Christmas
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Advent Christmas And Epiphany
$36.00Add to cartPreeminent hymn writer and liturgist Brian Wren offers this new collection of worship resources suitable for a variety of worship traditions during Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany. These theologically sound and creative worship resources include prayers, litanies, calls to worship, and complete liturgies crafted to encourage rhythmic public responses during worship. All material is drawn from the readings from all three years of the Revised Common Lectionary. This collection also contains Scripture selections from the nativity narratives in Matthew and Luke and the messianic sections of Isaiah and the Psalms, making it just as useful to churches that do not follow the Revised Common Lectionary. Additional features of this volume include a Scripture index that points users to materials drawn from passages, a topical index listing items that can be used on other occasions during the church year, and a searchable CD Rom.
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Tidings Of Comfort And Joy
$17.99Add to cartAs the questions begin, an extraordinary story unfolds. A story of love and loss and caring, of separation and reunion. Of small acts of heroism in a distant and war-weary English village, now half a century ago. As her grandmother shares this story with Marissa, the two discover that the most precious gift of Christmas is that of the present. And the season of giving is not limited to once a year.
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O Little Town
$16.99Add to cartChristmas 1958: Elvis is on the radio, Ike is in the White House, the Lord is in His holy temple . . . but there is no peace in Mt. Jefferson.
In a small town where everybody seems to know everybody, there are still a few secrets. Three families find they are connected in ways they never suspected: an angry teen, a dying man, a lonely wife, a daughter in trouble . . . just ordinary people, muddling their way through ordinary challenges. Marriage. Illness. Bad decisions. Friendship. Faith.Forgiveness.
Spanning three generations, O Little Town is a reminder that people still make mistakes, forgiveness can still be granted, and people still rise to the occasion and do the right thing. This tender tale of love and redemption will touch readers’ hearts. -
Let Them Eat Fruitcake
$16.00Add to cartIt’s the holiday season, and each of the roommates at 86 Bloomberg Place is a little blue . Megan’s got the boss from hell, and now her mom is going on a cruise, leaving Megan alone for Christmas for the first time ever. Lelani can’t afford to fly home to Hawaii and isn’t sure she’d be welcomed anyway, not that she can admit that to anyone. Anna’s old boyfriend–the one who cheated on her–has sailed back into her life, just when she’s met a for-real “nice guy” she’s been keeping secret from her large, crazy Latino family. And Kendall’s met a famous actor, who might be the answer to her money woes–if she could only convince him she’s the love of his life. His wife might have something to say about that, though. Thank goodness God’s around to listen when the girls need help!
Let’s face it, relationships are hard work–whether they’re with family and friends, coworkers and customers, or boyfriends and girlfriends. And when you’ve got your first apartment, a real job, and grown-up responsibilities, too, relationships are loaded with confusion, emotion, and secrets you can’t tell to anyone but God. Best-selling author Melody Carlson has captured all the uncertainty and joy of being twenty-something in pitch-perfect detail–and their stories just might sound like someone you know.
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In The Bleak Midwinter
$11.99Add to cartOnce again, well-known and beloved author Herbert Brokering offers spiritual nourishment, this time based on Christina Georgina Rossetti’s Christmas carol, “In the Bleak Midwinter.” This set of forty meditations and prayers can be opened at leisure or followed as a guide to daily devotions. Either way, it is a rich and imaginative reflection on the incarnation as God’s continual gift to us. The overall tone of the book shows the depth and beauty, paradoxes and perplexities of the nativity.
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Come All Ye Faithful
$8.95Add to cartDrama can be a wonderful tool for presenting spiritual truths in a fresh and creative way. Come All Ye Faithful is a valuable resource for churches seeking new methods for presenting the joyous message of Advent and Christmas. From an insightful allegory illuminating the symbolism of the Advent wreath to mice depicting the nativity scene in whimsical verse, this resource will appeal to any dramatic preference.
These plays can be used by congregations of almost any size, with only minimal props and costuming required. Copy privileges are included.
The plays featured in this volume are:
* The Living Advent Wreath – a musical allegory depicting a pilgrim’s journey to discover the true meaning of Advent as revealed through the Advent Wreath (sheet music is included).
* The Mouse Christmas – a lighthearted children’s play written in rhyming verse.
* The Ad Vent Wheat — a humorous children’s play offering a slightly altered view of the Christmas message.
Each of these plays will help congregations capture anew the true joy of the Advent and Christmas season. -
I Spy Christmas
$8.95Add to cartI Spy Christmas is an excellent resource for pastors and churches that either need to add another element to their Christmas service or are simply in need of a Christmas order of worship. This volume provides both, including three Christmas dramas that are intended for casts of various ages, from children to teenagers to adults. Each play can be produced by congregations of various sizes, providing an attractive mix of humor, wit, and inspiration that will speak to any congregation.
The plays included are:
* I Spy Christmas
* Taking Jesus
* Open Auditions
Also included is Shattering Christmas to Find Christmas, a candlelight Christmas Eve service complete with an order of service, liturgical prayers, hymn selections, and meditations.
I Spy Christmas will enhance your congregation’s Christmas worship experience for years to come.
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Loves Pure Light
$8.95Add to cartLight is an integral symbol in the Christian faith, especially during Christmas. The light of a single candle can disperse the deepest darkness, bringing warmth, comfort, and illumination. The soft, warm candlelight at a Christmas Eve service creates an atmosphere of worship and reverence as congregations celebrate the arrival of the Light of the world.
Love’s Pure Light is a collection of insightful Christmas sermons delivered at Susquehanna University between 1997 and 2006. This book offers pastors a valuable source of inspiration for Christmas sermon preparation. Love’s Pure Light also includes an order of service, providing congregations with a complete Christmas candlelight worship experience.
Love’s Pure Light will be a welcome addition to congregations of any size, aiding them in perceiving the power of the Light of Christmas in a deeper and more dynamic way. -
Christmas To Remember
$14.00Add to cartAs Cape Light dwellers get ready to deck the halls for a Christmas to remember, curmudgeonly Lillian Warwick is confined to bed, injured after a nasty fall. Cared for by her daughters, Emily and Jessica, she lets her thoughts drift back to the holiday season of 1955, when she first met Oliver Warwick, the dashing man who would become her husband. Recounting those romantic early days, she is reminded of a time when she had much to be grateful for-and recognizes the mistakes she’s made since. And to cap off this life-altering season, there just might be a winter wedding on the horizon.
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Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
$17.95Add to cartAdvent and Christmas meditations based on the seasonal hymns of Charles Wesley. Each daily meditation, keyed to the scripture reading for the day and portions of Wesley’s texts, concludes with a brief prayer based on the day’s theme. Reflective material place Wesley within his rich Anglican heritage. Daily readings are between 500-600 words in length.
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Simply Wait : Cultivating Stillness In The Season Of Advent
$13.99Add to cartHow many times have you tried to reduce the stress and hurry of Christmas by making Advent a more spiritual time? And how often do you find that your efforts to be more spiritual only intensify your stress by becoming one more complicated thing on your already long list of things to do? What if this year you found a devotional practice that offered more rest, more quiet, more room in your heart for the Christ child to be born?
Simply Wait: Cultivating Stillness in the Season of Advent is a resource that individuals and small groups can use to help them focus, rest, and renew spiritually. For the four weeks of Advent, participants will focus on a single word and a single, simple prayer practice that does not require extensive preparation or previous experience. Readings for each week offer creative reflections rooted in scripture, and engaging questions that stimulate our anticipation for a meaningful Christmas season.
This year, instead of doing more, moving faster, trying harder to cram it all in, do less scurrying, and more reflecting; less worrying and more connecting, with the graceful and grace-filled wisdom of Simply Wait.
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Its So Christmas See
$29.95Add to cartThis anthology provides a wide range of dramatic and worship material for seasonal celebrations. There are numerous Thanksgiving resources, including a children’s Sunday school learning event, a children’s message, a brief responsive reading, a one-act drama, and a sermon. For Christmas there are six plays of various lengths for a variety of ages and cast sizes, as well as a “hanging of the greens” worship program and an engaging story that can either be read to young children or performed as a play.
* Come! See What God Has Done is designed to heighten children’s awareness of God’s many blessings. Six learning centers — each featuring posters, projects, a guided experience, follow-up activities, and a closing prayer — focus on such topics as families, nature, our religious heritage, and our bodies. Intended for kindergarten through sixth grade, this is an ideal activity for your church school and can be held during a single session.
