Have a Birthday Party for Jesus! Here's How...

Hi Friends~


Happy Friday! I hope that this week's posts have been interesting, educational, and fun!  On Monday we shared about the Prince of Peace ...how wonderful that peace is!  Especially during hectic times, or through the storms that we must sometimes face it is an amazing way that He can take care of us.  On Wednesday, we read some fun little poems about Christmas, and found out that Shelly Schmidt was once again out Card Set Winner! (Please email me your address if you want these cards!)   I did forget to mention that Michele's usual post shared on the 3rd Friday of the month, "Precious Women of God--This Includes You!" is being shared next week, just in time for Christmas!  This will be something to look forward to...so be sure to stop by on Monday, Wednesday and Friday!  Lots of surprises!  I will share the info for our Give-Aways on the bottom of the post...including some additional items to give-away!


Today, I want to share about a birthday party I threw with some friends of mine.  When I was the Church's Children's Sunday School Director we had a really fun, large, educational Birthday Party for Jesus!  I am going to share the information that I still have from my notes.  I hope you can share them with your church for next year, or celebrate with your own children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren or neighbors!

A Birthday Party For Jesus

 You will want to have several cameras available...the photos will be precious!  You will also want to share a list of any food allergies to anyone who will be serving food, and you will want another option for those children. You will want the juice to be clear colored so they do not ruin their Christmas clothes. You will want name tags on everyone since you will have parents and new friends in the room.  We marked the name tags of children with allergies by writing their name in a different color.

Here was the plan:

**2 weeks before Christmas, we gave every child five invitations.  They could invite friends or relatives to come to the party for Jesus.  We also talked about how it is our responsibility to ask others to invite Jesus into their hearts.  We gave extra invitations to the rest of the congregation for nieces, nephews, grandchildren and neighbors.  The invitations were simply xeroxed on the copy machine...not hand made and rubber stamped...like I know about now!

**We had a cake donated, tablecloth and paper supplies donated, a Christmas video with the real story was donated, as well as some art supplies.  I did this by writing a letter on church letterhead asking for donations, and listing them.  I also had the Pastor sign it with me.  I asked 2 parents to please be in charge of securing these items.  I didn't want to spend budgeted money, that I could use for curriculum materials, on this party even though it was very educational, from the moment they walked in the door!

**The invitation also suggested that children who wanted, could bring a gift for a newborn baby. (Like Jesus was when He came to this world.)We suggested clothing, diapers, formula, anything that was new, and was non-perishable.  (All of these gifts were going to be given to a local abuse center for Women and their children. I had checked with the Director of the center, and they had all they needed, but were short on supplies for babies under 1 year.)

 **We decorated a big box, big enough that the children couldn't see      who gave a large gift and who gave a small gift, and who gave none.They celebrated the birth of Jesus…just like the Wise Men did! 

        The following Verse was written on the front of the box:

 "The Wise Men saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh."  (Matthew 2:11) 


        And, then the children put their gifts in the box.

 
 
There was a large poster that hung above the box that shared the Scripture about feeding the hungry, clothing the naked...  (I'm sorry, I can't remember where it is found, and I couldn't look it up!)  When the children came in the room, I greeted them and their friends and parents, and read (older childred read with me) the Scripture of the Wise Men to them as they put their gift in the box. 

  

     **We then all gathered in a reading area in chairs, since we were all      dressed nicely for Jesus' party.  And, we read one of the Bible's Chistmas stories to the children and parents.  Then we did it again, and left

 out words, having the children fill them in.  They did very well. 

 

       **We made Christmas cards about the "real" Christmas for people in the hospital.  I went the next day to distribute them.  As they colored they were led in a discussion about thinking of others…and not just ourselves.  The leader of this activity wrote exactly what they said in the card...we asked the children to share their favorite part of the Biblical Christmas story.

