Christian families will be transformed through a Posada this Advent

If you’re looking for a great Advent activity for your family as well as other families in your church and local community then the ‘nativity set pass around’ is for you. It’s a brilliant way to help your youth and children to participate in the waiting for Jesus that the season of Advent is all about. 

OK so a ‘nativity set pass around’ is not a very snappy title and yeah OK it’s historically been called a Posada (not to be confused with passata) and yes OK it is Roman Catholic in origin. But it is totally brilliant. It’s one for families that want to interact with other families and the whole church during advent – a really great intergenerational activity (if it’s a real problem in your Protestant church then just call is the ‘nativity set pass around’ and don’t tell anyone where it comes from!).

So what exactly is it?

So, this is how it goes - its dead simple, but produces wonderful moments. You find a nativity set – you want to go for one that looks nice but it’s going to get passed around from home to home, so you want it to be fairly robust (we have previously used a soft toy set just to be sure!). You take Jesus out (because he hasn’t come yet – remember! You are effectively re-enacting Mary and Joeph’s search for somewhere to stay). You find a nice-looking box for it to go in and inside you put a short explaination of Advent and a Bible verse that indicates that this is a time of waiting for Jesus. That verse could simply be an Old Testament prophecy, like Isaish 9:6 which talks about the coming Messiah being a Prince of Peace, or it could be the words of the angel to Mary in Luke 1. You then also put a short prayer in (in nice big easy to read font) that sits in the space of anticipation and desire for the coming of the Messiah.

Here’s an example:

Explanation

Advent means coming. So this season of advent is a time for us all to think about Jesus’ first coming, his first advent, as a child 2000 years ago as the saviour of the world.

Just as Mary and Joseph looked for somewhere to stay, we bring this nativity set to you so you might provide a place for them this night.

Today we live knowing that Jesus came and opened a way for us to become friends with God. As you keep this nativity set tonight may you anticipate, long for, Jesus.

A reading:

Isaiah 9:6-7, says:

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.

A prayer

Dear Father God, thank you for sending your son Jesus as the saviour of the world. Jesus thank you for promising to return to make everything new through. Help us to reflect on these truths this advent season. Amen

How do you make it happen?

You need to find that person in your church who has the spiritual gift of persuading people to do something (every church has one) and you encourage people (whatever their home/family situation – this isn’t just for youth and children) to sign up to receive the nativity set for an evening and to take it on to the next person the next day/evening. When someone has the nativity set one evening, they then know who to take it onto the next day/evening. When they take it around to the next house, they are welcomed in (I always find tasty snacks help here) and those that have brought the nativity set in read the explanation, Bible verse and prayer. The hosts then receive the nativity set and put it in pride of place in their house – and so it goes on around your church family (even including people form the local community that want to join in).

This has been one of the most moving and transformative advent activities I have seen – something that brings the generations together without embarrassment, allowing people to more easily invite others into their homes and giving them something to do to break the ice. More importantly, it brings an act of worship into the home and outside the formal structures of the church, enabling people to see that acts of worship can happen in all sorts of times and places. If you experience this, I can guarantee it will have been worth waiting for.