Mary, Joseph, perhaps the Shepherds? Animals, Angels, or even Baby Jesus?

At Sunday night’s 6:20pm worship, after our advisor’s AMAZING NATIVITY DANCE, we did an interactive prayers of the people. In our prayers of the people, we gave each youth a paper doll cut out. Since it was our last 6:20pm worship service before the new year, we invited the youth to enter the nativity story and to begin to think about Christmas. We’ve spent a good bit of time in the past few weeks talking about Advent as a season of mystery and preparation for the birth of Christ. We asked the youth to think about which character in the story of the birth of Christ they most identify! They then wrote about how they were able to relate to that character and their prayer on the paper doll cut out and came forward to drop it in the manger as a sign of offering the prayer to Jesus.

So, as Christmas rapidly approaches, just who is it you identify with in this AMAZING and PROFOUND story of the birth of Christ?

Maybe it’s Mary!
Perhaps you feel the responsibilities piled on high!? You are just trying to trust God that you are making the right and best decisions possible.

Maybe you identify with Joseph!
You’ve made some commitment in your life and you are doing your best to remain faithful to it and see it through. But, you are worried.

Or is it the scruffy shepherds?
Maybe there is some situation in your life that is absolutely frightening and terrifying you. You are trying so hard not to make rash decisions and show that you are afraid as you move forward in life toward possibly exciting things.

Perhaps you get the angels!
There is this joyous thing you want to share! You are just so excited and happy about this wondrous thing God is doing in your life. You want everyone to know about what’s going on!

By chance do you identify with the animals?
Maybe you are terribly amazed at what is going on around you. You’re just watching and sharing all that you have with others (even the “manger” you eat out of). You are simply excited to have some attention and company in your life.

Or maybe you even identify with baby Jesus.
In other words, you know there is this great destiny you have to fulfill but you feel helpless (like a little baby) as you struggle through just how you figure things out.

Nativity Dance

Last night at our 6:20pm worship service, we decided to try something a little different! Intead of a spoken message about the upcoming birth of Christ, our advisors danced the nativity! It was an amazing creation and one our youth hopefully will not forget anytime soon!

Special thanks for Jennifer Mullius for directing us and for getting costumes together. Also, special thanks to Pierre and Cathy Harrison for recording the service!

Watch it now:

Practical Tips for the Advent Experience

Yesterday, I was inspired by something I read in my Advent devotion. I posted on Facebook about the waiting and preparing of Advent and the excitement that comes with that. It seems to me that every year at Advent, we talk about preparing ourselves for the birth of Jesus. It is one thing to say that, but completely another to do it! And, I haven’t seen lot of practical explanations (especially for youth) on exactly how we can participate in preparing and waiting other than just to flat out anticipate the events to come. Is it an active waiting? A passive one? So, I have been thinking and reading lots on some practical tips for how we can “prepare” and “wait” in Advent. Here are three practical tips on just how to prepare and wait for the birth of Christ!

Note: these thoughts are geared towards youth since that is who I serve in ministry; but friends, parents, acquaintances, I hope you might also find meaning in them!

Here’s my list:

1. Devotional
Bibles aren’t just for opening on Sunday while we’re at church. I mean, let’s face it, most of us don’t even bring our Bibles to worship, Sunday school or youth group! Regardless, I firmly believe we should be spending time in the Word of God and in interpretation for our lives, daily. With that said, I also recognize the busy-ness of life and struggle to find time for this myself. Maybe try this daily Advent tweet devotional: www.freshexpressions.org.uk/advent#07. It’s usually a two sentence thought on the meaning of Christmas and a challenge for you to ponder!

(What I have found that works for me is doing my devotion at the same time every day. Generally, for me, that is first thing when I arrive in the office … before I open emails or Facebook. Establishing this routine has been good. And, I do the same thing EVERY morning. I use www.d365.org. It’s an online short but practical and meaningful devotional. You have to click through this so for me it is an intentional experience and it plays music to “create” and set the mood for devotion. Establishing this routine over the past 4 months has been a challenge as I would forget or get busy. But, now I remember (most days) and am excited to start my day this way. Believe me, I understand the challenge here … so maybe start off committing to do a short term devotion like for the weeks of Advent or Lent. There are many great resources for study that are geared for each age group. Google what you are interested in! And, hey, you could always just open your Bible and read where it opens and then think about how the passage applies to your world! Whatever you do, just try to do it near the same time each day and see if that works for you!)

2. Quiet time
I don’t know what this might look like for you as a youth today. We live in a pretty loud and crazy busy world. Maybe it is journaling or drawing or even meditating. But in some way, spend some time in Advent thinking. As you consider preparing, think about those who have had or are having an impact on your faith journey. Even Jesus needed people to prepare the way for Him when He was on this Earth. Remember John the Baptist? Really, these people in your life who are a part of your faith journey are preparing the way for Jesus to enter your heart. Ask your parents who was with you at your Baptism. Think about those who welcome you to church each week or teach you Sunday school.

3. Music
Youtube is FULL of amazing Advent experiences; that is musical takes on the meaning of Christmas. Take a moment and put yourself in the Nativity story. With whom do you most identify? Mary? Joseph? The wise men or shepherds?

Here are a few suggestions of songs that give perspective of the characters in the nativity story! They come from some of my favorite Christian artists … just for your viewing pleasure:

Chris August – Come Now Our King





Sidewalk Prophets – Hope Was Born This Night





Francesca Battistelli – You’re Here





Kirk Franklin – The Night Christ Was Born





Kari Jobe – Adore Him / Christmas Eve

Fiercely Proclaiming the Good News ...

Did I mention I LOVE the season of Advent?! Using yesterday's lectionary reading of Mark 1:1-20, we were able to actually live it out in our 6:20pm worship. One of the things we did was have the youth prepare the room for worship as John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus! Basically, when the students arrived for worship, the room was not set up and they had to prepare it and the table for Holy Eucharist. Then following the flow of the Scriptrue reading, we then celebrated our baptisms by participating in Holy Communion (one of the wonderful benefits, so to speak, of Baptism). But not only did we share in communion, but we called each other by name in celebration! The idea was that Fr. Josh began by calling three student's names and then they each called three more, and so on until the entire group had received communion. It was quite powerful to experience!

Then, in my devotion time this morning, I read this:
"John the Baptist invited people to open their eyes and see what God was doing right in front of them. He was a messenger who fiercely proclaimed Good News at a time when it was desperately needed. John invited them to consider what it might mean to prepare for the coming of the Messiah."

I love this take on John the Baptist and his purpose. In fact, I feel lucky to be able to share in offering that same experience to our youth each week as we share in ministry together! Beacuse that's one of the primary reasons for youth ministry ... to make the Bible relateable and understandable for youth.

So in the spirit of living out Scripture and seeing what God is doing, I found this video on the nativity that will likely speak to today's youth! Oh, and in that same spirit ... you DO NOT want to miss our 6:20pm worship this coming Sunday! We have a few FUN and EXCITING and RELEVANT "moves" up our sleeve!