By now I hope you’ve heard the name of the Advent/Christmas resource that I’m launching in two weeks: An Illustrated Advent: Engaging Activities for the Season. I’m both nervous and excited to complete this resource and get it to you! The more time I spend with it, the more excited I am by the possibilities that it brings to churches and families. You see, there will be a Church Edition (for churches) and a Family Edition (for…yup: families!). They can both be used independently of each other, but they will also work really well together. When you buy the church edition, you’re going to receive a promo code for 25% off the Family Edition. That is a code that you can send out in your children’s and youth ministry weekly emails, and families can purchase the family edition to use at home during Advent and Christmas.
Some people have been asking what will included in An Illustrated Advent. To be honest, that’s probably still a bit of a moving target, but here is what I am hoping to have included in two weeks:
An Illustrated Advent: Engaging Activities for the Season – Church Edition
- A short introduction to Advent and ideas on how to use the enclosed materials
- Five Illustrated Children’s Moments (based on the RCL Gospel texts for Advent, and then one for the Sunday after Christmas)
- Five Worship Activity Sheets for Advent and the Sunday after Christmas
- One 11×17 Advent poster that can be printed and placed in classrooms or bulletin boards (I know you all have bulletin boards you have to decorate). It can also be used digitally during worship or on your website.
An Illustrated Advent: Engaging Activities for the Season – Family Edition
- A short introduction to Advent and ideas on how to use the enclosed materials
- Four engaging weekly family devotions that can be done around the table or at bedtime
- Four coloring sheets that go through the story of Jesus’ birth
- Flat Wise Men: think Flat Stanley meets the Elf on the Shelf. Here’s a new, fun way to engage your kids during Advent. Hide the Flat Wise Men in different places around your house – slowly making your way to the Christmas tree (or wherever your presents show up on Christmas morning). A fun way for them to have to look for something around the house that is a little different than a creepy elf watching your every move, ready to report back if you’ve been good or bad. (Full Disclaimer: I own an Elf on the Shelf)
- Advent Calendar Activity Guide: An Advent calendar that provides daily activities from December 1 – December 24 that children can do on their own, or with their families.
In addition to these two resources, I will be selling the coloring pages and posters that you’ve been seeing and hearing about. We all know the adult coloring craze is most definitely a thing right now – so this could be the perfect opportunity to get your congregation (or your family) more involved in this fun intergenerational activity that everyone can participate in.
Alright…I can already hear what you’re saying right now: “LESS talk, MORE drawing!” Alright, alright. Let me leave you with a few photos of the process involved so far in creating An Illustrated Advent.
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