Advent and Christmas are significant in the life of children and in the church. This toolbox will have ideas, articles, resources, and more for ministry in 2025, as well as general information and ideas that may be adapted for this year.
This toolbox will be updated through November. Ideas are also posted in the Michigan Conference Children’s Ministry Facebook Group.
Holy Moments: Light
Light is an Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany resource for families and congregations from Practical Resources for Churches. All Michigan UM Churches can get the resources at no cost thanks to a partnership between the Michigan Conference & PRC. Use this form to request the resource (you do NOT need to order from PRC)
This page contains a lot of information! Click on the topic you are interested in to jump there.
Christmas Pageant & Christmas Eve Resources
Advent and Christmast Ideas
Advent and Christmas Resources: Worship Bulletins, Devotionals, Christmas Eve virtual resources, Nativity figures and more.
What Color Was Baby Jesus’ Hair? Representing the Christ Child Multiculturally (article from buildfaith.org)
The Michigan Conference recorded a Christmas Day worship service along with resources to go with it. Explore the worship video and resources.
Advent and Christmas Resources from Building Faith
Reverse Advent Calendars
Advent Series and Lesson Plans
A Sanctified Art Advent Series
(These all-church Advent series usually include children’s messages, handouts, family devotionals, and/or Sunday School lessons)
Advent at Home Resources
What Does This Season Mean? Handout for Advent at Home
(This article is from 2020, but may continue to be relevant.)
Devotionals
Salt Project – specifically the Advent resources
Sanctified Art (could be used congregation wide)
Christmas Pageant & Christmas Eve Resources
Christmas Pageant/Christmas Eve Scripts
These can be adapted for a physically distanced worship or pre-recorded for online worship. With all scripts, read through and make adjustments for your congregation before using.
A to Z Christmas Eve Script (easy to adapt)
Christmas Script – Participation Story Part 1 (moderately easy to adapt)
Christmas Participation Story, Part 2
Christmas Cameo Script (more challenging to adapt; it could be stitched together if pre-recorded)
Just a Little Christmas Script (can be recorded and stitched together as a video to share during worship and/or online.)
Recommended by Children’s Ministry Leaders:
Five Little Christmas Dramas for Today’s Kids
The Fumbly Bumbly Angels: Instant Christmas Pageant
‘Twas the Evening of Christmas by Glenys Nellist (read the book or use the story walk for the service, additional resources below)
For additional ideas, email Kathy.
Christmas Eve Tips
- Use glow sticks or LED candles instead of real candles for littles (advantage of glow sticks- they can take something home)
- Kids activity bags for Christmas Eve/Day services – they can take them home – filled with goodies such as Deep Blue Christmas/Advent books, Illustrated Ministry Nativity stickers, crayon packs, etc. Could also do other Christmas Crafts from Oriental Trading!
Christmas Pageant Ideas (from 2020 and can be adapted)
Michigan Conference Children’s Christmas Eve Service (2020)
Advent/Christmas Books for Children and Families
Downloadable Activity Pack to accompany ‘Twas the Season of Advent
Downloadable Activity Pack to accompany ‘Twas the Evening of Christmas including a Story Walk now available.
Additional Resources
Advent Resource from Four Publishers
Advent & Christmas Resources from Paraclete Press
PRCLI Advent & Christmas Resources and Links
The Season of the Nativity by Sybil MacBeth
Let’s Make a Jesse Tree by Darcy James
Advent A to Z: Prayerful and Playful Preparations for Families by John Indermark and Sharon Harding
Liturgical Calendars from the Wesley Bros.
Over 100 Christmas Ideas for Your Children’s Ministry from childrensministry.com
Additional Children’s Books from picturebooktheology.com