Since the late 19th century, The Church has been held hostage to one of the most theologically facile songs that has ever been sung during a service. All of the accusations of “pie in the sky when you die” and a “bearded man in the sky” can be found in this universal favourite. When combined in a service filled with “baby” Jesus and the Christmas “Story” references, The Church has been inoculating people to the revolutionary faith we have in Christ.
The Nursery Rhyme Mass is one of the most interesting developments in sacramental ministry with children that I’ve come across. Fr Simon and other contributors like Mtr Leah have been using familiar tunes to engage the young and old with the sacraments.
I haven’t yet had time to be able to incorporate a regular worship event like this myself. However, our annual Christingle service is the perfect occasion for something like it. I discovered a book called Nursery Rhyme Nativities on Amazon and looked through it. It’s great if you are putting on a Nativity Play but we build the crib during the service. We had to pick and choose bits from different parts of the book. We rewrote a few bits of it here and there to improve the scan of the lyrics.
I combine a knitted nativity set and a last supper set to give a big gang of Magi in one part of the church and shepherds in another. Mary and the angel Gabriel start in one corner and Joseph in another. Children run around the church finding the characters as we place them under the altar and recount the history of our faith.
Our service was also Star Wars Themed but that came through the use of videos, building a life sized Sith Lord, playing with lightsabers and the sermon.
Welcome
Carol – Come and Join the Celebration
Find Mary and Angel – Tell our story
Mary’s Song – To The Tune of London Bridge
The angel came to Mary’s home,
Mary’s home, Mary’s home.
The angel came to Mary’s home,
In the morning.
Mary wondered why he came,
Why he came, why he came.
Mary wondered why he came,
In the morning
The Lord our God has chosen you,
Chosen you, chosen you.
The Lord our God has chosen you,
This fine morning
You’ll be mother to his son,
To his son, to his son.
You’ll be mother to his son,
Precious baby.
He will lead us back to God,
Back to God, back to God.
He will lead us back to God,
Precious baby.
Let it happen as you say,
As you say, as you say.
Let it happen as you say,
Mary whispers.
Find Joseph – Tell our story
Hymn – O Little Town of Bethlehem
Lullaby – To The Tune of Frere Jaque
Baby’s sleeping, baby’s sleeping,
In the straw, in the straw.
Angel’s promise keeping,
Angel’s promise keeping,
Son of God,
Son of God.
Baby’s sleeping, baby’s sleeping,
In the straw, in the straw.
Joseph now is peeping,
Joseph now is peeping,
Full of joy, full of joy.
Baby’s sleeping, baby’s sleeping,
In the straw, in the straw.
Mary now is weeping,
Mary now is weeping,
Tears of Joy,
Tears of Joy.
Carol – See Him Lying in a Bed of Straw
Reading – Luke 2
Find Shepherds – Tell our story
The Shepherds’ Song Part 1 – To The Tune of Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush
Shepherds go down to Bethlehem,
Bethlehem, Bethlehem,
Shepherds go down to Bethlehem,
On Christmas day in the morning.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem,
Bethlehem, Bethlehem,
Jesus was born in Bethlehem,
On Christmas day in the morning.
The shepherds found Jesus in Bethlehem,
Bethlehem, Bethlehem,
The shepherds found Jesus in Bethlehem,
On Christmas day in the morning.
They worshipped the baby in Bethlehem,
Bethlehem, Bethlehem,
They worshipped the baby in Bethlehem,
On Christmas day in the morning.
Carol – Silent Night
Take Shepherds back to the hillside – Tell our story
The Shepherds’ Song Part 2
Back to the hills near Bethlehem,
Bethlehem, Bethlehem,
Back to the hills near Bethlehem,
On Christmas day in the morning.
Find The Magi – Tell our story
The Magi’s Song – To The Tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
Lead the wise men from afar,
Up above the sky so bright,
Letting in the heavenly light.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
Now we know just where you are.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
Stable door is now ajar.
Up above the sky so bright,
Letting in the heavenly light.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
Now we know just where you are.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
Magi bring gifts from afar,
Up above the sky so bright,
Letting in the heavenly light.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
Now we know just where you are.
Sermon – The Light of the World vs The Dark Side
Take the Magi away to the east end. Tell of Mary, Joseph and Jesus fleeing to Egypt as refugees – Tell our story
Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer
Song – Sing Christingle
Give Out Christingles
Song – Mary’s Lullaby (Away in a Manger)
Glow Sticks to Take Into the World
Blessing
May the joy of the angels,
The eagerness of the shepherds,
The perseverance of the Magi,
The obedience of Mary and Joseph
And the peace of the Christ Child
Be yours this Christmas,
And the blessing…
Carol – Come and Join the Celebration
After coffee during which the kids were playing, this had happened!
I found these at Paperchase and had to have them. They will live on the many shelves of similar items =D
This isn’t my idea, credit belongs with Fr David Teasdel in Altofts. We were talking about how we were both doing an all age harvest that week in school with 400 children from age 4-11. He said “Easy! BIGATRON” as though that is a satisfactory answer to any harvest question.
This is tried and tested. A lot.
The BIGATRON is one of those big opaque boxes from your office with a sign that says BIGATRON. Head to the supermarket and buy veg that comes in different sizes. Cherry tomatoes and beef tomatoes. Sprouts and cabbages. Put the big ones inside the BIGATRON and the little ones on the table next to it.
Forgive me for paraphrasing in short hand but I tend to talk without script – this generally goes on for a lot longer with all sorts of dramatic gestures (benefit of being an RE teacher for five hours a day in my previous life):
Last night I fell and hit my head and came up with this amazing idea for an invention. It’s called the BIGATRON! It is an amazing thing! It will solve all world hunger! This is the BIGATRON! It works with one magic word…
I generally at this point ask about magic words. Some of the sweetest. Conversations have happened with 400 kids present about how “please” is a magic word that makes things happen and that “sorry” is a magic word because it makes hurt go away.
We place the small veg in the box. We chant the magic words….
Bigga bigga bigga bigga BIGATRON!!
And then I pull out the big one.
I usually have about ten different veg. Tiny parsnips and giant parsnips.
It’s a carrot but it’s white! What’s that all about?
I’m constantly amazed by the number of children who have never seen a parsnip. I digress…
And then invite one of the children to pick an item from the harvest offering to put I the BIGATRON.
The first time I did this she picked the giant purple quality street.
Magic words.
Must try harder.
Rabble rousing from the vicar.
Ask the child to pull out the big one.
Sprung. The BIGATRON is not real.
This is the point where we have the opportunity to explore how there is no magic solution. We are reliant upon the God of creation who made a world that supports life. Rain falls upon the crops and they grow. And we are responsible for ensuring that food is fairly distributed to those who need it. Jesus taught us…
This is a springboard into so many scriptures, so many charities, so many moral dilemmas around good and harvest. You know what to do. Go and do it in 2016. Sorry I’ve not had chance to blog it earlier.