While Shepherds Watched
This can be a season of busyness. It is full of really good things - dinners to attend, celebrations to plan, Christmas treats to make, presents to buy and create, homes to decorate, family and friends to see, extra worship services to attend, traditions to observe. And then, in the midst of all of that, comes the guilt - our kids are getting exhausted from all the wonderful extras, and we aren’t finding the time or energy to make sure they know why we’re celebrating Christmas in the first place. Adding one more thing into all of this just sounds exhausting. So our Building Faith activity for this week is simple. Hopefully this is something that can be an easy, do-able way to breathe as a family and remember a story that really is very simple and human.
Read It
Luke 2: 8-20
8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
-NRSV
Luke 2: 8-20
8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
-NRSV
Do It
Shepherd’s Meal. We learned this tradition from some dear friends, and do it as a family on Christmas Eve, but it would work well on a different day surrounding Christmas as well. Choose an evening to have a Shepherd’s Meal for supper. Sit on the floor (we strap our toddler into a booster on the floor to make the meal possible) and eat by candlelight (use Advent candles if you have them), imagining what it might have been like for the shepherds the night they were visited by the angels. Eat food they could have eaten - bread, cheese, hummus, dried fruit, nuts, pomegranates, and olives are simple options. If all you do is say what you’re doing and eat together by candlelight, it’s a success. If your children are able to engage in more ways, here are some ideas:
*Do some imagining about that evening - what were the shepherds doing when the sky was filled with that light?
*Read the story of Jesus’ birth from the Bible (Luke 2:1-20)
*Sing a few carols (Away in a Manger, Silent Night, or Angels We Have Heard on High are good options)
Shepherd’s Meal. We learned this tradition from some dear friends, and do it as a family on Christmas Eve, but it would work well on a different day surrounding Christmas as well. Choose an evening to have a Shepherd’s Meal for supper. Sit on the floor (we strap our toddler into a booster on the floor to make the meal possible) and eat by candlelight (use Advent candles if you have them), imagining what it might have been like for the shepherds the night they were visited by the angels. Eat food they could have eaten - bread, cheese, hummus, dried fruit, nuts, pomegranates, and olives are simple options. If all you do is say what you’re doing and eat together by candlelight, it’s a success. If your children are able to engage in more ways, here are some ideas:
*Do some imagining about that evening - what were the shepherds doing when the sky was filled with that light?
*Read the story of Jesus’ birth from the Bible (Luke 2:1-20)
*Sing a few carols (Away in a Manger, Silent Night, or Angels We Have Heard on High are good options)
Pray It
God, thank you for the way you come to each of us, wherever we are and whatever we’re doing. You told the good news to the shepherds when they were working in the fields, when they were smelly and dirty. You loved them just as they were and wanted them to know that Jesus came for them. Thank you for loving us and sending Jesus to bring your light to the world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
God, thank you for the way you come to each of us, wherever we are and whatever we’re doing. You told the good news to the shepherds when they were working in the fields, when they were smelly and dirty. You loved them just as they were and wanted them to know that Jesus came for them. Thank you for loving us and sending Jesus to bring your light to the world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Extras
Here are two ideas for a “Bethlehem Dinner” - similar to the Shepherd’s Meal concept:
http://pollyanna-reinvents.blogspot.com/2012/12/bethlehem-dinner-for-christmas-eve.html
http://www.havingfunathome.com/2008/12/journey-to-bethlehem-dinner.html
Here are two ideas for a “Bethlehem Dinner” - similar to the Shepherd’s Meal concept:
http://pollyanna-reinvents.blogspot.com/2012/12/bethlehem-dinner-for-christmas-eve.html
http://www.havingfunathome.com/2008/12/journey-to-bethlehem-dinner.html
