This flexible resource contains three short session outlines designed to be used in midweek groups during the first three weeks of Advent. It sits alongside and duplicates some material also featured in the worship resource package, and gives an opportunity to explore the same themes with children aged 5-11 years (primary school age).
The ideas here can be adapted for use in a range of settings: school groups, after-school clubs, Junior Church or midweek groups. Take the outlines and shape them to work well for the children and young people you know in your church and community.
Each session includes ideas and activities exploring the ‘Tune in’ approach to growing in faith and is linked with A Methodist Way of Life. Keep in mind the nature and needs of your group, amending the activities and ideas to help everyone access them well.
Consider ways for children to lead discussions, share their responses and suggest ‘What next?’ that is relevant for them. Other ideas might arise in the process so make time to explore these together, even if it means diverting from the original session plan!
Most of all, enjoy this opportunity to draw close to God as we wait in anticipation of Christ’s birth!
Advent 1: Hush the Noise (1 December 2024)
Advent 2: To Prophets Shown (8 December 2024)
Advent 3: Babel Sounds (15 December 2024)
Advent 1: Hush the Noise
1 December 2024
Bible readings
Jeremiah 33:14-16 and Luke 21:25-36
Methodist Way of Life: Pray
Tune in to God, the world and each other
Read or listen to the Bible readings – the Dwell app has audio versions, including a child’s voice reading the passages. What words or phrases stand out to you? Jot these down on large sheets of paper or write them in chalk on the ground if outside.
Watch youtube.com/watch?v=6qqjfSTptnA. Share with a friend what thoughts come to mind when you watch and listen.
What things/images are described in these passages? Draw out some of them as a prayer doodle. Start with a blank sheet of paper and write a verse from the passage in the centre. Draw a shape around the words – this is your prayer space. Start to doodle around it, this is your prayer as you draw and write words, sharing them with God. This can be done quietly or spoken aloud to God as you doodle. Saying ‘Amen’ when moving onto a new doodle or prayer moment can be helpful.
(Idea adapted from Kathryn Shirey, prayerandpossibilities.com/prayer-doodles-drawing-your-mind-to-focus)
What is God saying?
- In small groups create your own ‘physical’ version of the roaring sea. Each person should have a different role: to make a noise or an action. For example, using voices for the sound of the wind wailing, using arms to make the shape of the big waves, and altogether creating a crash motion. Take a few moments to practice then show the other groups what your ‘picture’ of the roaring sea looks and sounds like.
- Try doing the same exercise (creating a roaring sea) but this time without any sounds. Think about what God is saying to you as the roaring waves move around you. What do you notice in the hush and quietness? How does this help you to understand how God relates to people who communicate in different ways?
- Make a poster to welcome people who speak different languages in your community. What languages would need to be included?
- Invite the group to stand on a continuum which reflects how much they like waiting. From impatient at one end to very patient at the other. Share why people chose to stand in a particular place. Waiting in a queue for a ride, waiting for your food to be ready, waiting to get to your destination? Do you find waiting easy or hard? Do you wait quietly? What do you notice as you wait? The sights, sounds and smells?
- Music of the roaring sea: fill a selection of different sized bottles and tubes (from drinks and crisps) with a small amount of rice and seal well. Explore making various sounds of the sea by tipping the bottle or tube, slowly and quickly. How can we make the sound quieter or noisier? Experiment creating a soundscape where the sea is calmer or the waves are roaring. Paper plates sealed together could also work well. Find a suggested way to make this here: nurturestore.co.uk/how-to-make-a-paper-plate-musical-shaker.
What next?
In this season of Advent we’re waiting for Jesus’ birth, to celebrate this amazing day, but the lead up can feel frenetic at times, with parties, nativities, school fairs and much more. Invite everyone to consider how they can try to hush the noise before getting swept up in the busyness of it. How could the grown-ups in their lives help at this time?
Advent 2: To Prophets Shown
8 December 2024
Bible readings
Malachi 3:1-4 and Luke 3:1-6
Methodist Way of Life: Open
Tune in to God, the world and each other
Watch this scene from the movie ‘Bruce Almighty’ about prayer: youtu.be/ICloNwrg-_w?si=VTWoeCylBdBD6CBb. Wonder together how incredible it is that God hears every single one of us.
