Cousins meet

Christmas Adventure

The theme for the second week of Advent, is Love. God became man because he loves us. Jesus was born, he lived like us, he felt the same emotions that we feel, he had the same needs and he suffered. However, he was also different. Jesus had unwavering faith in God the Father; Jesus allowed the Holy Spirit to lead him; Jesus always obeyed the will of God. Jesus loves us so much, that he died on the cross for us. Remember that the children cannot understand or believe that Jesus loves them if they do not feel loved by those around them. It is through our love for them, that these young ones, come to believe that God loves them too. Read/pray Psalm 139, 1-14 about the love of God

A reading from the Gospel according to Luke 1, 39-45, 56

Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

The Gospel of the Lord
Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

With the help of the puppets, the children retell the story of the Visitation.

During this week, remind the children that Jesus loves them, and he wishes them to love others too. It is also important, that as the adults in the house, you show them, and you often tell them that you love them. When the children do something wrong, or they fight, or say hurtful words, correct them in love, and show them how they can make up for the wrong that they did, with actions of love. In the same way that Elisabeth was happy at seeing Mary, relatives who do not often meet us, will be happy if we pay them a visit. It would be good, if during Advent, you find time to visit these relatives.

  1. God loves us, and he shows us his love through our parents. Help the children to make cards with love messages. On the card, they write, “I love you more than” and they draw or write things they love (pasta, chips, pizza, toys or a favourite game). They can give these cards to whoever they want … to you parents, to their siblings, grandparents, aunties and uncles, friends.
  2. Help Mary to find her way to Elisabeth. (see below)
ActivityDownload

Jesus, teach us how to love others, the way that you do. We want to be like your mother. She realised that Elisabeth needed her, and she quickly went to help her. There are times when we know that mummy or daddy need our help, they want us to put our things in their place, they want us to take care of our pets, however we prefer to continue playing. Help us to do as you wish, and not as we wish. Thank you, Jesus.

Amen.

Prepare and download from below:

JosephDownload
MaryDownload

We will need

  • Our lapbook
  • Glue stick/scissors
  • Pencil/colours
  • Coloured craft card
  • Activity templates (candle (from last week’s), pocket, hearts, 3 flap shape)
Pocket template Download
Small hearts templateDownload
3 flap shape templateDownload

Activity Week 2

  • Print out the templates for this week and cut them out carefully
  • Colour the candle purple and write on it in large letters LOVE, we are going to stick it on the second page of our open lapbook  
  • Fold the pocket as instructed and the three-flap shape
  • From the coloured craft card cut out three hearts to fit inside the pocket

Now let’s read about the second week of Advent.

This week the theme is LOVE.

The second candle is also purple and is sometimes called the Bethlehem Candle in remembrance of the Holy family’s experience in Bethlehem. The colour purple is connected to royalty and reminds us that Jesus is the King of Kings. We are waiting for a new king to be born from Bethlehem just as the prophet Micah prophesied. 

This candle reminds us of the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem and of the preparations they made for Jesus’ birth. How are your preparations for Christmas going?

Many of us will be busy thinking about all the presents we have to buy, and all the food we need to cook as well as all the decorations we need to put up. But there are also even more important preparations which we need to think about. How are you going to prepare your heart for Jesus’ birth?

At that time Augustus Caesar was the Roman ruler and he called for a census to be taken of all the people (they had to be counted). That meant that Mary and Joseph had to travel from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem, around 140 kilometres, to register with all the other people. It was a long way for them to travel, and Mary was expecting her child very soon. There were many people in Bethlehem, and they could not find anywhere to stay as all the inns were full. Whilst they were there it was time for Mary’s baby to be born.

 Do you know where they were able to find shelter? They at last found shelter in a stable where their baby was born, and they placed him in a manger (a feeding trough for animals such as cows, horses and sheep).

We are reminded this week that God gave us the greatest love of all in the little town of Bethlehem in a humble manger. The child Jesus is God’s gift of love to us all.

Light two candles,

see them glow brightly, so that all may know.

How two candles show the way 

Making our darkness bright as God’s Day.

Dear God, we are very busy at this time, and we are not sure if we will be ready for the day of your coming. In Advent’s light, help us to see what is important. Help us to see how we can respond to your love and do what you would want us to do. Amen.

This week we can think about love and about how God loved us first and that we need to return his love and pass it on to others.

  • We can write this prayer on the second page of our lapbook. Or a prayer of your own, above the candle.
  • Stick the pocket next to the candle, on it write, Love is found in Jesus
  • On the three hearts write ways in which you can pass on God’s love this week, at home or with your friends. Acts of love can be a kind word or action. A smile or a hug, doing the dishes or tidying your room. Place the hearts in the pocket and try to carry out these acts of love this week.
  • Stick the three-flap shape above the pocket. On the outside write JOSEPH, MARY, JESUS. Inside write; The Word became flesh, he lived among us. (John1: 14)  
  • Listen to the song; Sent from Above