Have you heard of the kids story “We’re Going On A Bear Hunt“?
What if the Bear Hunt happened to be mixed with the Nativity?
It turns out its called “The Greatest Journey”…
Obviously nothing to do with Bear Hunts…
A Westernised Nativity Scene?
A Christmas Scene?
A Calm Stable Scene?
There are lyrics in the song “Away In A Manger” which say…
“The cattle are lowing
The poor Baby wakes”
What if… The cattle didn’t just make noise… but took matters into their own hands…
When Little Sofa Arranges A Nativity At Home…
When Little Sofa tried to arrange a nativity at home, the first step was to assign roles…
10 Tips For Hosting A Christian Christmas Party
Well, its Christmas. As well as the season of mince pies, Santa, Christmas Carols, nativity plays, and random livestock, it is also the season of the Christmas Party. But how should a Christian host a Christmas party?
Here are 10 tips to help you host a Christian Christmas Party…
- Remember this is a Christian CHRISTMAS Party. Remind people of the authentic Christmas experience, and bring livestock into your home.
- Give plenty of thought to the music you play. Sofa recommends something like this.
- Boil the mulled wine… lots.
- Arrange for someone to sit next to your door in your hallway, whispering scripture into peoples ears as they enter. This is to ensure peoples minds are on scripture as soon as they arrive. (And not on the weirdo sat in your hallway).
- Host an outdoor worship service in your garden. Make sure its loud.
- As well as remembering the birth of Jesus, this is also the season of giving. Ensure all your guest have a suitable Bible commentary as a present. In regards to any presents you receive, ensure you pause and offer a prayer of thanks before opening EVERY present.
- Need a party game? Play guess the Bible Reference.
- Its Christmas. The season of GREAT JOY! What ever happens, ensure all your guests are smiling. A lot.
- Obviously, you also need to be smiling alot.
- In the spirit of the season, have a live nativity scene outside your front door. This is probably better with livestock.
Any I’ve missed?
Peace On Earth
If you give it a quick glance, this looks like a normal nativity scene. Except on the wall behind sits details of mass shootings in America, and the amount of people that died in those Mass Shootings.
rt.com reports:
The priest at St. Susanna, Father Stephen Josoma, told Boston 25 News that the move is aimed at getting people talking and stopping gun violence. “There’s cities, nursing homes, coffee shops, military installations, churches, theaters,” he said, noting the locations of mass shootings that have taken place across the country.
Josoma said the idea came after he and his parishioners were “discussing the gun control issue and how it seems to be stagnated across the country.” He went on to state that “this is not the picture of Christmas peace we want to have in people’s minds for years to come. It can’t be this forever, it just has to change.”
The signs sit underneath a banner which reads: “If you only knew the things that make peace.” The priest said he hopes they will encourage people to “look with an open mind and an open heart and continue the conversation.”
The signs have proven controversial online, with one person taking to social media to say that “mass shooters don’t deserve that kind of recognition. Church is for holy people. We should discard these monsters in active volcanos.”
Read more (including Twitter reactions) at RT.com
Sofa feels that at a time when churches around the world sing about Peace on Earth, its good to see a church tackling how unpeaceful events have arguably become normalised.
“Blessed are the peacemakers”, and all that I guess..?
A Very Meaty Nativity?
A Very Meaty Nativity?
Doesn’t feature a Greggs sausage roll, but does include bacon… and sausages…
Not one for those upset with Greggs…
10 Alternative Ideas For Your Christmas Service
We like to be serious every now and then on The Church Sofa*, and write a blog piece aimed at church leaders, with the aim of presenting new ideas of being church. Christmas is obviously here, and felt we should pull together some alternative ideas** for your Christmas services at church during December.
So, if you’re responsible for leading your church services at Christmas, and your struggling with some minute planning. Check out our 10 alternative ideas for your Christmas church service.***
- Go for the authentic feel, and relocate the service else where. Instead of your nice warm church hall… try driving out to either the countryside, the nearest moorland, or anywhere that is the middle of nowhere. Once you’ve found the middle of nowhere, have your service in a shed…with livestock.
- Get that feeling of realism when talking about Mary giving birth, and arrange for a live audio link up to the local labour ward. Possibly mix it with an audio recording of livestock.
- Get a fire going…yeah, right there, on the church carpet. Granted someone on the PCC / a Deacon / Church Wardens, may come after you, but the young people will love it.
- Having a midnight service? Make large swigs of communion ‘wine’ (which is actually port) compulsory, to help warm them up. (Hopefully singing may be louder then normal).
- Ensure you have the most predictable Christmas service imaginable. When everyone walks into the Church, offer everyone a Christmas Carol Service Bingo Card.
- Have you got any full term pregnant ladies in the congregation? Ensure they’re all dressed up as Mary, and spend the service trying to induce labour. (Offer them hot food, make them jump that sort of thing) If labour begins, send someone to the hospital with her, ready to Facebook Live the whole event, shown to the whole church. Probably better with livestock. (In the labour ward)
- Singing “In The Bleak Midwinter”? Get a snow machine ready to start during the mention of snow. Make it snow, over the manger. It will be the perfect Christmas scene. Worth trying with livestock.
- Hold a Christmas service outside your local maternity ward. Make sure you do anything you can to really bless new families. Better with livestock.
- If you’re leading the service and feeling a bit chilly before you start, warm up with a glass of whiskey before the service. If nothing else you may forget about the cold.
- Its Christmas. Its a time of celebration! Get some fireworks going in the building! Probably better not with livestock.
Any you would like to add?
* Its really not often, I may be pretending to be serious during this post.
** In other words, I made them up.
*** Ideas… only ideas… The Church Sofa team accept no responsibility for any damage by livestock, or trouble of any kind if you do any of the above. In fact, just don’t do any of the above.