Opportunities to help – Christmas@TUC

Opportunities to help – Christmas@TUC

We are hoping to be able to work within the COVID restrictions to offer the church and local community a number of Christmas Experience which will proclaim the Good News of Jesus and allow people to feel the love, hope, peace and (especially after this year) JOY! But we need some help. Here is some opportunities for you to contribute to Christmas@TUC

#1 – Childrens Christmas Experience

Sunday 6th December, 9am – 11am.

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For our child focused Christmas Experience this year, we are inviting regular attendees of our worship service to help set up and run FIVE Christmas experiences that children and families connected to our church or Turratots, or from the local community can rotate through. To keep within the COVID19 safety restrictions, we will be splitting the kids & families up into five groups of up to 30 people and they will rotate around five experiences/stations.  We are asking you to volunteer for one of these experiences at which you will stay for the whole time.  Remember, our serving the families of our community is our Christmas gift / worship experience for this Sunday.

The FIVE areas are:

  1. Christmas Music Experience.  We will make a shaker out of a recycled plastic bottle and rice, and then be taught how to “play along” with a Christmas Carol.  (This will be held in the hall)
  2. Christmas Story Book.  The families will sit on seats on the floor in a socially distanced way (predetermined circles) and hear an interactive version of the Biblical Christmas story. (This will be held on the back deck or Turratots playground)
  3. Christmas is about Giving.  A short presentation about how we can give to those in need (such as TEAR catalogue).  Then we will move to tables spread around the church to write cards for seniors in local nursing homes. (Held in the church)
  4. Kindifarm.  Following the instructions of the Kindifarm people, kids sit and have a small animal passed to them. Could be some opportunity to chat with parents re: Christmas activities, kids activities, Turratots etc.  (Held in the colonnade)
  5. Craft. Prepacked craft for kids to do on tables in the chapel/garden room.  

Please have a look through the list of tasks needed and volunteer for a task.  Please note that each experience will need to be wiped down after each rotation … so everyone will be involved in that!

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#2 – Advent Daily Reflections

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We are once again undertaking the Advent Daily Reflections.  For the 28 days of Advent (Sun 29th Nov to Fri 25th Dec), we will be publishing on our Facebook page a short Christmas Bible passage as well as a reflection writen by someone connected to our church or who has been connecting online during 2020.   This Advent our theme is “Joy to the World”, so we will be encouraging you to not only reflect on the reading but to think broadly on the idea that Joy is something that we need this Christmas, especially after the year that we have had!

Last Year there were plenty of people wanting ot be involved, so we are asking that you just choose one reflection!

The task is simple:

  1. Choose a day for your reading 
  2. Have a read of the allocated bible passage on the sign up page – each has a Christmas connection
  3. Write a short reflection on the passage (a couple of paragraphs is all that’s needed) Each week’s reading is loosely based on our Sunday sermons’ theme and there are some prompter questions to get you started (these are listed below).  But it’s your reflection so where you take it is up to you – we trust your judgement.  The reflection should only be one or two paragraph long.
  4. Write a short sentence prayer to go at the end of the reflection
  5. If you have a particular image that goes well with your reflection (either found on the internet or even one of your own Christmas snaps) send that through too and Phil will weave it into the daily reflection graphic.
  6. Send it to Phil (phil.swain@turramurrauniting.org.au) atleast 3 days before your reflection is up.  That way he will have time to put it into the format for reflections and schedule it for 7am on your morning.

How does that sound?  We would to love to have as many voices in this 25 day reflection as we can.

Week #1 Prompter Questions (Bring Joy to the World after 2020):

  • 2020 has been a tough year.  How does the Good News of Christmas – the promise of a saviour speak into the experience that 2020 has brought us. 
  • The people at Jesus time where hoping for a saviour to come and rescue them from a dark time that they were in – they were anticipating the Messiah.  How does this feeling of hope connect with our 2020 Christmas experience?
  • What do you hope 2021 might be like?  For you?  For our communities?  For our church this Christmas? For our nation/world?

Week #2 Prompter Questions (Experiencing Joy and Peace this Christmas):

  • Share a Christmas story of a time when you found a sense of peace amid the Christmas Chaos?
  • The Christmas story shows us the power of adaption … in finding joy in the midst of the huge changes that were happening around them.
  • How do you need more joy or peace this Christmas?  How do we need more joy or peace this Christmas.

Week #3 Prompter Questions (Surprised by Joy):

  • Share a Christmas story of a time when you were overjoyed or when you experienced the “good news of great Joy” that they angels proclaimed.
  • This year has been a year of changes and surprises … not all of them have been good.  How can we be still open to being surprised by Joy this Christmas?
  • Why do you think that the Magi were “overjoyed” when they saw the star and drew close to Jesus?
  • How might we be the giver of surprising joy this Christmas, to the people around us, to our communities, to our world?

Week #4 Prompter Questions (Surprised by Joy):

  • The Christmas story does not start with Mary’s pregnancy but rather is the culmination of the great story of God’s love for the world.  People had been waiting and reflecting on this story for a long time.  How can waiting be a source of Joy.
  • In this last few days before Christmas … the waiting is almost over.  Christmas is almost upon us.  What does this mean for you.  How can you prepare to receive Jesus in a few days?
  • Take a moment to reflect like Mary did.  How does the Christmas story / incarnation speak to you of God’s love for you and for the world?

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