Hymns Explained

A young, new Christian from the big city attended the small town church one weekend. He came home and his wife asked him how it was.

“Well,” said the young man, “It was good. They did something different, however. They sang hymns instead of regular songs.”

“Hymns,” said his wife, “What are those?”

“Oh, they’re okay. They’re sort of like regular songs, only different,” said the young man.

“Well, what’s the difference?” asked his wife.

The young man said, “Well it’s like this – If I were to say to you, `Martha, the cows are in the corn,’ well that would be a regular song. If, on the other hand, I were to say to you:

Oh Martha, dear Martha, hear thou my cry
Inclinest thine ear to the words of my mouth.
Turn thou thy whole wondrous ear by and by
To the righteous, inimitable, glorious truth.

For the way of the animals who can explain
There in their heads is no shadow of sense,
Hearkenest they in God’s sun or his rain
Unless from the mild, tempting corn they are fenced.

Yea those cows in glad bovine, rebellious delight,
Have broke free their shackles, their warm pens eschewed.
Then goaded by minions of darkness and night
They all my mild Chilliwack sweet corn have chewed.

So look to that bright shining day by and by,
Where all foul corruptions of earth are reborn.
Where no vicious animal makes my soul cry
And I no longer see those foul cows in the corn.

Then, if I were to do only verses one, three, and four and do a key change on the last verse, well that would be a hymn.”

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Hangman: Christmas Traditions

Have fun with my new online game ‘Hangman: Christmas Traditions’
Can you get through all 65 Christmas puzzles of words and phrases related to Christmas traditions?
Give it a try!

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Hangman: Christmas traditions

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Hangman: A Biblical Christmas

Have fun with my new online game ‘Hangman: A Biblical Christmas’
Can you get through all 45 Christmas puzzles of words and phrases related to the Biblical Christmas Story?
Give it a try!

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Hangman: A Biblical Christmas

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The Christmas Story: The Birth of Jesus

The Birth of Christ
(Matthew 1:18-2:12; Luke 2:1-40)

Use these discussion questions for the various events in the Christmas Story related to the birth of Christ.

  • How do you think Mary and Joseph felt about traveling and her pregnancy?
  • How would you feel after walking 70 miles?
  • Who was in control of the events leading to Jesus’ birth-God or Caesar?
  • What does the census tell us about God’s timing and control of world events?
  • How did God use Caesar’s census to fulfill Old Testament prophecy?
  • Has anything ever happened to you that you later understood to be in God’s plan?
  • With no room in the inn, what do you think Mary and Joseph might have felt?
  • Do you think someone might have made room if they had known more about the child Mary was carrying?
  • In what ways do we make room for Jesus? Have there been times in your own life when you failed to make room for him?
  • What can we learn about Mary and Joseph from the events related to the Census and the Birth?
  • Why do you think God arranged these circumstances in this way?
  • Have there been times in your own life, when you knew God’s plans, but circumstances seemed to be in conflict with that plan?

 

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Games and Activities helping youth discover the Reason for the Season.

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Christmas Spot the Difference

Have fun with my online game ‘Christmas Spot the Difference’! Can you get through all 20 puzzles and put your name on the high score list? Give it a try!

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Christmas Spot the Difference

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=> Tell me more about the Christmas Collection

Christmas People Bingo

Location
Anywhere

Energy level
Low

Description
“Can you find someone who…..?” Played with a simple list or laid out in a 5×5 Bingo grid, the object of this Christmas game / Christmas Icebreaker is to get someone at the Christmas Party to sign for each item according to the stated Christmas related criteria.

Resources
Paper and pencil for each person, Timer

Preparation
Make a list of Christmas related characteristics and statements that could be true of someone at the Christmas Party. You might also want to personalize it with very specific characteristics of some of the Christmas Party participants you already know. You can also lay it out on a B I N G O format. A 4×4 grid or a 5×5 grid works well. The objective is to fill all the spaces in a row, column or diagonal or blackout (All spaces full).

Here are some simple Christmas related possibilities.

  • Born closest to Christmas Day
  • Can burp to the tune of “Jingle Bells”
  • Has received Socks for a Christmas gift.
  • Has started Christmas shopping already.
  • Has a real Christmas Tree
  • Has sat on Santa’s lap before
  • Likes to drink eggnog at Christmas
  • Has never been ice skating
  • Is wearing something red
  • Has built a snowman
  • Hums or sings along with Christmas Carols
  • Has gone Christmas caroling
  • Has more fun giving than receiving gifts at Christmas
  • Love peppermint candy canes
  • Would rather have ham than turkey at Christmas dinner
  • Has placed a star or angel atop a Christmas Tree
  • Has sent someone a Christmas card
  • Has a Christmas stocking
  • Likes snow
  • Doesn’t mind getting clothes as Christmas gifts
  • Likes to go Christmas caroling
  • Can recite the first two lines of “the Night before Christmas”
  • Still hasn’t finished Christmas shopping.
  • Knows what’s s/he’s getting for Christmas.
  • Plans to return at least one Christmas gift.
  • Knows all of the names of Santa’s reindeer.
  • ETC. ADD YOUR OWN