Ask the group to consider how they would send a message to God via an email with a picture attached. We know that God is always listening but how could something awesome be sent that would grab God’s attention? What do you really want God to know?
Read or listen to the Bible readings. Draw images that come to mind as each one is read.
Using a finger labyrinth (like the one here: flamecreativekids.blogspot.com/2013/02/a-more-colourful-finger-labyrinth-to.html) speak to God about what is on your mind at this time.
What is God saying?
- Discuss the variety of ways we send and hear messages. Through speaking, reading, watching videos, texts, other grownups and our friends. Do we have preferences and why is that?
- Wonder together about how God speaks to us. God speaks to us all differently – through the Bible, prayer, through people, through songs or actions. How is God speaking to you today/this season? Invite everyone to draw or share words or phrases on a large sheet of paper that reflects this.
- In small groups create an alphabet code: for example a=b, b=c and so on. Write a line from the Malachi passage using this code. Swap with another group and see if you can crack each other’s codes. Once all the lines have been cracked, assemble them together to read the whole verse or passage. Reflect on what made it hard to understand the message and what helped.
- Talk about all the various ways we send messages today, including emojis! Choose emojis to create a message which conveys how incredible God’s love for us is. Provide art materials and images to help inspire everyone.
What next?
Sometimes in church, we can talk about things that are difficult for people to understand. It may be that by doing something we’ve always done because of tradition we use a funny name for something. What are the things you think we could do differently to help people who aren’t familiar with church feel at home?
Have a conversation about things that could be changed to make our churches and activities feel less like we use a special code. What ideas come to mind? These are like lightbulb ideas that shine light so everyone can join in.
Ask the group if they tell or talk to others about church. Could they invite someone new to this group – sharing why they come?
Advent 3: Babel Sounds
15 December 2024
Bible readings
Zephaniah 3:14-20 and Luke 3:7-18
Methodist Way of Life: Challenge
Tune in to God, the world and each other
Watch this video which illustrates what John is seeking to explain to the crowd: youtube.com/watch?v=DHAdQL0fNAU. What thoughts and ideas does this prompt for everyone?
Watch youtube.com/watch?v=8vc8PgHians. What images or parts of the passage stay with you?
Read or listen to the Bible readings. Take a short walk around your neighbourhood. What comes to mind as you think about the Bible readings?
What is God saying?
- Inspired by The Repair Shop and Sewing Bee TV shows, set a challenge to repurpose broken or torn items. Invite people to share what skills and talents they have: might they be able to fix something or transform it into something new and useful? Why not spend the season of Advent upcycling a few items that can either be returned to their original owner or given to a charity shop?
- Using glue and sellotape, along with other junk modelling items and art supplies, make a colourful and inviting ‘Hush the Noise’ banner for your worship space. How can it reflect who you are as a community and be welcoming for other people?
- Organise a ‘wrapping’ exchange: invite people to bring their leftover gift bags, wrapping paper, ribbons and bows to swap with other people. This could be a chance to wrap some presents that will be gifted to others in need in your community. Reflect on how sharing our wrapping paper and gift bags help us to serve God. What would God say? How can it impact our planet?
- Wonder together about how God is working as the glue in our church activities. In what ways might some of our activities need repairing?
What next?
Consider starting a ‘Reverse Advent calendar’ as a group. Find out more about how to do this here: familycorner.co.uk/what-reverse-advent-calendar-and-how-do-i-make-one
Discuss together how we can help other people to be drawn to join us. What could we say or do to reach out to people who feel lonely and isolated and stick with them through their journeys of faith?
Agents of Change action cards for Advent: create a set of 24 cards, one to be drawn each day of Advent, with an idea for an activity to do that supports those in need in our community, eg buy some food for the local food bank, post a card to an elderly neighbour, sit with someone who is on their own in church, turn off the lights when leaving a room. The group could generate and collate ideas to make this together.