Bishop Justus Church of England School Remembrance Morning Worship The Christmas Crib—The Christmas Story Season of Advent 11th December 2014 Bishop Justus Church of England School  

Gather The Lord be with you And also with you Today’s worship looks at the Christmas Story using the Christmas crib to help to retell the story....

Receive Joseph went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to the town of Bethlehem in Judea, the birthplace of King David. Joseph went there because he was a descendant of David. He went to register with Mary, who was promised in marriage to him. She was pregnant, and while they were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have her baby. She gave birth to her first son, wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger - there was no room for them to stay in the inn. There were some shepherds in that part of the country who were spending the night in the fields, taking care of their flocks. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone over them. They were terribly afraid, but the angel said to them, "Don't be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people. This very day in David's town your Saviour was born - Christ the Lord! And this is what will prove it to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Luke 2: 4-12 We will hear the Christmas Story many times over in this school at this time of year Think carefully about what Luke’s account tells us What is missing? Is it found in another place in the Bible or have we made it up through our Christian tradition?

Engage Create a screen nativity scene Use this link to create an online nativity scene: http://www.whychristmas.com/fun/buildanativity.shtml Discuss who the figures are in this nativity scene? Where do you think they should go—and why? Are all of these characters in the story? Christmas Crib origins and traditions: The representation of the scene of the nativity is a tradition that is almost a thousand years old.  In the year 1223 St Francis decided to celebrate the feast of Christmas in a new way.  His aim was to help people to better call to mind the poor surroundings in which Jesus was born. In the town of Greccio, with the help of a local landowner, a nativity scene was set up with a stable, animals and straw.  People came at night from the town with candles and torches to attend holy Mass by the crib and seeing the scene, be reminded of God's love for us in sending his only son to be born in the poverty of a manger. Do you think St Francis’ aim of helping people to remember Jesus’ poverty in connection with the Christmas story works for us today when we display or look at crib scenes? Extending the Christmas Crib Naturally the focus is on the main characters Jesus, Mary and Joseph are central—The shepherds and the kings/wise men But what about the characters who are in the background of the story? Imagine the crib scene—what other characters could you add? Did the innkeeper have a wife and was she there at the birth? Did the kings have a camel boy who secretly peeped in at the presentation of the gifts? Be inventive and design a crib Making a class crib scene Create a crib scene for your classroom... Why not go retro and make a crib scene from cardboard tubes see this link for some ideas http://www.santaspostbag.co.uk/how-to-make-cardboard-nativity-scene.shtml ask different groups of students to make different characters….

Respond Father God, we thank you that you love us so much that you sent your son to help us. Lord Jesus, we thank you that you chose to squeeze yourself into human form so that you could help us, that you were born as a baby in a poor family, that you taught us how to live, and that you volunteered to die for us. Holy Spirit, we thank you that you delight to live in us and to make us more like Jesus. Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, give us humble and thankful hearts this Christmas. Amen

Go Lord, be a bright flame before me Lord, be a guiding star above me Lord, be a smooth path below me Lord, be a kindly shepherd behind me Today and forever Amen