* What Are You Thankful For? is a one-act drama portraying two families as they gather for Thanksgiving dinner. It utilizes a cast of fourteen characters with a wide range of ages, and guides audiences from self-centered complaints to a positive attitude of thankfulness.
* Thanksgiving for Our Day, a brief responsive reading, and Recalling Our Blessings, an interactive children’s lesson, are perfect for use in ecumenical Thanksgiving worship services.
* Is It Still Wonderful?, a sermon for Thanksgiving Day, reviews some common Thanksgiving clichi 1/2s and concludes that to demonstrate true thankfulness we need to become less jaded and rediscover a sense of awe and wonder.
* Welcome the Spirit of Christmas enables the entire congregation to participate in adorning the sanctuary with holiday decorations for the Advent and Christmas seasons. This “hanging of the greens” worship program includes complete instructions plus many additional ideas, making it easy to adapt the material to individual circumstances.
* The Christmas Stranger and The Christmas Stranger Returns are two full-length dramas depicting events in the lives of a typical American town’s leading citizens. Each play features a multi-generational cast of around 20 characters and has a running time of approximately 60 minutes. In The Christmas Stranger, an amiable handyman brings joy and laughter to the home of a prominent businessman who is consumed by his work and hates Christmas. With the stranger’s aid, the businessman’s family tries to break t
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Animals Christmas Eve
$5.99Add to cartIn the barn on Christmas Eve,
After all the people leave,
The animals, in voices low,
Remember Christmas long ago . . .So begins a sweet rhyming story in which a group of animals recounts the events surrounding JesusO birth in the manger, and the parts some of their ancestors played in it. This is also a counting book.
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Saint Nicholas : The Real Story Of The Christmas Legend
$10.99Add to cartMany parents and teachers struggle with how to approach the Saint Nicholas/Santa Claus dilemma. Many deal with this by telling children that the legends surrounding Santa Claus are based on a real, historical figure named Nicholas, a Christian bishop known for his generosity.
This picture book presents a shortened, somewhat fictionalized version of the life of Saint Nicholas, explaining that Nicholas was a servant of God and that, through him, God’s love was reflected to others. The story touches on the ministry of Nicholas and his generous gift of a dowry to three young girls as a response to God’s love in Jesus. And it brings application to our own lives as we, too, respond with grateful hearts to God’s great gift of love to us.Combining museum-quality artwork and family friendly language, this book clearly articulates how God showered His love upon us through Christ and helps children see that our own gift-giving is a grateful response to the sacrificial gift of God’s Son.
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Legend Of The North Star
$7.95Add to cart“The Legend of the North Star (Little Dot Makes a Wish)” is an imaginative children’s story about a little dot left behind after God created the stars. The dot wants to be like other stars, so Luminaria, the wisest of all stars, grants the dot its wish and helps it discover its real purpose as the Star of Bethlehem. The story is formatted both as a narrative that can be read by a storyteller and as a play that can be performed by a narrator and numerous children.
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Nativity Dramas : Four Nontraditional Christmas Plays For All Ages
$12.95Add to cartEveryone knows the nativity story — the inn, the stable, and all the rest. If your traditional Christmas pageant has become a bit stale and you want to give it new life, this collection of engaging plays is sure to fit your needs. Keith Hewitt gives the usual narrative a modern treatment by adapting characters and settings from four popular television series (Blue’s Clues, CSI, Cops, and Trading Spaces) and transferring them to the events in Bethlehem. By twisting the lens a little to change the focus, these sketches tell how common people are affected by incredible events. Audiences will love these entertaining programs, and they’ll have fun watching the characters as they learn a valuable lesson.
All four plays are specifically designed to be produced in churches, and can be easily staged by congregations of almost any size. There are roles suitable for a range of ages from kindergarten through adult, allowing you to involve the whole congregation in the production. “Ewe’s Clues” is intended primarily for younger children (although adults and older children will also enjoy it) and has a running time of approximately 30 minutes. “Cops: Bethlehem,” “CSI: Bethlehem,” and “Trading Spaces: Bethlehem” each have a running time of approximately 45 minutes, and are designed for older audiences (though children will get something out of them as well).
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12 Days Of Christmas
$13.95Add to cartThe twelve days of Christmas run from December 26 to January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany, the date on which we traditionally recall the Magin’s arrival to present gifts to the infant Jesus. For many, the sacred meaning of these days is lost. By Christmas night we are saturated with the holiday hype, overfed with music and food, and maybe quite disappointed that the presents we received have not fulfilled us. Almquist invites readers to go deeper than the tinsel and wrappings to the source of all the good gifts in life: love, forgiveness, joy, hope, and so on. These are gifts that, once unwrapped, will last and satisfy our spiritual cravings.
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God Gave Us Christmas
$10.99Add to cartAs Little Cub and her family prepare to celebrate the most special day of the year, the curious young polar bear has something on her mind: Who invented Christmas?” she asked. “Is God more important than Santa?”
Her questions reflect the confusion of so many children during the holiday season. And this heartwarming story takes them on a wonderful journey of discovery – right to the heart of Christmas.
To help her child understand more about God and why he “invented” Christmas, Mama Bear takes Little Cub on a polar expedition. Along the way they find many signs that God is close by: the dancing lights of the northern skies, an early morning star, the power of a mighty glacier.
Through Mama’s gentle guidance, Little Cub learns that God loves her and everyone – polar bear, moose, or human – so much that he gave us Jesus, the very best gift of all.
Sequel to God Gave Us You and God Gave Us Two.
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Man Who Saved Christmas
$13.49Add to cartChristmas-only days away; plastic snowmen and glowing reindeer adorn the lawns of neighborhoods all across America. All is calm, all is bright, and yet there is something tragically wrong about this Christmas night. With swift passage through Congress, the Anti-Intolerance legislation was signed into law prohibiting the public display of religious symbols. The traditional centerpiece enjoyed by millions every Christmas, the Nativity Scene, is now gone. This is one of those perennial issues that often stir emotions to the brink. But taking a lighter approach to the argument, wouldn’t it be fun if, somehow, through some bizarre chain of events, the person who most fervently opposes open displays of religion, became the mouthpiece from which a fictitious law like the Anti-Intolerance bill, was overturned? This story brings to life a witty rendition of the political struggles fought every December over something as humble and yet powerful as the display of the Nativity Scene.
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No Stable Too Small
$15.95Add to cartHere’s a collection of humorous, down-to-earth plays that bring a fresh perspective to the Christmas story through such creative devices as imagining the thoughts and feelings of fringe characters (like an innkeeper or a servant to one of the magi) or by updating the story with contemporary settings and characters. No Stable Too Small offers a variety of practical material for any situation, ranging from shorter plays with small casts and lines that can be easily mastered by younger children to more elaborate pieces with sophisticated themes for older children and adults. And they’re ideal for use with today’s young people — the dialogue reflects the way they really talk, yet never detracts from the biblical message.
These flexible scenes offer a mix of speaking parts for all age groups, from preschool through adult, and are especially valuable for small congregations that lack the resources to mount large-scale productions. No sets are required, and only simple costumes and minimal props are needed. The plays can be performed by smaller churches with as few as 8-10 cast members, or parts can be easily divided to accommodate groups as large as 25-30. And with a running time of approximately 20-25 minutes each, it’s easy to fit them within a Christmas Eve or Advent Sunday worship service.
Some of the charming presentations include:
* Love Finds a Way
* It Wasn’t the Hilton, You Know
* Christmas Eve at Angel School
* Because God Said So, That’s Why
* No Small Parts
* “Unto Us a Child Is Born”… Next on Omar
* Miracles? No Problem!
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Sampsons First Christmas
$7.95Add to cartSampson’s First Christmas is a charming play that’s perfect for a holiday children’s program in small congregations. The story details the attempts of Sampson Squirrel to discover Christmas. After overhearing a conversation between the rustic characters of Ma and Pa, Sampson asks his forest friends where to find this wonderful place. When they are unable to help, Ma and Pa show Sampson the true meaning of Christmas.
