SU NZ Resource
This Christmas is a good opportunity to gather your community together to sing and celebrate. This resource gives you all you need to create a community Christmas event. It is approx. 45 minutes long, is easy to use, fun and interactive, and perfect for all ages. Sing together, explore the letters in the word CHRISTMAS and spell out some very important words!
Chalk art
Create a chalk-drawn Christmas adventure story on the path or a wall outside your church!
Be inspired by Belinda Lakelin’s chalk adventures.
Belinda’s chalk art tips
Print Outs
Print out some top quality nativity scene characters including stable! Super cute graphics from Playtime Victoria!
A Simple Program
Christmas is such a special time and although things are different this year, we can still gather and celebrate the birth of a very special baby… a baby who changed the world! This Messy Church at home session focuses on the true meaning of Christmas and explores the theme of God’s gift to us in Jesus.
The Jesus Bible Advent Print out
The all-new Jesus Storybook Bible Advent Kit includes:
- Christmas Soundtrack
- 24 printable Christmas ornaments
- Coloring pages (from The Jesus Storybook Bible Coloring Book)
- Printable memory cards
Free Printable Resources
Make Bible Characters and a nativity set. Use it as a family activity at home or amongst your congregation – it can also be used in church.
Join Mary and Joseph on their journey towards Bethlehem, as we journey towards Christmas.
Free Christmas Event Program
Jingle Jam: Simply Christmas includes everything you need to host a fun family-centered event celebrating the Christmas story—simply. This complete experience package offers an easy scripted program with an event planning kit to help you plan, rehearse, and host a one-of-a-kind experience for the families in your community.
Intergenerational Church service
This Intergenerational Church service looks at, ‘The Certainty of Christmas’. In our uncertain times, people are looking for hope and meaning. They may well feel that the Grinch has stolen much from them this year, and is threatening to steal Christmas too. But in the midst of these challenges, we can be certain of God’s love for us and presence with us. This is such an important message for 2020! The Grinch can’t steal that!
Real Life Nativity Scene
Visitors drive through a strip where animals and characters from the nativity story come to life. “We have a little bit of Bethlehem here tonight, we have seven scenes up to the major where the messiah is laying in a major in a crib,” said Pastor Paul Boyles.
“Young and old, it doesn’t matter what your age, everyone is welcome to participate in our live nativity,” coordinator, Gina Sharps said.
Christmas for the Whole Church
This year, I’ve had a lot of the same requests with the caveat of “Oh, and it needs to be Covid-friendly.” To meet this need, I’ve taken my “Christmas for the Whole Church” program and added the elements necessary to experience it in a socially-distanced or virtual way. I hope that this is helpful for your churches as you navigate celebrating Christmas in a new way this year! CHRISTINA EMBREE
A Virtual Christmas Pageant
This has been designed to meet your virtual pageant needs. Centred on the narratives surrounding Jesus’ birth from the gospels of Matthew and Luke, this 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.
Change a Child’s Life Value Pack
This 3-in-1 Value Pack will help you give a precious child all the things they deserve most! From clean water that’s safe from disease, to a good education, and even a chance to imagine and play… your Change a Child’s life Value Pack translates to beautiful, happy childhoods and thriving children with bright futures!
Books from Mainly Music
Here’s some books for children and adults that give the message of Jesus at Christmas time. Priced so that you can buy in bulk for your ministry, it’s great value!
Christmas at Home booklets
Have you seen these beautiful booklets for families. Two versions are available. Full of great ideas and fun traditions for families all designed to encourage conversations around the story of Jesus. Each activity follows the do, read and talk pattern. Perfect for playtime families and primary aged children. See some samples and order here, $1 each + GST and shipping.
We Wonder Advent Podcast
We Wonder is launching an Advent podcast – a contemplative devotional for children and adults.
Keep an eye out for this years podcast: begins December 1st
Listen to the 2019 advent podcasts
Advent in a Box
Geared for families wherever they are. Building Faith have designed faith resources for at-home or on the go. Use these ideas to create your own advent in a box for households.They included an advent puzzle, Christmas tree ornament, prayer bookmarks, tea light candles, glow stick, advent calendar, wreath, Christmas story cubes.
Bible Society Advent Activity Pack
This fun activity pack includes a pop up stable scene with 24 ‘advent calendar’ flaps, plus a 16 page activity storybook with colourful stickers. Ages 3-6.
Available at Koorong for $14.99
Finger Puzzle with Verses
These Christmas Finger Puzzles feature words to spell on the outside, numbered Christmas pictures on the next layer, Christmas related questions to answer, and Christmas Bible verses on the inside. These Finger Puzzles come in both full color and black and white versions (so kids can colour their own!)
Here’s a whole collection of ideas from Pinterest, someone’s done the hard work for us!
Storybooks
Look no further than Thalia’s website: https://sacraparental.com/
She has a fantastic post called ‘Top 10 Christmas Picture books that feature Jesus’. Each book comes with a description and a review. All the books you could need this Christmas season.
ENGAGE app
This is a fantastic app, created by the Youth team at Scripture Union, New Zealand. It is great for Intermediates and older. Listen to the Bible everyday, read to you by Kiwi young people. And you can listen in English or Maori! Engage
Guardians of Ancora
This is now available to download for FREE! What are you waiting for? This groundbreaking game is an amazing opportunity for children you know to discover the incredible adventures of the Bible for themselves! Guardians of Ancora is a world-class digital game – an amazing virtual world that 8 to 11 year olds can enter and a place where Bible stories come alive! https://guardiansofancora.com/
Beginners Bible App
This is a great, FREE app, especially if you are using the Beginners Bible with your under 5s. Complete with stories, colouring pages, games, and audio! Head to app.beginnersBible.com for more information.
The Bible App for kids
Interact with the Bible and see it come to life. This Bible reading app is also FREE, and appeals to younger children. You can check it out here: https://www.bible.com/kids
“My grandchildren love the Bible app for kids and will watch the clips over and over again.” Raewyn Rowney’s personal recommendation!
Superbook Bible App
This is a great app for primary aged children, to help them explore the Bible. It is FREE to download and works on tablets, ipads and smartphones. It is a media-rich experience that helps bring the Bible to life with videos and images from the Emmy nominated SUPERBOOK animation series as well as engaging interactive games. You can check it out here: www.cbn/superbook