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Faith Formation: Advent, Christmas & Epiphany

Resources including: Children & Family Curricula & Storytime; Confirmation/Affirmation of Baptism; Denominational Resources; Tween & Teen Mental and Spiritual Health; Sexuality & Identity; and Online/At-Home Tech

Welcome

Welcome to The Ministry Lab's curated list of Advent & Christmas Activities. Here you'll find:

  • Books to inspire at-home study, discussion, celebrations, and devotions
  • Virtual and at-home activities for all ages
  • Social Justice and Advocacy specific to the seasons

If you don't find a resource to fit your need, don't hesitate to consult with The Ministry Lab's director, Emily Meyer, who is happy to assist you.

Books & Devotionals

From Unbound: An Interactive Journal on Christian Social Justice comes Starry Black Night: A Womanist Advent Devotional.

Jan Richardson has graciously given copyright permission for using her work online. Her writing is appropriate for worship, contemplative practices, family devotions and small group discussions.

                                                       

               God with Us: A Manna and Mercy Christmas Board Book     Little Mole's Christmas Gift          Sharing Christmas by Eve Tharlet               books about winter holidays.jpg

Family Devotionals:

Devotionals for All Ages

Featured Advent Films - multiple gorgeous films of varying lengths; share with many ages in worship, study, devotional time, etc.

Preparations for...

Advent and Christmas Resources for Use During COVID

2020 ADVENT RESOURCE GUIDE

preaching * devotion * education

Books and resources to help prepare for Advent in a spirit of hope; for individual or small group study or in classrooms.

    

Do Not Be Afraid: A Virtual Christmas Pageant is centered on the narratives surrounding Jesus’ birth from the gospels of Matthew and Luke. It is like your traditional Christmas pageant but designed to be an expandable, shrinkable, pre-recordable, Zoom-able, intergenerational pageant that can be adapted to your setting, no matter what is happening in the world. Includes: 

  • A How-To Guide

  • Pageant Planning Guide

  • Script

  • Scene Cards

  • Image Backgrounds

  • Media Pack

List of Resources for Advent & Christmas

Wired Magazine's What Should You Do about Holiday Gatherings and Covid-19? can help in family and congregational conversations - including creative alternatives.

The ELCA's First Third of Life team curated a great list of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany resources.

Social Justice & Advocacy

   

Make a loan, change a life.

With Kiva you can lend a small amount of money and make a big change in someone's life. It's fast and easy to get started.

ELCA World Hunger encourage addressing local, regional and global hunger.

Seasonally appropriate materials guide congregations in specific actions and provide for worship and study.

20 Creative Ways to Celebrate Advent in 2020

LSS of MN's Sponsor a Youth holiday gift program is for individuals, families or groups. Complete the sponsor form by Nov. 20.

Illustrated Ministry shares this list of worthy Advent & Christmas giving:

  • Rent Relief: Support The Conscious Kid’s fundraiser for #RentRelief. Donate here.
  • Native American Community Response Fund: The fund provides grants to Native American nonprofits on the ground to ensure that they are better equipped to care for their most vulnerable—relatives facing food insecurity, access to housing, and their low-income elderly. Donate here.
  • RIP Medical Debt: Every $100 donated forgives $10,000 in medical debt. Donate here.
  • Bread for the World: Give to a national or global charity working to fight hunger, or support your local food bank. You can donate to Bread for the World here. For a list of some international charities fighting hunger, click here.