This is the final week of Extended Advent leading to Christmas at St. Gabriel’s, and Sunday December 19th is the beginning of Extended Advent Week 7. Here is our Advent and Christmas Family Activity Calendar, our prayers for families, and our traditional prayers for the seventh week of Extended Advent and Christmas.
Family Advent Activity Calendar for December 19-25, 2021
Sun. Dec. 19th Today is the 7th Sun. of Advent. Jesus will be born very soon! Gather around your Advent wreath and light all the candles but the white one. Say the 7th week prayers. Look up the word “Emmanuel” online or in a dictionary. What does it mean?
Mon. Dec. 20th Get out your art supplies and make place cards with everyone’s name who will be at your dinner table on Christmas. As you make each one, say a little prayer for the person you are making it for.
Tues. Dec. 21st Tonight is the winter solstice. When it gets dark, go outside, and look at the stars. Can you imagine how bright the Star of Bethlehem must have shined to lead the wise men to baby Jesus? Come back inside and read Matthew 2:1-12. Wed. Dec. 22nd John the Baptist said, “If you have two coats, give one to the poor. If you have extra food, give it away to those who are hungry. (Luke 3:11). What could you donate to those who are needy? Thu. Dec. 23rd Last chance for secret elf good deeds! Have you done something thoughtful for everyone in your family? If not, this is the day to do that. At the end of the day at dinner time, go ahead and reveal the elf was you all along!
Fri. Dec. 24th It’s Christmas Eve! Dress up and go to church if you can at 4:30 pm. When you get home, light the white candle in your Advent wreath and read the passage in your prayer book to remember what happened in a manger in Bethlehem so long ago that changed everything.
Sat. Dec. 25th Today is Jesus’ birthday! Have fun giving and opening your presents, and then ay a prayer to thank God for all your blessings, the love of your family and friends, and for sending Jesus to us. REJOICE! Ring the little bell from your treasure bag to celebrate!
Extended Advent Prayers for Families with Children:
7th Sunday of Extended Advent – Emmanuel 12/19/21 and the Christmas Reading for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day
(Light all the purple candles and the pink candle)
We are in the time
when our nights are growing longer,
and our days are getting short.
Yes, it can seem cold and dark.
But–when we light the candles
nestled in the green branches,
we see light shining through the darkness
and we remember what God promised us:
Jesus is coming!
We are all very busy and want to be served.
Dear Jesus, help us to remember
that you want us to lead by serving others first.
Help us to be good servants,
to help each other,
and be kind to each other,
always.
We are waiting. Amen.
WAYS TO HELP Support Essential Workers:
- Support legislation to raise the minimum wage so essential workers can support their families with a 40 hour work week.
- Understand that many service industries such as restaurants, delivery and shipping services, grocery and retail stores, government agencies, and health care facilities are short-staffed and struggling to deal with that situation. Be kind and patient with those workers who cared enough to show up and are doing their best to help.
- Tip generously.
- Allow enough time to run errands, keep appointments, and receive deliveries, expecting that many such experiences may take longer than usual.
Christmas Eve 12/24/21 or Christmas Day 12/24/21
(Light all the candles including the white one.)
Long ago, the Emperor of Rome Caesar Augustus ordered that all the people in the empire needed to be counted. Everyone went to the town they were born in to be counted. Joseph went to the town of Bethlehem. He went with Mary. Joseph and Mary were engaged, and Mary was expecting a child.
When Joseph and Mary got to Bethlehem, it was time for Mary to have the baby. Mary gave birth to her son Jesus and wrapped him in blankets. She laid Jesus in a manger, near the barn animals because there was no room for them to stay in the inn.
Nearby there were sheepherders living in the fields with the sheep they took care of. The sheepherders were watching over their flock of sheep during the night. Suddenly, God’s angel Gabriel appeared in the field! Bright light and God’s glory shone all around them. They were so scared!
The angel said, “Do not be afraid! God sent me to tell you that a great and joyful thing has happened that is meant for everyone in the entire world: a Savior has been born in Bethlehem. Go there and look for a baby wrapped in blankets and lying in a manger.”
Then a huge choir of angels appeared. The sheepherders were so surprised! The angels sang:
“Glory to God in heaven,
Peace to all men and women on earth.”
Then the angels rose up to heaven and disappeared. The sheepherders talked over what had just happened. They said, “Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see what the Lord has told us about.”
Even though the angel had told them about the new Savior, it was hard for them to believe until they saw baby Jesus there in the manger!
The sheepherders told everyone they met what the angels had said about the new baby. Everyone was full of wonder when they heard the good news.
Mary listened to all these words of praise and joy and thought hard about them, keeping them deep in her heart.
The sheepherders returned to their sheep and were so excited! They told everyone telling everyone how wonderful it was that Jesus had been born and that he had been sent by God, just like what God had promised.
Our wait is over, Jesus is here!
(Story based on Luke 2:1-20)
Extended Advent Traditional Prayers:
7th Sunday of Extended Advent – Emmanuel 12/19/21
(Light all the purple candles and the pink candle)
Leader: As our nights grow longer and our days grow short, we look on these earthly signs–light and green branches– and remember God’s promise to our world: Christ, our Light and our Hope, will come. Listen to the words of the gospel of Matthew:
… an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,’ which means, ‘God is with us.’” (Matthew 1:20b-23)
Candle is lit while All sing:
O come, o come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!
Leader: Let us pray.
All: Eternal God, you do not abandon us in exile but hear our plea for returning and rest: Visit us, we pray, with your presence and raise us to greet with hope and joy the promised day of salvation;
through Jesus Christ, who with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns now and for ever. Amen.
WAYS TO HELP Support Essential Workers:
- Support legislation to raise the minimum wage so essential workers can support their families with a 40 hour work week.
- Understand that many service industries such as restaurants, delivery and shipping services, grocery and retail stores, government agencies, and health care facilities are short-staffed and struggling to deal with that situation. Be kind and patient with those workers who cared enough to show up and are doing their best to help.
- Tip generously.
- Allow enough time to run errands, keep appointments, and receive deliveries, expecting that many such experiences may take longer than usual.
image from worshipshopmedia.com