This adaptable piece can accommodate any number of actors, and can be presented as a play, a puppet show, or a readers’ theater. The characters, plot, and message appeal to all ages, with dialogue that’s easy for youngsters to learn and memorize. Costumes are affordable and easy to assemble — and clear and concise directions with reproducible patterns are provided to help you make distinctive animal hats that children will love. Instructions are also included for creating simple Christmas tree decorations that accentuate the animal theme. With all these craft ideas plus production suggestions, Sampson’s First Christmas is bound to be a hit with your church!
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Christmas Journey : Advent Christmas Resources
$14.95Add to cartThis complete set of seasonal material offers everything you need for an exciting Advent and Christmas program. With dramatic monologues, sermons, children’s messages and worship liturgies, a Sunday school program, and a pair of Christmas Eve candlelight services, there’s something for everyone, whatever your congregation’s size or worship style.
An Unlikely Cast (Alan E. Siewert) is a set of dramatic monologues that reveal the inner thoughts and feelings of five characters who were deeply involved in the unfolding divine drama of the nativity: Joseph, Mary, John the Baptist, the innkeeper, and a shepherd. The monologues can be used in midweek Advent services, special programs, or Sunday morning worship. Staging and costuming suggestions are included, to help you bring these exciting accounts to life.
The Colors Of Christmas (H. Michael Nehls) is a creative series of six sermons and children’s messages in which each week features a different color. The sermons use the color idea to stress such Christian themes as royalty, sacrifice, and holiness, while the children’s messages utilize the inventive device of passing out ribbon swatches of the color of the day; as the youngsters receive the various ribbons, they can collect a “ribbon rainbow.”
Is This The Road To Bethlehem? (Judy Gattis Smith) is an Advent worship liturgy in which children are the main participants. The centerpiece is an “action/sermon” featuring six brief readings using illustrative wooden figures. All the elements of a typical worship service are present — but in a manner that focuses on the interests and expressions of children, allowing them to experience worship rather than just listen and watch.
Producing Christmas (Jennifer Hockenberry Dragseth) is a humorous children’s play which casts the Christmas story as the ultimate Hollywood blockbuster. Everyone wants to be a part of the big movie — and they all have ideas about how to make it a hit, only to finally learn why the coming of the Christ child is truly the “greatest story ever told.” With participants ranging in age from junior high to preschoolers, this flexible piece is perfect for a brief Sunday school program.
A Christmas Journey and Christmas Letters (Rod Tkach) are imaginative Christmas Eve services weaving together carols, prayers, scripture readings, and several brief meditations. In A Christmas Journey, the reflections guide worshipers on a journey from being home alone to the ultimate destination of the
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Advent Storybook : 24 Stories To Share Before Christmas
$17.95Add to cartBenjamin Bear is so impatient for Christmas to come. To help the time pass more quickly, his mother tells him that every day when he opens a door on his Advent calendar she’ll tell him a story-twenty-four stories all about another little bear and his long, arduous journey to Bethlehem. The little bear, led by a glittering star, meets many others on his travels across hot deserts, snowy mountains, and through dark, lonely nights. His adventures, filled with acts of heroism and kindness and many small miracles, show him the path to the Christ Child. And by journey’s end Benjamin Bear-and all youngsters who share the stories and their simple morals along with him-will understand and celebrate the true spirit of Christmas.
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Hannahs Hope : A Novel
$32.00Add to cartRaised in a political family, 15-year-old Hannah Roberts lives a lonely life with her wealthy, unaffectionate grandmother while her parents work abroad. As Christmas nears, Hannah learns a shocking truth: the man she believed was her father is not her parent after all. In an effort to find answers, she begins a desperate search for her real father, Air Force pilot Mike Conner, who she discovers to be the man of her distant childhood memories. Local politicians and the city’s newspaper catch wind of her quest, and the entire state joins in Hannah’s hope that she’ll find her father before Christmas.
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Night Before Christmas (Anniversary)
$9.95Add to cartRunning Press is proud to be the publisher of the best-selling edition among all the available versions of Clement C. Moore’s classic Christmas Eve poem. With appearances at the top of the New York Times bestseller list over the past ten years, illustrator Christian Birmingham’s stunning interpretation of this holiday favorite has been clearly embraced by the market. Now, for the second year in row, we are thrilled to have Birmingham’s gorgeous illustrations available in a board book edition. These two unbelievably priced treasures have become as much a tradition for booksellers as the classic tale itself.
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Child Of The Light
$11.99Add to cartIf the Christmas season has become more of a chaotic consumer ritual rather than a nurturing spiritual one, you need this brilliant “Advent Survival Guide!”
If you set aside just 10 minutes per day, Child of the Light will help you find your quiet center amid the stressful flurry of the November/December busyness. As you read the book’s brief readings inspired by the season’s carols and hymns, your spirit will be lifted, and your thoughts will be redirected to the purpose of the season: preparing for the coming.
“Take time for God: that’s exactly the challenge God gives us during this season of preparation,” writes Richardson. “Personally and culturally this time of year already seems to race out of control toward a Christmas finish line. In Advent, we are invited to take time out…. [In] doing so, we nurture our spiritual self, that sometimes fragile part of us who longs for a connection with God.”
The reflections extend past Christmas to Epiphany, January 6, encouraging you to live into the joy of Christmas beyond traditional seasonal celebrations.
A small-group guide is included among the daily meditations, recommended spiritual disciplines for the week, reflection questions, and leader helps. The use of hymns and carols will engage even the most non-musical among us to fully appreciate the lyrical richness of the season.
Long for a more sacred and measured observance this year? Be joyfully carried through the pre- and post-Christmas pandemonium as a child of the light!
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Run Shepherds Run
$16.95Add to cartThe Advent season is filled with rich themes that have fascinated poets. In Run, Shepherds, Run, Bill Countryman presents a poem a day for devotional reading during Advent and theTwelve Days of Christmas. Readers will find classic poets they know and love, including George Herbert, John Donne, Christina Rossetti, Emily Dickinson, and Alfred, Lord Tennyson, as well as contemporary poets, known and unknown.
Run, Shepherds, Run includes helpful hints for reading poetry, for those who have less experience reading it than others, as well as useful annotations to help readers with older language that may not have easily apparent meanings for today’s readers.
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Christmas Stories From Gainesberry Farm
$12.49Add to cartChristmas Stories from Gainesberry Farm is a collection of short Christmas stories that leads the reader into challenges of the human spirit and the mystery of God’s touch. Author W. Scott Lineberry developed these stories with family Christmas reading in mind as they are entertaining for both adults and children! Set on a central North Carolina farm and rooted in true events, each adventure resonates with the tension between human hardship, humorous relief, mystery, and encouragement. Christmas Stories from Gainesberry Farm is an extraordinary blend of reality, humanity, Divinity, and imagination that readers can identify with and cherish. Imagine being a camper and wandering into a spot in a seventy-acre forest and experiencing a Christmas Eve full of extraordinary surprises. . .
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Beastly Christmas : A Comedy For All Ages
$10.95Add to cartCentering around the theme of the familiar song “The Friendly Beasts,” this intriguing program depicts what the animals who witnessed Jesus’ birth might really have been thinking — if they had human minds. There’s humorous interplay among camels, sheep, cows, and the donkey that carried the pregnant Mary as they share their unique perspective on the nativity. This complete presentation allows many different parts of the congregation to participate; speaking roles can be performed in a readers’ theater format by adults or youth, young children can portray the humans at the manger in a silent tableau, and musical selections allow the choir to be involved as well. A special feature is more than 70 reproducible drawings that can be projected for audience viewing. (Purchase of this book includes access to a downloadable PowerPoint file for use in performances.) This adaptable drama is ideal for use not only in church settings, but also in schools or for children’s programs.
A five-copy package of supplementary coloring books for young children based on the imagery in the PowerPoint file is also available.
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Night Before : Two Christmas Eve Services With Childrens Sermons
$13.95Add to cartComprised of two compelling services plus a pair of delightful children’s messages, this complete set of Christmas Eve resources provides everything you need to create a special worship experience that your congregation will remember long after the holiday decorations have been stored away.
A Christmas Gift contemplates Christmas Eve’s mixture of madness and magic through a creative weaving together of carols, prayers, scripture readings, and several brief meditations. By highlighting some of the diverse moments, memories, and traditions that contribute to the gift of Christmas, this worship service evokes the powerful mystery and miracle of the nativity.