       **We also celebrated in some fun, although not Biblically based activities.  (Such as eating cake, ice cream, goody bags, and playing pin the star on the tree.)

    **We ended the day by coloring Christmas books that I had put together based on the story of Christmas in Luke: 2.  Then we watched a flannel board story…and the children gave the words. (Showing they had the story down really well!) And the last thing we did was end in joined prayer, and songs of Worship.

 
 

It was a wonderful day, and the children concentrated on just what we wanted.  Only one child mentioned Santa all morning!  I also prepared every adult for the possibility of someone mentioning Santa, reindeer or presents...so they would not be caught like a reindeer in the headlights. I asked that they simply say with excitement, "This is a birthday party for Baby Jesus! Let's go _____!" (It worked the one time someone asked me!)
 
 
I felt that it was worth every effort!  It was nice for the parents to see what type of activities we did in Sunday School, since they hardly ever tore themselves from the Service in the Sanctuary.  And, we really enjoyed them being there.  We enrolled a few children the next week.  They were guests at our party, and enjoyed it very much.  The teachers really enjoyed all of the ages being together (except the infants) for this special day.  Because of that, we decided that once a month we would have a Service for the children...with all of the teachers taking part, and the children participating as much as possible!

     

 _____________________________________

 Reminder of our Special Holiday Weekly Blog Candy!

We are giving away a set of cards to a person who leaves a comment...about anything before Tuesday at 8pm. The comment will be randomly chosen and announced on Wednesday! The number of cards you receive will range between 1 and 10...that number will be randomly chosen! This Give-Away will run through the month of December!

AND...

Share About The He IS Able Blog!

And, if you share about our give-aways or post our He IS Able blog badge on your blog...and let us know--(please send a link)--we will send you a card/envelope for your use...as a thank you. (Please click and paste the badge...itis not a button...they will only see the URL if it is copied.) 

It is a simple way to serve the Lord. The more people learn about this blog, and come to visit and learn about The Prince of Peace aka The King of Kings aka The Mighty One, the more they learn about the grace and love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ and His amazing gift of Salvation. The more apt your readers are to pray and give their life to Him. Isn't that what we are really here for?

AND...

We are having a Very Large Blog Candy Give-Away on Christmas Day!

We have many wonderful items that will be given to one randomly chosen person. Here are the details...every time you leave a comment from December 10-24th, you will be entered in our drawing for our "Very Merry Christmas Day Blog Candy!"

We have some fabulous prizes this year:  (Red means newly listed items.)

**An awesome Ash2Ash CD (Click on the words "Rise Up" and turn up your volume on your computer! Get ready to Praise the Lord! I love this song!)

**Rubber stamps  ("Jesus is the reason for the Season," Stampington Company-"Large Donner," A Set of 4 acrylic Studio G stamps of friendship and thanks, A Hampton Art-Studio G-"Thinking of you in Prayer." and a stamp of a noise maker...one you may find at a birthday party, for instance!

**A beautiful murano glass cross

**Silver Craft Cord

**A Christmas music CD

**One glazed Nativity Scene Ornament with Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus

**Spool of Town & Country Ribbon- red with green hearts for all year use

**A Sizzix Impressions Embossing Folder.

**This list includes several new items...there are more to be announced!  Be sure to leave your comments to be eligible for the drawing on Christmas Day! 

 This is in addition to our Weekly Card Give-Aways! We are so blessed to have you stop by...it is our way of saying thank you for joining us, encouraging each other---including us, and  "Sharing His love, His Word, and His gift of Salvation through Cards!*"   (* This is the blog's Mission Statement.)

 Thank you so much for sharing part of your day with us today!  If you have any ideas that worked well at a Birthday Party for Jesus, that is one thing we would love to hear about in the comment section!   We'd also love to hear which of the Gospels has your favorite version of the Christmas story to read.  You are welcome to write about whatever you would like...these are just a couple of ideas!


He IS Able!
Traci Starkweather