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Here is our Christmas Countdown Clock! Day Eighteen activities If you have an Advent Wreath - here is a short reading and ceremony before lighting the two candles. Luke Ch1 V5 and 17 The Birth of John foretold: In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years. Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous — to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years." The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time." Zechariah was obviously a man of God, he was Priest and served in the Temple. We are told that he and his wife were very righteous and served God blamelessly. On the day that he was chosen to go into the Temple to fulfil the daily ritual, I am sure that he was excited and apprehensive, but little did he expect the encounter that was to change his life. Here he was being told by Gabriel that he would have a son and he was to call him John. He was overwhelmed because they couldn't have a family and now they were old, impossible he probably thought to himself. As we know this child was to make ready the people for the coming of Jesus. This was to be a special child as he would filled with the Holy Spirit from Birth. Poor Zechariah, he was overwhelmed and incredulous and asked how this could be seeing as he and Elizabeth were old. I feel sorry for Zechariah as he was told by the Angel that he would be unable to speak until the day that the child would be brought to the Temple and named, simply because he had questioned the news from God. There is a simple lesson for us all here. Zechariah was a man of God, serving in the Temple, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly, yet when the time came he questioned what he was told and what was happening. For all his blamelessness he is human after all and we can see the frailty in all of us, isn't that what we do, so often we question God, we are impatient, we want things to happen now, we ask for things and they don't happen. The late Willie Barclay used to say that there are three answers to prayer, Yes, No and wait! So often we don't take no for an answer and we are too impatient to wait. But after all, that is what Advent is about, waiting for the special event - the coming of the Christ Child. I am sure that the Children in the family are getting excited now and can hardly wait for Christmas day, and I hope you are excited too, it would be a shame to have lost that excitement just because we are grown up. Give God thanks and count your blessing and try to be patient. Prayer: Loving God our Father, we thank you thet there so many lessons to be learned from Your word, we thank You for the example and stories of those who have gone before us, in the Old and New Testament. Help us to see that they were just like us, human and frail for all their learning, wisdom and religion. Father grant us Your Spirit that we mey experience again the excitement that builds as we get nearer Christmas. Grant that we may be touched afresh with the story of the Child, that we may experiece that blessing and peace that come from knowing You on a personal level. Forgive us fro the things that often seperat eus from our families, friends and most of all from You. Lord hear our prayers as we light our candles. Amen. Something to think about and do today 4 Pointed Star: A four-pointed star is usually styled to resemble a cross and is used as the "star of Bethlehem" or "natal star." The cross shape reminds us both of Jesus' birth and the fact that he was born to live like us as human beings, to experience life and all its emotions, experiences and finally Death that we might have Life Everlasting. It is used especially for church decoration during the Advent and Christmas seasons. 5 Pointed Star: The five-pointed star is the star of Bethlehem. Shaped roughly like a human being, it represents Jesus' incarnation. The 5 pointed star is used as a Christian symbol for the five senses, and if the letters S, A, L, V, and S are inscribed in the points, it can be taken as a symbol of health (from Latin salus). Medieval Christians believed it to symbolise the five wounds of Christ. The five points of the star each have five meanings: they represent the five senses, the five fingers, the five wounds of Christ, the five joys that Mary had of Jesus; the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Resurrection, the Ascension, and the Assumption, and also the five virtues of knighthood: noble generosity, fellowship, purity, courtesy, and compassion. Num. 24:17 "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. (NIV) Matt. 2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi(n) from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east(n) and have come to worship him." (NIV) 6 Pointed Star: The six-pointed star is the Creator's star. Its six points stand for the six days of creation. The points are also said to represent the six attributes of God - power, wisdom, majesty, love, mercy and justice. This star is also known today as the Star of David, and is a symbol of modern-day Israel. The six-pointed star is of ancient origin and is used in many religions with a variety of meanings. It goes all the way back to Babalonian Times when king historically recorded his conquest of the King and the population of Judah. Both kings are shown standing facing each other. The King of Babylon stands on the right. A winged sun disk is above the King of Babylon. The encircled six-legged star pattern is above the King of Judah. 7 Pointed Star: The seven-pointed star represents the seven gifts of the Spirit - wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, fear of the Lord, and delight in the Lord. Isa. 11:2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him - the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD - 3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. (NIV) 8 Pointed Star: Eight is traditionally the number of regeneration. (It is for this reason that many baptismal fonts have an octagonal base.) Jesus was circumcised and given his name when he was eight days old. On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived. "When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord", and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons." Baptism is understood to be the New Testament equivalent of the covenant of circumcision. Luke Ch2 V21 to 24 9 Pointed Star: The nine-pointed star symbolizes the nine fruits of the Spirit listed in the Epistle to the Galatians. This star is sometimes shown with the Latin initials for each of the fruits (charitas, gaudium, pax, longanimitas, benignitas, bonitus, fides, mansuetudo and continentia) placed within the points. Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (NIV) 12 Pointed Star: A twelve-pointed star may be used to represent the twelve tribes of Israel or sometimes known as the star of the apostles and represents the twelve apostles. It may also be used at Epiphany, the twelfth day of Christmas, on which the church celebrates the manifestation of Christ as the Son of God. The twelve Apostles were: Peter: Renamed by Jesus, his original name was Simon. Andrew: The brother of Simon/Peter and a former disciple of John the Baptist. James the brother of John. John: The brother of James. Philip. Bartholomew. Matthew, the tax collector. Thomas. James. Thaddeus. Simon. Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, he was replaced by Matthias. Stars & Orbs: Twelve stars surrounding a sun and moon represent Jacob and his wife and Jacob's 12 sons, who themselves became the fathers of the 12 tribes of Israel. Together they are an Old Testament type of the whole company of God's elect. It is time to buy some Oranges to make our Christingle in good time. We will learn all about the Christingle and how to make a Christingle: This text will be replaced by the flash music player. Click the Arrow to play a Christingle Carol To Make a Christingle you will need the following: An orange: A Candle: Red ribbon or flame proof paper: 4 cocktail sticks: Nuts and fruits: Refer to the pictures below to help you: This craft is for older children, but smaller children can help an adult to make the Christingle. Remember to be careful with sharp cocktail sticks and lit candles. NEVER blow out a candle, always snuff it out. Picture 1 - Carefully make a hole for the candle in the top of the orange. Fasten the red ribbon round the middle of the orange, use a spot of glue or a pin to keep it in place. Picture 2 - Cut out a square of aluminium cooking foil, about 20cm square and glue it on the bottom of the orange. This acts as a shield and catches any candle wax drops. You should also cut a smaller square of cooking foil and place it at the bottom of the candle. Picture 3 - Put the candle, with the small square of aluminium cooking foil, firmly into the hole in the orange, make sure it is kept upright - to help you can use a little blue tac round the side. Spread out the foil to catch any wax drops when the candle is lit. Picture 4 - Add the four cocktail sticks, goose quills were used in the old days. Be careful when you push the fruits onto the sticks as they are quiet sharp. You can use raisons, glace cherries and monkey nuts, you can also use soft coloured sweets. That is your christingle ready to use. The Christingle has its origins in a Moravian children's service held in a castle in Germany on Christmas Eve in 1747. The bishop conducting the informal service gave each child a lighted candle, tied with a red ribbon, in memory of the Saviour's coming which he said has kindled a flame in each heart which keeps burning "to His joy, and our happiness". Much later, this simple candle was replaced by a more elaborate Christingle which is rich in symbolism. Our modern Christingle consists of: an orange . . . representing the world: a red ribbon, tied round the orange . . . representing the blood of Jesus: fruits and sweets, skewered on 4 cocktail sticks which are pushed into the orange . . . representing God's good gifts - the fruits of the earth and the four seasons: a lighted candle, pushed into the centre of the orange . . . representing Christ, the light of the world In 1982 John Penson of the Church of England's Childrens Society revived the custom and over a thousand services were held. More than £100,000 was collected to help handicaped children, homeless children, and families in need. Christingle means Christ-light and the service is a celebration of the coming of Jesus Christ, the Light, into the world. At the service, gifts of money, collected before hand, are presnted and in turn Christingles are received. When all the Christingles have been give out, carols are sung by candle light. Here is a poem about the Christingle The orange of Christingle the world reminds us of, And how our God created us, And on us sheds his love. O sing about Christingle, Your voices loud employ. Your praises bring to God our King; For Jesus and his joy. The candle of Christingle, With shining flame so bright; Reminds us of our loving Lord Who is the world's true light. The red band of Christingle Which plainly we can see; Reminds us of how Jesus Christ was killed upon that tree. The four sticks of Christingle, With which the orb we spear, Remind us how God cares for us, thro' the seasons of the year. The whole of the Christingle, It is a joy to see; It shines to show how our Father God, Loves even you and me. Here is a simple service you can use on Christmas eve to light your Christingle: Listen to the Carol: Get ready to light the Christingle: Reading: When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world; Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” — John Ch8 v12 NIV. Let us remind ourselves what the Christingle represents: The orange . . . represents the world: The red ribbon, tied round the orange . . . represents the blood of Jesus: fruits and sweets, skewered on 4 cocktail sticks which are pushed into the orange . . . represents God's good gifts - the fruits of the earth and the four seasons: The lighted candle . . . represents Jesus, the light of the world. Ceremony: All: Jesus is our King. Parent: Jesus Christ is the light of the world; - Light a candle All: Jesus is our Way. Parent: With Jesus even dark places are light; - Light a candle All: Jesus is the Truth. Parent: In Jesus we shall live for ever; - Light a candle All: Jesus is our Life - - Light a candle Light the Christingle /s If you have more than one you can light the candle after each phrase the parents says. Make sure that the Christingle is on a safe flat surface and that you make sure the flame you used to light the candle is out. Simple Prayers: Dear God our Father we are sorry for the things we do and say and think, we know they make you sad. Forgive us for not thinking of others before ourselves. Please help us to love you and other more and more because You have given us Your beloved Son Jesus. Hear our prayers for others: Jesus, whose mother was Mary: we pray for ............................(families) Lord Jesus, hear our prayer. Jesus, cradled in a manger: we pray for ........................... (homeless, refugees) Lord Jesus, hear our prayer. Jesus, sharing the stable with the animals: we pray for............................ (the creation) Lord Jesus, hear our prayer. Jesus, worshipped by shepherds and kings: we pray for .......................... (nations, races, peoples) Lord Jesus, hear our prayer. Jesus, our Emmanuel: we pray for........................... (those in particular need) Lord Jesus, hear our prayers. Amen. Here is a picture of a Christingle to colour in - right click to download the picture and colour it in using your Paint Programme.