O Come, Emmanuel is a moving candlelight service which utilizes the ancient antiphons of Advent to explore the longing behind our search for the Messiah. As the service unfolds, the singing and reading of each antiphon leads worshipers to reflect on the hopes and desires that bring us to Bethlehem, culminating in the joyful announcement that God has come among us. The service employs two readers and a solo quartet, along with congregational singing of several traditional hymns. An original choral arrangement of the Christmas antiphon is included.
Two inspiring messages for the “children’s moment” are also included. Featuring an interactive, conversational style that involves young people, these lessons can be used with either service or separately. One message helps children think about where Jesus might be in their town or neighborhood if he were born today, while the other celebrates how Christ’s birth draws us all together.
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Letters From Father Christmas
$25.00Add to cartEvery December an envelope bearing a stamp from the North Pole would arrive for J.R.R. Tolkien’s children. Inside would be a letter in a strange, spidery handwriting and a beautiful colored drawing or painting. The letters were from Father Christmas.
They told wonderful tales of life at the North Pole: how the reindeer got loose and scattered presents all over the place; how the accident-prone North Polar Bear climbed the North Pole and fell through the roof of Father Christmas’s house into the dining room; how he broke the Moon into four pieces and made the Man in it fall into the back garden; how there were wars with the troublesome horde of goblins who lived in the caves beneath the house, and many more.
No reader, young or old, can fail to be charmed by Tolkien’s inventiveness in this classic holiday treat. -
Follow The Star
$24.00Add to cartTime magazine has called him America’s best preacher and praised his “overwhelming gift.” Now New York Times bestselling author T.D. Jakes presents the perfect book for the holidays-a heartwarming collection of stories and reminiscences that will bring readers a deeper understanding of the true meaning of Christmas.
Amidst the family gatherings and the exchanging of presents, the true meaning of Christmas–the birth of Jesus–tends to get lost. Now, T.D. Jakes pays homage to the miracle behind the holiday.
In Follow the Star, T.D. Jakes leads a journey that makes Christmas past and present come alive through deeply personal experiences that shaped his life: family stories about finding the Christmas spirit during the worst hardships, and of the need to appreciate fellowship, love, and God-the real gifts of the holiday. With his unique insight, warmth, and wisdom, Bishop Jakes embraces fully the magnificent miracle of the birth of Christ.
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Sarahs Song : A Novel
$32.00Add to cartEvery year Sarah Lindeman celebrates Christmas the same way, placing one special ornament on her tiny tree on each of the twelve days of Christmas. It is her time to remember where she came from, who she is today, and how long ago a song gave her another chance at love.
But this year the ritual is different. This year a desperate young woman is listening, a nurse who cares for Sarah at the Greer Retirement Village. Sarah senses a familiar struggle in the woman’s soul and shares the story of her song in hopes that it will help her find healing, as it did Sarah so long ago.
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Tracks In The Straw
$14.99Add to cartIn a memorable Christmas book full of surprises and wonder, Loder offers 15 nativity stories and fables that bring forth an amazing set of characters, animals, and unexpected visitors who witness, in one way or another, the life-changing mystery of the nativity. Arranged into 24 readings for optional Advent use.
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Destination Bethlehem
$17.95Add to cartThis anthology provides you with a great selection of dramatic material for memorable Advent and Christmas worship. With a variety of approaches, there’s ample material to choose from to fit your needs, whatever your congregation’s size or worship style.
Five Advent Candle Dramas (Anne W. Anderson) explores the traditional meanings of the Advent wreath candles in brief 3-5 minute sketches which incorporate the lighting of each week’s candle. The Advent themes of hope, love, joy, and peace are couched in contemporary dramatic settings yet connected to the powerful reality of Christ’s coming. Each scene includes concise instructions for costumes, props, and settings.
The Savior Of The World (Nelson Chamberlain) is a five-scene play that tells the traditional Christmas story — with a touch of humor and a few unexpected twists. With roles for children from preschool age through sixth grade, this fun, easy-to-produce program is perfect for that special day when the church is full and you want to highlight the young people in your congregation.
Time Travelers’ Tale Of The Carols (Linda Buff & Sharon Cathcart) is an entertaining and educational presentation that combines the story of Jesus’ birth with the stories of several beloved Christmas carols. Through the imaginative device of a time machine, audiences will hear from some of the musicians and writers who created these familiar classics. Sets and costumes are minimal, and this simple play can be produced by churches of any size — while there are parts for many children, the script can be easily adapted for any age or number of participants. Performance time is approximately 35-40 minutes.
Here We Come To Bethlehem (Pamela Honan Peterson) is a Christmas pageant and congregational worship service that lets audiences eavesdrop on the thoughts, stories, and questions of ancient travelers as they make their way to Bethlehem. There are roles for 18 performers ranging from age three through high school, but with this flexible program it’s easy to involve as many children, youth, and adults as desired. Performance time is approximately 20-25 minutes.
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Light Of Bethlehem Shines On
$12.95Add to cart* In The Darkness Of Despair — Isaiah 9:2-7
* In The Darkness Of Suffering — John 1:1-13
* In The Darkness Of Oppression — Luke 2:1-5
* In The Darkness Of Fear — Luke 2:6-11
* In The Darkness Of Anxiety — Luke 2:12-17
* In The Darkness Of Uncertainty — Luke 2:17-20
* In The Darkness Of Suspicion — Matthew 2:1-12Additional Info
The impact of the miraculous event of the incarnation continues — and the light of hope that appeared in the darkness of that night in Bethlehem two thousand years ago still shines on us today, even in the midst of life’s most difficult situations. Illustrated with poignant stories and anecdotes, these powerful messages celebrate the heartwarming joy of Christ’s coming, and demonstrate how we can rely on the Lord to serve as our steady lighthouse while we navigate the shoals of life.This seven-part series for Advent, Christmas Eve, the Sunday after Christmas, and Epiphany Sunday provides a comprehensive seasonal resource for busy pastors and worship planners. Each chapter includes a sermon, a children’s message, a candle lighting response with scripture reading, and a pastoral prayer.
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Speaking Of Christmas
$12.95Add to cartIf you want to celebrate the birth of the Savior by participating in a Christmas play but have a limited budget and want to avoid long rehearsals, you’ll want to have this fascinating collection of twelve short plays in readers’ theater format. Whether you’re a novice or have plenty of experience, you’ll find these scripts, varying from humorous to deeply religious and ranging from 5-20 minutes in length, to be easy to stage yet packed with meaning. Suitable for worship services, prayer groups, religious education classes, retreats, or for entertainment at parish social functions, these flexible dramas can be staged in a sanctuary, classroom, lounge, or any large space, and require no scenery, costumes, or special lighting. Brief background essays on the Christmas play and on readers’ theater are also included, along with a list of other helpful resources.
Some of the intriguing presentations include:
* A Discussion Among Angels
* The Tree That Didn’t Get Trimmed
* Million Dollar Christmas
* Hoodoo McFiggin’s Christmas
* Home For The Holidays -
Christmas Treasures : A Collection Of Congregational Resources For Advent C
$25.95Add to cartThis anthology provides an ample selection of seasonal worship, drama, and children’s resources by popular authors from a variety of denominations. Whatever your congregation’s size or worship style, you’re sure to find something in Christmas Treasures to help you create memorable Advent and Christmas services. Copying privileges are included for all segments.
Litany For Advent And Christmas Candle Lighting provides brief responsive prayers and creative congregational activities for the four Sundays of Advent, Christmas Eve, and Epiphany. It’s excellent for worship services or as a Sunday school opener.
Christmas Treasures offers three sets of short readings and prayers for the candle lighting portion of Advent and Christmas Eve services. Each 2-3 minute narrative links aspects of the nativity with events in our modern lives, both global and personal, and challenges worshipers to reflect on current issues and respond in ways that glorify the Lord.
Six Christmas Testimonies depicts the Christmas events and their meaning from the viewpoint of John the Baptist, a magus, the innkeeper, Joseph, a shepherd, and Mary. Especially powerful when read in sequence, these concise dramatic readings are an excellent way to have members participate in Advent or Christmas Eve worship services.
The Christmas Gift utilizes a creative approach to the seasonal children’s program — a “talent show” is cleverly included as part of a simple yet powerful play based on Luke’s Christmas scripture. It’s a practical presentation for any size congregation — many of the speaking roles have only a few lines, and some parts can be combined. A prop list, set diagram, and sample rehearsal schedule are included to aid novice directors. Performance time is approximately 15 minutes (plus talent show time).
