Ready to use resources: December ’22

 

Each month we provide you with some great ready to use (RTU) resources. Some of these are linked to the Bible passages used in Together, while our Music and Movie columns use current songs and films as ways into talking about faith.

You can access each month’s session plans and resources here.

This month…

  

Together

Our Together resource is, as always, jam-packed full of ideas and activities to help the children and young people in your groups discover more about God, grow in faith and deepen their friendship with Jesus.

Together is a curriculum resource for churches to use in their Sunday groups, midweek clubs or adapt for other contexts. It follows a Bible plan – each month you get four sessions on a theme or Bible book.

It’s December and that means Christmas! As well as providing lots of Christmas fun, our four sessions for this month also seek to introduce young people and children to the big story playing out – God sending Jesus to save his people. There are four sessions, but your groups may only be meeting three times in December, as Christmas Day is on a Sunday. Choose the sessions and activities that best fit what you want to do:

 

1. Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38; Matthew 1:18-21)

Angels announce God’s plan for saving his people – Jesus – to the people who will play huge parts in that plan – Mary and Joseph.

 

2. Birth of Jesus (Luke 2:1-7)

Amid great upheaval and crammed into a busy Bethlehem, Jesus is born.

 

3. Shepherds (Luke 2:8-20)

God announces the birth of the saviour to…a group of shepherds. They rush to Bethlehem to meet the key part of God’s plan.

 

4. Wise men (Matthew 2:1-12)

Magi from the east come to worship the new king, saviour of the whole world. Their gifts tell of Jesus’ kingship, priesthood and death.

 

There are three different age groups: First Steps Together (for younger children), Growing Together (for older children) and Journeying Together (for young people). You can follow an individual age group or mix and match to suit the children or young people you’re working with.

 

Ready to use resources

Each month we provide you with some great ready to use (RTU) resources. Some of these are linked to the Bible passages used in Together, while our Music and Movie columns use current songs and films as ways into talking about faith. This month…

 

Together focused

RTU All-age service

Explores the Christmas story, giving you an all-age way in to the start of the greatest story we can tell.

 

RTU Parable

Takes the story of the annunciation and transposes it into life of an unexpected competition winner in the parable ‘Ali and the astonishing announcement’.

 

RTU Journal 

Gives space for older children and younger teens too.

 

RTU Craft 

Provides a craft idea to go alongside each of this month’s Together sessions. Use them in your groups, in intergenerational worship or use them in a craft club.

 

Story for home 

Written especially for us by expert storyteller Bob Hartman, also follows the Together passages. This month, Bob follows up his ‘Song of Easter hope’ told in April with a new ‘Song of Christmas hope’.

 

General resources

RTU Games 

Beef up your festive spirit with some Christmas games..

  

RTU Mentoring 

Our mentoring expert, Joel Toombs, helps you and your mentee define your ‘why’.

  

RTU Music 

We’re putting together a playlist of all our favourite Christmas carols. What’s yours?

 

RTU Movie 

Set your cringe level to maximum as we watch the US version of The Office.

 

And if you have anything you’d like us to cover, or any feedback on the resources, then drop us a line!