Christmas assembly 2006

point: That the true meaning of Christmas is the birth of God's son ( not just presents!)

Have a long roll of Christmas wrapping paper, sellotape, child-friendly scissors. Ask for four volunteers. One to be wrapped up like a Christmas present; two to do the wrapping; one to administer the sellotape, cut the paper.

Ask the children what they like about Christmas.  Presents are sure to feature on the list!

Ask them if they ever wrap presents. Ask for 4 volunteers. Explain that they are going to help wrap a present but one of them Is the present. Ensure they do not wrap up that person's face so they are totally enclosed.

You may think this is a funny thing to do. But the first ever Christmas present was a person. The baby Jesus. He is God's present to the world. That first Christmas God became a baby so we could find out what God is like and become his friend. I am going to read from the Bible. You will hear that Jesus was wrapped up, but in cloths, not wrapping paper.

Luke 2:4-12  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. 5  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 Savior 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."

Ask children to think about that first Christmas as we play "O little town of Bethlehem" By Sarah McLachlan , from "Wintersong".

Pray