Who Are You In Bethlehem? and The Promise are two dramatic presentations for the entire congregation with roles that can be performed by any age. Each combines the reading of scripture and singing of familiar hymns with brief narrations to telling the Bethlehem story, focusing on how we respond to the Savior — asking us if we have truly welcomed the babe into our hearts. These inspirational services are flexible enough to be performed by as many participants as are available without requiring extensive memorization.
Revelations Of Jesus, Given From Heaven/Received On Earth, Nativity, and If It Happened Today are four flexible, Bible-based plays with parts for young peopl
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Songs For A Savior
$12.95Add to cartThis comprehensive resource of five sermons with complete worship services provides a solid, thematically integrated worship and preaching program for Advent and Christmas Eve. It celebrates the deep songs of faith which result from personal encounters with Jesus Christ. The four Advent messages examine biblical personalities, revealing in their experiences real struggles as well as profound joy. You’ll explore how Zechariah wrestled to believe what the angel told him concerning the birth of his son; how the prophets searched for God’s Word of hope in times of personal and social ferment; how Mary was willing to sacrifice her life for God’s purpose; and how the birth of Jesus, heralded by the angels and confirmed by the shepherds, combined fear and joy with divine music.
In the final sermon (for Christmas Eve), Oliver links those accounts with our contemporary lives by asking what our personal response will be to the birth of the Savior. Will we allow a song of faith to arise in our lives, in our families, churches, and community?
Illustrated with poignant stories and anecdotes, the sermons in Songs For A Savior invite us to hear again the truly Good News — that our song of faith is not so much what we create for God, as how we respond to meeting the Savior and receiving God’s gift of salvation through Jesus.
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Madelines Christmas
$8.99Add to cartIt’s the night before Christmas and everyone is sick in bed. All except brave Madeline, who is up and about and feeling just fine. Taking care of eleven little girls and Miss Clavel is hard work, but Madeline finds help from a magical merchant peddling flying carpets door-to-door. Now the girls are going on a Christmas journey that will surely make them forget their sniffles and sneezes.
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Christmas From The Back Side (Student/Study Guide)
$12.99Add to cartBook Session Titles Include:
The Scandal Of Christmas
Three Votes For An Early Christmas
Christmas Comes To A Back Fence
How The Government Helped The First Christmas Happen
Celebrating Christmas In A Hotel
Christmas Comes To A Church
Christmas And The Impossible DreamAdditional Info
Ellsworth Kalas opens up new possibilities of insight into the biblical Christmas story of Jesus’ birth by entering the Gospel scriptures through the “back side” – through a unique starting point, a creative retelling, a new “lens,” or the eyes of a minor or unsympathetic character.
Kalas’s creative approach both clarifies basic teachings and introduces new possibilities of meaning, even for those who are most familiar with the Christmas story. Enriched with contemporary illustrations and personal experiences, this volume will provide new perspective on Christmas. -
Christmas On Stage
$28.95Add to cart1. Elementary Grades
2. Middle Grades
3. Programs For Teens And Adults
4. Readers Theatre For Christmas
5. Adaptions From Classics And Legends
6. Christmas LegendsAdditional Info
A collection of twenty-seven Christmas plays for all ages and all types of worship services compiled and edited by Theodore O. Zapel.The one-act plays included contain both traditional and contemporary settings, drama and humor, and new offerings and old favorites.The plays are easily staged with a minimum of costumes and props, and many of the scripts require no memorization.Christmas music interspersed with the drama adds a special touch to worship services. Since no royalty payments are required for performances, this low-cost anthology is a money-saving program resource for any drama group. -
Living With Hope
$23.00Add to cartAdvent is a time for deepening encounter with reality, including the ultimate reality made manifest in human form at Christmas and Epiphany. This thought-provoking book illuminates biblical thinking with striking new insights from the author’s twin disciplines of theology and science at the cutting edge of physics.
Though daily readings for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany Polkinghorne explores such themes as the end of the world, individual destiny, unseen realities, heaven, hell, and suffering; this is not a book that hides behind platitudes or easy solutions, yet the author offers profound insight into his deep reflections on the nature, meaning, and purpose of creation.
Suitable for individual study, as a guide to prayer during Advent and beyond, or as the basis of small group discussion, Living With Hope offers a unique and inspiring pathway into the coming of Christ in history, in our lives, and in what we shall be.
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There Really Is A Santa Claus
$20.00Add to cartSaint Nicholas-Sinter Klaas-Santa Claus-The story of Nicholas, 3rd Century Bishop of Myra, Asia Minor (present day Turkey) and how stories of his generous life were embellished into legend. Discover additions of writer Washington Irving, Clement Moore, Civil War illustrator Thomas Nast, Coca-Cola artist Haddom Sundblom. Learn origins of the 12 Days of Christmas, Christmas tree, Carols, Kris Kringle, Creche’ scene, Poinsettia, Hanukkah…Relive events on Christmas through history, from Columbus to Valley Forge, the Great Depression to Korean War. Read Christmas Messages of U.S. Presidents, like Harry S. Truman lighting of the National Christmas Tree 1946: “If we as a nation, and the other nations of the world, will accept it, the star of faith will guide us into the place of peace as it did the shepherds on that day of Christ’s birth long ago.”
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Love Worth Giving To You At Christmas
$4.99Add to cartSpread the spirit of Christmas by giving the true love worth giving–God’s love–with this special holiday keepsake booklet. Based on the best-selling book A Love Worth Giving, Max boldly says that before we can pass love on, we must receive it ourselves — from God. Reminding us all about the most priceless gift, A Love Worth Giving to You includes “The Christmas Cookie Story”, the message of salvation and Max’s insight into drinking fully of the love of God. What better time than the holidays to give a special message to loved ones in a specially sized booklet perfect for impulse gift-buying that says so much more than a greeting card, for the same price. Includes a special dedication page for a holiday message to a loved one. Booklets available in multiples of 50 — order in “eaches”.
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Christmas Day In The Morning
$18.99Add to cartFrom Pulitzer and Nobel Prize-winning author Pearl S. Buck and acclaimed artist Mark Buehner comes a heartwarming story that illustrates the true meaning of Christmas.
Rob wants to get his father something special for Christmas this year–something that shows how much he really loves him. But it’s Christmas Eve, and he doesn’t have much money to spend. What could he possibly get? Suddenly, Rob thinks of the best gift of all…
The acclaimed author of nearly a hundred books for children and adults, Pearl S. Buck captures the spirit of Christmas in this elegant, heartening story about a boy’s gift of love. Originally published in 1955, this timeless story with glorious full-color art by Mark Buehner will be a welcome addition to your holiday collection.
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Gideons Gift : A Novel
$30.00Add to cartOne long-ago Christmas, Earl Gibson lost the two things most precious to him: his wife and daughter. Angry and heartbroken, he ended up living on the streets and abandoned any belief he’d once had in God.
Ten years later Big Earl meets Gideon, a seven-year-old leukemia patient who believes with all her heart that “Christmas means never having to ask God how much he loves us.” Gideon is determined to reach this lonely and hurting man who hates Christmas–and he is just as determined to rebuff her. It will take a miracle for Earl to come to understand the true meaning of Christmas. But if he can accept what Gideon wants to give him, he might find that he can return the favor with a precious gift of his own.
In GIDEON’S GIFT, Karen Kingsbury reminds us that Christmas is still a time of miraculous possibilities if only we reach out to those around us.
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While We Wait
$12.99Add to cartThis book offers new ways of connection study participants with their own faith questions. Group members have the chance to look at some biblical figures on whom we don’t always focus during Advent. Somewhat surprisingly, Tamar, Ruth, Mary, Zechariah, Elizabeth, and the Magi ask questions that resonate with contemporary Christians during this season. Designed as a complete Advent study, this book offers readers unique perspectives on the events of Christmas, a fifth session for the week of Epiphany, an introduction to the spiritual discipline of breath prayer, and much more.
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In Search Of Christmas
$23.95Add to cartThis anthology of holiday material provides you with a complete collection of resources for drama, worship, and young people. It includes a wide range of resources from across the denominational spectrum. Copying privileges are included for all six segments.
Come! See What God Has Done is a Thanksgiving children’s event designed to heighten awareness of God’s many blessings. Six learning centers — each including posters, projects, a guided experience, follow-up activities, and a closing prayer — focus on such topics as families, nature, our religious heritage, and our bodies. Intended for kindergarten through sixth grade, this is an ideal activity for your church school and can be held during a single session.
