We’re nearly there, nearly at Christmas, so its time to get to the Crib service! We’re really sorry we cannot be in church this year, so we’ll try and see what it might be like.
Some churches get all ready for the services and look beautiful. This one lights up the pathway to church. Can you see the door and the lights on inside?
And inside it looks very beautiful! All ready for the people to come and the service to start. I expect there’s usually a Christmas tree in church. Do you have a Christmas tree at home? What colour are the decorations?
When we go to church for the crib service we think about a very special story.
We remember how Mary and Joseph came to the stable, after a very long and tiring journey. I wonder if you can imagine what it would have been like in the stable. There may have been some sheep around, probably they made a noise. It would have been cold and dark and smelly as well…. The sheep in our picture look pretty quiet and clean, but probably they weren’t. There would have been other bigger animals there too but they weren’t available for the photographic session!
Mary had ridden part of the way on a donkey, which would have been very bumpy and uncomfortable.
I wonder if you can sing a little bit of Little Donkey? It’s a beautiful Christmas song.
Well, in due course, the baby arrives! The picture here looks rather like a clean and neat and tidy place, but you can see that Mary and Joseph had to wrap him up and place him in a manger, so he could rest and sleep. I think most of us could sing Away in a manger now. Mostly we’ve learnt the words at school or at church. It’s very beautiful.
When we look at this beautiful scene, we remind ourselves that things were actually much busier, a bit noisy because of the animals, and not very comfortable for Mary. I expect she needed a rest by now too! After all she had arrived on a donkey and they’d had to go around town to find themselves somewhere to stay. No room! they were told. And then at last…. a stable.
With thanks to Effie McLean, Sandwich
But actually, there were a lot more people (and animals) around. And we get used to seeing these wonderful Nativity scenes at this time of year. It was a wonder anyone could rest!
This first picture is from Canterbury Cathedral and you can see the great Cathedral building in the background.
But you know you can make your own crib scene at home. How about a drawing or a painting? Or how about using clay or Play Doh? Or…I even think you could use Lego…. but come whatever there will probably be glitter …
Some people had a great idea of painting the figures on to pebbles… there’s something we could all do!
Well, when you put the Christmas things away last year, I don’t expect you thought that this year would be so strange with all sorts of difficult things going on and rules and regulations for us to follow. Jesus was born in difficult times too, and because he lived the life of a human being, he understands how it is when we’re a bit worried or sad because things are so different. And so, we welcome him again this Christmas and say a little prayer as we look at the beautiful scenes.
I think we might sing Away in a manger again and then have a peaceful evening and a happy day tomorrow.
HAPPY CHRISTMAS FROM US ALL!!
STAY SAFE, AND HAVE A GREAT DAY
