine looks so good someone has taken a bite from it,
look at it,” says Sam, holding up an identical pie with a nibble out of it.
“Oh dear!” says Judith, “I wonder how that happened.”
Gradually the children find some more items: a plum pudding, a snowflake, a woolly sheep, a camel with bells attached, two figures and a baby.
“Now,” says Julie “Let's behave like detectives and see if we can tell a
story with all we have found.”
“Don't forget we must find a message too,”
says Daisy.
“Any ideas?” asks Judith.
“Well, the donkey ate the pie and pudding and was joined by a sheep called Woolly, who took the hump from the camel and wanted to be a star!” cried Sam, whilst dancing round the room with the snowflake in his hand.
No silly, you're all wrong,” said Daisy. “He is – Martha, tell him, we know cos we did this at school in assembly on Friday. Martha's class told us all about it, and I watched.”
“Well girls, what is it?” asks Julie.
“Well, this is Mary and Joseph, and
they have a baby,” begins Martha.
“Yes, he's a boy called Jesus,” chips in
Daisy.
“And they have a donkey,” says Ben, “It's in my book at home.”
“So who has the sheep?” asks Sam.
“Well, they belong to shepherds, who are looking after them,” replies Martha,
now rising to the knowledge she begins to share. “An angel came to them and told
them a baby had been born.”
“Don't forget the star!” shouts Daisy, “It tells
everyone where the baby is. It's a very important part you know.”
“But what about the camel?” asks Ben.
“Well, the wise men see this big
star in the sky” says Daisy, standing up and holding her arms out wide, “And
they look up into the sky,” (everyone follows Daisy's gaze to the ceiling) “and
they jump onto their camels and follow it, until they arrive at the stable.”
“Yes,” says Sam, “and they brought loads of presents.”
“Well. three” says
Martha, “But they were expensive.”
“I think this sounds just about right,” agree Judith and Julie, “But we still have these things left over from our clues.”
“Oh great!” says Sam. “Two pies, one with a bite out of it, one pudding, and
a snowflake. And it's stopped snowing too.”
“I wonder if the food and
snowflake could be part of the story,” suggests Judith.
“Teddy wants to know
how.” says Ben.
“Well,” says Judith. “What do we eat at Christmas time?”
“I know,” says Daisy as her hand shoots into the air, “Mince pies. My Grandma
lets me make them at her house, only my Grandpa eats them, and my Grandma tells
him they're all counted.”
“Gosh!” says Julie, “Well I never. Mince pies and
Christmas pudding. We eat these at Christmas.
“And it snows at Christmas
time just like now,” says Sam “and they all get snowed in and there's no
school.”
“Well, I think the snowflake is a puzzle,” explains Judith. “You see, Jesus
wasn't born at Christmas time, at least we don't think so, but it is the time we
celebrate Jesus being born.”
“Teddy likes tha,” says Ben.
“So that's
it!” says Sam, “and Martha solved the puzzle.”
“Not quite,” says Judith. There lying in the folds of the tissue paper inside
the box is a small sequined star box. “Look at this,” she says.
“Oh lovely,
it's a star!” says Daisy. “I like stars!”
“Yes,” says Martha, “We know.”
“ Is there gold inside?” asks Sam. “It might be treasure: open it up.”
Slowly Judith opens the small box and Julie removes a small heart. They all
stare at how lovely it is.
“I think we have found the real meaning of Christmas,” says Julie. “The love
of Jesus is for all of us every day, not just on Christmas day.
“Teddy
thinks that is nice,” says Ben. Every head nods in agreement.
Sadly the time has come to leave this junior church with children and leaders wondering over the real message of Christmas. As we go about our own church activities this Christmas time, spare a time for a thought for the birth of a special baby.
Let us pray
We thank you for
the present of life,
that the
real message
of Christmas can be
found and enjoyed.
Help us to think of
others who have not
yet unpacked the
message
you brought for us.
At this busy time for
everyone,
let your love
be with us today and
every day.
Amen.