A Chrismon Service portrays the drama of redemption through symbols of Jesus in the form of Christmas ornaments. (The word “Chrismon” is a combination of the words “Christ” and “monogram.”) As appropriate scripture passages are read, each symbol is presented and explained; worshipers participate in the service by hanging them on the Chrismon tree. Eighteen designs are included so that you can make your own Chrismons based on such symbols as the Epiphany star, the Christmas rose, and the angel.
The ABC’s Of Christmas offers four easy programs for Christmas worship, celebrating angels, bells, colors, and gifts. Each incorporates scripture, carols, and simple props together with dramatic readings to create a meaningful worship experience that will linger in the memory long after Christmastime passes.
The Angels’ Point Of View is a play in two acts that looks at Jesus’ conception, birth, and flight into Egypt from their perspective. Originally developed for a junior high Sunday school class, this piece is excellent for older youth and can be performed in a variety of settings. There are thirteen speaking roles, and complete directions for assembling props, costume, and scenery are included.
In Search Of Christmas is a light, contemporary drama that intersperses a series of brief dialogues between a husband and wife, two teenagers, and others illustrating how we can lose the real meaning of Christmas with faith-affirming conversations among individuals who have kept the season’s true spirit of joy and giving. Roles can be doubled up for the small congregation, and only a few basic props are needed.
Last Year In Bethlehem: The Story Of Eli The Shepherd reminds us that the story of Christ’s birth is more than a holiday tradition. It com
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Road Signs Airlines And Stars
$12.95Add to cartThese all-new inspirational programs are sure to bring wonder and joy to your congregation’s seasonal celebration. In this book you travel with youth as they pick up friends and road signs on their way to a church Christmas party. It’s an exciting resource with a salvation message that’s perfect for a Sunday school program or worship service. Then join Mary and Joseph as they make their way to Bethlehem on Salvation Airlines in The Christmas Travelers. A Sunday school pageant with a unique twist, this program declares the message of Christ’s birth through narration, readings, and song. Star Of Wonder gives you an opportunity to involve older youth or college students in a complete Christmas Eve worship service for families.
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Christmas Star : Readings And Pageants For Christmas
$9.95Add to cartThe Christmas Star is a potpourri of holiday gifts for those planning worship-the charming collection includes three plays and five brief meditations suitable for reading during services or for use in bulletins and newsletters. Each presentation is simple for small churches to produce, with minimal costumes and props required. Insightful and scripturally sound, The Christmas Star is a wonderful package that you won’t be able to resist!
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Warmth In Winter
$16.99Add to cartChristmas in Heavenly Daze is saved by patient angels and a loving God who always know better than the bumbling but loveable inhabitants of this quaint little island.
Readers have already fallen in love with the quirky personalities that inhabit Heavenly Daze. In A Warmth in Winter, the unforgettable characters and humorous circumstances offer poignant lessons of God’s love and faithfulness. The story centers around Vernie Bidderman, owner of Mooseleuk Mercantile and Salt Gribbon, the lighthouse operator, who despite the vast differences in their struggles are being taught about the ultimate failure and frustration of self-reliance.
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Angels We Have Heard
$7.95Add to cartIf you’re looking for a fresh new approach to telling the old, old story — what better way to celebrate the Christmas message than to do it from the viewpoint of the angels? From the promise to Abraham to its fulfillment in Bethlehem, angels are a vital part of the story. Angels We Have Heard is a beautiful service that combines many of the traditional elements of Christmas worship with brief dialogues between angels and a number of characters relating to the Christmas narrative. Along with candlelight, an optional communion celebration, and many of the favorite carols we all love to sing, the encounters described in the scriptures between angels and Abraham, Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds are paraphrased. There’s also a short closing exchange between an angel and a contemporary person that sheds light on the meaning of Christ’s birth for our modern times.
This easy-to-use service is adaptable for any size congregation — while a number of speaking parts are specified, it’s easy to combine parts and use just two readers, allowing the participation of as many or as few as you wish. There’s also a convenient order of service for use in bulletin preparation. And while designed for worship use, the drama of the angels speaking with and to different people through the ages can be used in other settings such as youth meetings or church school. Very little (if any) rehearsal is required — this is a simple and versatile way to make the pageantry and drama of the biblical story come alive in your Christmas worship.
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They Worshiped Him
$7.95Add to cartIn today’s “hurry-up” world, it seems we rarely take the time to think of other people and “walk a mile in the other man’s shoes.” If we did, what would we see? They Worshiped Him revisits the nativity story from the perspective of the people who were actually there. In this dramatic retelling, we glimpse the innermost thoughts and feelings of some of the very common people whose lives were forever changed by a most extraordinary event. What did the shepherds feel? What did others think of them? Were they perceived as “eccentric”? And what about the wise men who followed the star? Did they have an entire entourage, or did people treat them like three dottering old men? And what about Mary and Joseph; how did this unusual pregnancy affect them? They Worshiped Him answers many of these questions while reminding us of the biblical characters’ humanity.
The singing of favorite seasonal carols is woven into the drama, encouraging audience participation. And it’s an adaptable work that can be staged as elaborately or simply as you wish. While there are speaking parts for 12 angels, 5 animals, 6 shepherds, 3 magi, the innkeeper, Mary, Joseph, and a narrator, roles can easily be combined for use with any size congregation. Staging instructions are included.
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Every Knee Shall Bow
$7.95Add to cartThe scene for this Christmas play and worship service is a familiar one: a nativity display in a town square. As different individuals or families approach the manger scene they hear the voice of God speaking his words of truth, encouragement, and hope to their own unique needs and circumstances. When the members of your congregation hear God’s message to these individuals, they will hear God speaking to them as well. The service includes the congregational singing of familiar Christmas carols.
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Chrismons They Point To Jesus
$8.95Add to cartThis book provides patterns, instructions and background information for twenty different Chrismons, or “monograms of Christ.” It also includes a church program for presenting and explaining the meanings of these Christian symbols. The program includes children and adults and incoorporates the singing of the Christmas hymns.
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Lite Worship Services For Advent And Christmas
$8.95Add to cartPopular CSS author Cynthia Cowen returns with three more imaginative programs that will spice up the Advent/Christmas season for any size congregation. Prepare Your Heart For Christmas is a service of carols and reflections that’s perfect for a midweek Advent program. Designed as a youth program, Advent Bells includes a brief skit with bell ringers and unique chorus songs. We Welcome The Light Of Christmas is a memorable family service for Christmas Eve with a humorous sketch about the Good News and a lost Frisbee which has turned into the Christmas star.
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Creating Gods Family In Christmas
$7.95Add to cartThe traditional children’s pageant comes together with Christmas scripture lessons, hymns, and other elements of a worship service. The program culminates with the completion of a “living” creche, gradually built throughout the ceremony. Among the very practical features this resource offers are “Leader’s Helps” and a sample bulletin format. No memorization of lines is required. The only setting required is a simple backdrop and manger.
Here is a family Christmas worship resource that provides opportunities to involve children from pre-kindergarten on up.
Included are:
Call to Worship
Christmas hymns
The Christmas scripture lessons
Age group presentations from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade
A suggested bulletin layout
Leader’s helps -
Worship Innovations 1
$22.95Add to cartBeginning with a step-by-step guide for initiating a “Hanging the Greens” celebration, Janet Burton offers nine creative, easy-to-produce programs in which all ages of the church family can participate in the process of decorating worship areas for the Advent and Christmas seasons. She also includes five plans for breathing new life into using the Advent wreath. Best of all, these practical ideas are very flexible and easily adapted to fit the worship style of almost any congregation.
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Curious Commercials
$14.95Add to cartCurious Commercials approaches the Christmas event from a different perspective. Daniel Weitner doesn’t treat the nativity as a kind of warm and fuzzy feeling of longing for universal peace that envelops the earth around the end of the year or as a sign pointing to something greater in our lives. In trenchant messages that are liberally sprinkled with contemporary illustrations, he reminds us that to know what Christmas is all about, we don’t have to look outside Bethlehem…beyond the manger…or past the baby Jesus. Instead we should focus on the birth of Jesus the Redeemer – it is the wonderful event!