What to Do

  1. Hand out the Christmas People Bingo worksheet you have prepared and a pen to each person at the Christmas Party.
  2. Set the timer for 15 to 20 minutes depending on the size of the group and how much time you have available in your Christmas party schedule.
  3. Explain to the group that they will have 15 to 20 minutes to mix around and find different people that meet each of the descriptions on their Christmas worksheet.
  4. In order to fill the spaces they need to find another person who matches one of the Christmas related qualities or facts listed and then have them sign their name on the appropriate square. Each person may only sign one square per sheet
  5. Once a person has been identified they are to have that person fill in their name in the appropriate box. Emphasize to the group that they can not have the same person fill in more than 1 description in the Christmas Bingo grid
  6. The first person to finish the Christmas Bingo should bring it to you to mark for scoring.
  7. This Christmas Party game can continue until the allotted time is complete because it is common for some of the answers to be disqualified.
  8. When the timer goes off, check the winner’s Christmas Bingo sheet for accuracy. The person with the most correct answers wins.
  9. You might wish to consider having multiple prizes in case there is more than 1 winner.

Variation
Instead of preparing the list of Christmas related descriptions in advance, have the students at your Christmas Party create the list. “I want to find someone who….” Put all the items on a large sheet of paper or on a white board and have students number their papers and get the name beside each number.

Take It to the Next Level

  • As you were mingling around during the Christmas People Bingo icebreaker do you think we have more things in common with each other than you expected? Why or why not?
  • Which is more important, the things we share or the things that differentiate us? Explain.
  • Are differences a strength or a weakness? Explain.
  • How do all these interesting little Christmas related facts help to build relationships?
  • Why is it important to know a little more about others in the group?

Action Point
It is interesting to see how many things we have in common with others while we also are so different. Most of the time in relationships, it is a matter of perspective as to whether we want to focus on the things we share in common or the differences. Choose someone you met today to form a closer relationship with this Christmas that will last into the new year!

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Christmas Carol Soloist

Location
Indoor

Energy Level
Low

Description
Can you identify the person humming the Christmas Carol?

Resources
• A list of Christmas Carols
• A blindfold

Preparation
None

What to Do

  1. Participants stand in a circle.
  2. Someone is blindfolded and stands in the center of the circle.
  3. The participants move slowly around the circle singing a chosen Christmas carol, rotating around the blindfolded person in the center.
  4. Whoever is in the center of the circle can call “stop” at any time.
  5. When the blindfolded person yells stop, the circle comes to a halt but the participants keep singing the Christmas Carol.
  6. While still blindfolded, the person in the center of the circle then points to one of the participants in the outside circle and everyone else immediately stop singing.
  7. The person who has been pointed at must continue to hum the melody.
  8. The blindfolded person then tries to attempt to guess the name of the one who is humming.
  9. If he or she is successful they exchange places otherwise the game continues.

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The Christmas Story: The Wisemen (Magi)

Magi (Wise Men)
(Matthew 2:1-18)

Use these discussion questions for the various events in the Christmas Story related to the Wise men.

  • Why was Jesus important to the Wise men?
  • Since they were not even Jews, why do you think the wise men left everything to search for Jesus?
  • What were the possible meanings for the gifts brought by the Magi?
  • How did the wise men respond when they found Jesus? What is our response when we find Jesus?
  • What kind of king do you think Herod was?
  • Why was Herod so threatened by a baby? What was it that he feared if Jesus were allowed to his place in history?
  • What fears do you have if Jesus were to fulfill his place in your life?
  • If God had not spoken to the Magi in a dream, what could have happened to Jesus?
  • What are some lessons, truths, attitudes, and responses can we learn from the Wise men? Herod?

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Box Full of Kisses

The story goes that some time ago, a man punished his 3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold Christmas wrapping paper. Money was tight and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree. Nevertheless, the little girl brought the Christmas gift to her father the next morning and said, “This is for you, Daddy.”

The man was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his anger flared again when he found out the box was empty. He yelled at her, stating, “Don’t you know, when you give someone a Christmas present, there is supposed to be something inside? The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and cried, “Oh, Daddy, it’s not empty at all. I blew kisses into the box. They’re all for you, Daddy.”

The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged for her forgiveness.

Only a short time later, an accident took the life of the child. It is also said that her father kept that gold Christmas box by his bed for many years and, whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.

In a very real sense, each one of us, as humans beings, have been given a gold container filled with unconditional love and kisses… from our children, family members, friends, and God. There is simply no other possession, anyone could hold, more precious than this.


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Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween or Fall Festival, and Thanksgiving event. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all these holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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