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On The Way To Bethlehem
$7.95Add to cartRichard Goodlin writes: “Having been born in Bethlehem (Pennsylvania), I wondered what it would be like to get a letter from the IRS stating I had to go back to Bethlehem for the purpose of taxation. This gave rise to On The Way To Bethlehem.”
The assigned scripture lessons for Advent in the lectionary present themes and concepts, but there is little in the way of a story that flows from one week to the next. In these dialogues Goodlin engages people in the unfolding drama of events that lead up to the birth of Jesus, as well as the story of the life of Jesus.
These dialogues may be performed as a readers’ theater and few props are needed. Costuming is optional.
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Carpenters Child
$7.95Add to cartThis Christmas Eve service centers on the story of Leah, a young girl from Bethlehem at the time of Jesus’ birth. It is a story of seeming tragedy, despair and restored hope — of a loving daughter, her carpenter father, and the trials they face when he is branded a leper. It could be argued that the title should be The Carpenter’s Children because it refers not only to Leah, but also to the infant Messiah and all people of Christ.
The entire service is about 45-60 minutes in length depending on optional inclusions (such as solos or choir anthems) and can be done very effectively by one liturgist. It can also be split into two or three parts and performed as a readers’ theater, or with characters silently acting out the story as it is being narrated.
A full order of worship, staging instructions, a “children’s moment,” and production and lighting suggestions accompany the story of The Carpenter’s Child.
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If Youre Missing Baby Jesus
$10.99Add to cartThis true story by author Jean Gietzen will unwrap the warmth of the real meaning of Christmas. Charmingly illustrated by Lila Rose Kennedy, it is a gift to treasure and share and will remind you of the joy of giving, and touch the hearts of all who receive it.
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Its News To Me Messages Of Hope For Those Who Havent Heard Cycle A
$12.95Add to cartAll too often, many people find traditional worship dull and the sermons they hear impractical for living in today’s world. Yet Linda McCoy is convinced that the message of God’s unconditional love is the most vital word for life anyone can receive — especially those who have never heard or truly experienced it. Her inspiring sermons share that message of hope with modern Americans by bridging the gap between the sacred and the secular. As the fruit of her non-traditional ministry directed toward those who have never been part of a church or who have been “turned off” or “disenfranchised” by the established church, McCoy’s short, to-the-point messages effectively and relevantly communicate the good news to anyone who is searching for an experience of the Divine. Readers of these sermons will be connected to a deep sense of purpose and enriched by God’s amazing love and grace.
Sermon titles include:
* Prepare For Arrival — Matthew 3:1-12
* The Power Of A Dream — Matthew 2:13-23
* Positive Identification — John 1:29-42
* Building Bridges — Matthew 5:21-37
* It’s A Mystery — Matthew 17:1-9 -
Mr Willowbys Christmas Tree
$19.99Add to cartGive the gift of holiday spirit with this classic picture book that celebrates how one Christmas tree brings joy to a whole forest of critters!
Christmas is here and Mr. Willowby’s tree has arrived. There’s just one big problem: The tree is too tall for his parlor! He cuts off the top so it will fit, and soon the top of that tree is passed along again and again to bring holiday cheer to all the animals in the forest.
Kids will love watching the tree move from home to home, and families will appreciate the subtle message of conservation and recycling, as the tree top spreads joy to all.
This heartwarming story is the perfect way to start the yuletide season, and a warm addition to any family’s festive holiday traditions.
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Dream Snow
$27.99Add to cartIt’s almost Christmas and it hasn’t snowed yet. As the farmer naps on his small farm, he dreams of being covered in a gentle blanket of new snow. Then, one by one, he dreams of each of his five animals (aptly named One, Two, Three, Four, and Five) being covered as well. When he awakens, he discovers that real snow–not dream snow–has fallen. And “Oh my! Oh my! I almost forgot,” the farmer shouts, and, bundling up, hurries out to his tree (named Tree) with a box and a sack, looking remarkably familiar in his white beard and red suit. After decorating Tree, the farmer shouts “Merry Christmas to all!” and pushes a button for a surprise Yuletide jingle.
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Christmas Story
$5.99Add to cartThis Little Golden Book features beautiful paintings by Eloise Wilkin and inspiring text. Children will want to hear this story of the birth of Jesus again and again.
Children have loved Little Golden Books for over 60 years. They have written their names inside each front cover and delighted in the colorful pictures and wonderful stories. Thanks to the happy hours spent with such books as The Poky Little Puppy, many children have developed a lifelong love of reading. Over two billion Little Golden Books have reached the hands of children. We salute the talented authors and artists who create the books, as well as the readers–young and old– who enjoy the picture books with the famous gold-foil spine. Recommended for ages 2 to 6. -
Uncluttered Heart : Making Room For God During Advent And Christmas
$12.99Add to cartGod is waiting for you to remember.
Advent is a time to prepare our lives – hearts, minds and spirits – for the coming of the Christ child. We sweep out the corners of our hearts, cleaning up the clutter, to make space for God’s hope, peace, joy, love and presence.
Great plan, poor execution.
“Advent is often the busiest time of the year,” writes Richardson. “And yet, we are called to make time and space to prepare our lives for the coming of the Christ child. What a challenge. …No matter how busy we may become, God is waiting to break through our endless tasks and distractions to remind us that we are not alone.”
The Uncluttered Heart offers four weeks of guided reflection through the weeks of Advent on through Epiphany. Each day provides a
*quotation
*scripture passage
*reflection
*prayer
Stop and connect with God this Christmas. Remember God as much as you can. Even unplanned pauses such as watching a child laugh at Santa’s post in the mall remind you of God’s presence and help you maintain a true center in this holy time. This practice is a skill developed over time and learned over a lifetime. And the gifts are bountiful.This book includes a study guide for groups.
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You Have Mail From God Cycle C
$12.95Add to cartBridging the sometimes disparate worlds of prophecy and gospel, Hal Warlick’s sermons on texts from the Revised Common Lectionary provide illustrations and themes that will enable preachers and lay leaders to clearly communicate the Christian message. His work is anchored in sound scholarship, yet is written in a flowing, easy-to-understand narrative style that readers will immediately connect with.
Most of Warlick’s 17 messages are based on passages from the letters of Paul, and Warlick finds these epistles to be as relevant today as when they were originally written. And since Paul’s letters came from someone who daily faced the challenges of running a newly created organization, Warlick believes that they are a valuable resource for modern-day Christians trying to maintain a community of faith in an interconnected and spiritually struggling world.
By helping readers to visualize old truths in fresh and exciting ways, this volume makes the sometimes overlooked Second Lesson texts a meaningful resource for the season.
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Day Miss Grouchy Melted
$7.95Add to cartTrying to prepare a holiday children’s program is often a stressful affair for both the youngsters, who worry about memorizing their lines, and for their directors, who tear their hair out trying to make sure everyone attends rehearsals, not to mention coordinating props and costumes. Mel Ann Coley has devised a way to lower the stress for everyone involved while still providing a meaningful experience. Her solution is in the form of a story told by a narrator, with children “acting out” their parts. This frees children from memorizing lines, makes the program very adaptable (it’s easy to add or delete characters), and allows for many ages to participate. It’s perfect for churches looking for a fun, easy-to-do resource that requires a minimum of rehearsals and few props!
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They Came Together In Bethlehem
$12.95Add to cartThis book provides a complete worship resource for busy pastors …
Sermons for Advent, Christmas Eve, and the Sunday after Christmas
Advent candle readings with scripture verses
Pastoral prayers
Children’s object lessons
Dramatic monologues which can be presented by the pastor or a lay personAssign the materials … schedule the sermon titles … then relax and enjoy the season with your family as you employ these inspiring materials in your congregation.
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Stations Of The Nativity
$17.95Add to cartThis devotional guide to the 40 days from Advent to Christmas builds on the popularity of the ancient Christian tradition of walking the Stations of the Cross. Each station includes an opening sentence and a response, a Bible reading, a reflection, prayers, a longer meditation, and a short closing prayer.
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Be Born In Us Today
$17.00Add to cartBecause they are the most familiar of all Bible stories, the accounts of Jesus’ birth are perhaos the least understood. Christmas traditions have overlaid them with layers of sentimentality, and we no longer hear their dramatic, disturbing content. With clarity and vividness, John Davies explores these stories afresh, finding in them stirring challenges to our lives today. For all who long to cut through the relentless commercialism of the season and rediscover the wonder of the Word made flesh, Be Born in Us TOday will prove inspiring and unforgettable.
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Our December Hearts
$15.95Add to cartThis collection of meditations for the season of Advent examines – in sometimes serious and sometimes humerous fashion – the various emotions that the Advent and Christmas stories stir in us: hope, trust, compassion, as well as fear, doubt, and grief. In language drenched in poetry, Anne McConney explores what it means to gaze into the mystery that is the Incarnation.
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Littlest Christmas Tree
$7.95Add to cartUnable to find a Christmas play for their congregation that would be appropriate for all age groups, three creative members of Good Shepherd United Church of Christ in Slatington, Pennsylvania, collaborated to create one of their own. They wrote a play that included humor and the Christmas miracle of family love. Easy to prepare and present, this short vignette about a Christmas tree and Christ’s birth can be used and enjoyed by congregations of any size.
This play, cast in a nature setting, involves a family (two parents and three children), an angel, and 11 youth, each representing a different variety of tree. The presentation includes the singing of Christmas carols and the decorating of a Christmas tree.
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Strange Way To Save You And Me
$7.95Add to cartThis play is presented as a reading with the actors silently acting out their parts as the narrators read from the side of the stage or chancel. Accompanying the script are suggested solos and hymns for choir or congregational participation.
Requires no memorization
Minimal rehearsal needed
Ideal for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day -
Lights Symbols And Angels
$12.95Add to cartLights, Symbols And Angels is a compilation of related worship resources that will enhance the Advent/Christmas worship life of any congregation, large or small.
O Come, Blessed Light Of The World! is ideal for raising awareness of the Advent season for families. Those using the material will learn about the Advent candles, read God’s Word for the day, and have a challenge of action each week. Devotions include a reading, reflection, and prayer.
Celebrating The Advent Wreath is a special Advent service which can be used for mid-week or women’s programs. Reflections on each candle will help participants learn more about the Advent wreath.
Christmas Symbols And Songs is a program which blends sharing the meaning of traditional Christmas symbols with the singing of a variety of carols. It’s excellent for a fellowship potluck, women’s tea or program, mid-week worship service, or an intergenerational event.
Angels Inspire Our Worship is an order of worship with a skit that’s ideal for a youth program. The skit, Hark! It’s Harold And The Angel Band, dramatizes an imaginary encounter between Gabe (the archangel Gabriel disguised as a stock boy), Mr. Grumpy and Mr. Grumpier (old men shopping at Heaven’s Grocery Store), and an angel band led by Harold.
Angels In The Outfield is a resource for a Sunday worship experience, mid-week service, or special Advent program. The worship is designed around the ministry of angels, using a baseball theme with appropriate hymns featuring angels.
A Christmas Celebration is a communion/candlelight service for Christmas Eve with readings, litanies, and carols.
A prolific and enthusiastic writer of worship resources, Cynthia E. Cowen has been an established writer with CSS Publishing Company since 1991. She received a B.A. degree in education from Northern Michigan University and is a graduate of the Northern Great Lakes Synod Lay School for Mission. Cowen has served as a licensed lay minister in the Northern Great Lakes Synod of the ELCA at Calvary Lutheran Church, Quinnesec, Michigan, and is currently a rostered Associate in Ministry in Youth And Family at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, Iron Mountain, Michigan. She was elected to the Executive Board of the Church Wide Women’s Organization of the Women of the ELCA in 1996, and served on its Printed Resources committee.
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Drinking With Saint Nick
$19.99Add to cartRegnery History
Your guide to drinking, entertaining, and spreading good cheer during the Christmas season.
Michael Foley, author of Drinking with the Saints, presents cocktail recipes and wine, beer, and cider recommendations that will keep hearths warm and parties joyful throughout the holidays. With stories about the history of St. Nicholas and other saints, as well as an advent calendar leading up to Christmas, this gift book is a must for anyone who starts stringing lights and playing Christmas music the day after Thanksgiving. Let the Christmas games begin!
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Christmas Classic Celebration
$7.95Add to cartA Christmas Classic Celebration is a unique candlelight service that incorporates scenes of Christmas that are all around us. Popular Christmas songs such as “Silver Bells:” “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” and “Do You Hear What I Hear?” are combined with the traditional Christmas hymns.
Six brief meditations are spaced throughout the service and are given in the place of a sermon.
Easy to present, this service requires no rehearsals or props, yet involves the entire congregation in singing the familiar songs of Christmas while moving from the Annunciation to the joy of Jesus’ birth.
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Word Became Flesh
$7.95Add to cartThis 25-minute Christmas Nativity pageant tells the story of Jesus Christ from creation to present day. The birth of Christ is seen as an event with a much wider scope than an incident that occurred long ago in Bethlehem. This drama is unique in highlighting Jesus’ birth as part of the greater picture of God’s activity throughout history: in creation, in the words of the prophets, in the cross, in the resurrection, and in our world today.
The Word Became Flesh provides drama that is biblically sound, educational, and thought-provoking.
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Hear The Bells Ring
$7.95Add to cartAnyone who has used Cynthia Cowen’s resources knows that they have the following characteristics:
They are complete — everything you need is here;
They require little preparation, rehearsal, or props;
They are theologically sound and spiritually uplifting.Many churches have discovered recently that families wish to include worship in the festivities of their Christmas day. This is the perfect way to do it without requiring a lot of work.
It’s all here: call to worship, Christmas carols, litanies, meditations, scripture readings, and more!
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Coming Home
$12.95Add to cartAfter many years of preaching from the first three chapters of Luke and the first two chapters of Matthew, Frank Ramirez decided to preach about something a little different around Christmastime. What evolved was this series of seven messages for the Sundays beginning with Advent and ending with Epiphany.
Why a sermon series based on the Old Testament book of Haggai? Ramirez writes, “I’ve always been fascinated by the lesser known books of the Old Testament, partly because I’m afraid of being embarrassed in heaven if I don’t recognize some of these people!”
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Legend Of The Poinsetta
$8.99Add to cartIn Mexico, the poinsettia is called flor de la Nochebuenao flower of the Holy Night. At Christmastime, the flower blooms and flourishes, the quite exquisite red stars lighting up the countryside.
A Mexican legend tells how the poinsettia came to be, through a little girl’s unselfish gift to the Christ Child. Tomie dePaola has embraced the legend using his own special feeling for Christmas. His glorious paintings capture not only the brilliant colors of Mexico and its art, but also the excitement of the children preparing for Christmas and the hope of Lucida, who comes to see what makes a gift truly beautiful. -
Martin Luthers Christmas Book
$11.99Add to cartThe pain of childbirth, a defenseless babe lying in a cold manger, the violent slaughter of innocent children—Luther vividly portrayed the human reality surrounding God’s birth on Earth. Featuring 30 excerpts from Luther’s Christmas sermons, along with elegant engravings by Durer, Schongauer, and Altdorfer, this gift edition captures the timeless truths of the Christmas story.
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Advent Christmas Resources For Young And Old
$12.95Add to cartThese resources were carefully selected from almost 100 manuscripts submitted. They were chosen for their creativity and content, but also for their adaptability to churches of any size. None of them require complicated props or settings, nor do any require lengthy rehearsals.
This collection of resources will enliven the worship of any church, involving members young and old in the presentation.
-A Christmas Play: Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room
-A Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service
-A Christmas Program For Children (Or Entire Congregation)
-An Old Fashioned Christmas Pageant
-Two Worship Services For The Christmas Season
-A Worship Service And Choral Reading For Christmas
-A Christmas Play: Mary After The Angel -
Whose Birthday Is It Anyway
$7.95Add to cartFor the small church that does not have a lot of time to prepare, here is an ideal Christmas program and worship service. It can be presented as part of a Sunday School program or Sunday worship service.
The true message of Christmas is spoken through the words of “the friendly beasts,” which include two donkeys, three doves, four cows and four sheep.
This program enables children to become involved in a Christmas project in which they share their Christmas ornaments and angel food cake with the congregation.
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Behold That Star Christmas Anthology
$20.00Add to cartLooking for a fresh collection of stories to usher in the season of joy and giving? For those grown tired of commercialism, who feel that Santa Claus and red-nosed reindeer do not project the true Christmas spirit, this book may be the answer.
Containing little-known classics by old and new masters of the genre, this bestselling anthology includes stories from many lands, interspersed with songs and poems – over half the contents available in English for the first time.
