Living Advent Wreath Lesson

Opening Song: We used "He Reigns" again... same as last lesson. (See post 11/17).

Today for our lesson I wanted to teach the children some of the symbolism of the Advent wreath. I decided to use students to create a living wreath, and so I contacted a local t-shirt printing business to ask them if they had some old t-shirts that they could donate to me in green, pink, and purple. I was lucky to receive 8 dark green shirts, 3 purple, and one pink -- all that I needed!

Before the lesson started, I selected several little kindergarten and first grade students, gave each one a green shirt and instructed them to put it on over their clothes. I told them I would call them up when the time was right. I then looked for some taller 3rd and 4th grade students to give my purple and pink shirts because I wanted the candles to stand taller than the wreath.

I started the lesson by asking the students what they noticed different about the decoration in our church last week (when we didn't have class due to Thanksgiving) and this week. Right away they pointed out that there is an enormous wreath hanging on the wall of the sanctuary. I asked them if they knew what it was called, and they called out, "Advent wreath!" I then continued: That's right! It's an advent wreath. And today I wanted to teach you a little lesson about the advent wreath and what it symbolizes or stands for. I have enlisted the help of some volunteers to come on up and help me to teach this to you, so could I please have the boys and girls who are wearing the special green t-shirts I gave you come forward? (I then asked them all to join hands and make a large circle). Here is our advent wreath, boys and girls! Now, would someone please tell me where this wreath begins? Hmm... nobody knows? Well, then, let's try to see if someone can tell me where it ends? What? Is this little girl the end? No? How about this boy? No! Well, you are right: this wreath has no beginning and no ending. And do you know what? That represents something for us: it represents God and God's Love and Jesus's Love. Do you know that God has no beginning and no ending? He always was, and he will always be. And it's the same way with his love for us... always was, always will be. So, the reason we use a wreath at Advent is to symbolize no beginning and no ending, just like God. Now, we have our wreath: what is missing? ("Candles!"they call out). You're right! How many candles? (4!) Ok, then, could I have my four candles please come forward? (I have the four students in the purple and pink shirts come forward, go into the center of the wreath and position them appropriately.) Now we have our four candles: three purple and one pink! Let's take a look at each candle and see what they mean. The first candle we lit last weekend. (As I say this, I took a headband out of construction paper on which I had attached an orange paper 'flame', and I place it on the head of the first purple-shirt child). This first candle is called the PROPHECY candle. Can you all say that big, long, million-dollar word: PROPHECY? Very good. Now, let me explain what a prophecy is. Have you ever heard about people who "know the future" or are "psychic" or even called "fortune tellers?" Well, there were people back in the Old Testament times who could foretell the future, and we called them prophets. These prophets, especially one named Isaiah, always told that there would be a messiah coming - a savior coming. And who is the Messiah? (Jesus!) Right! So we light the first candle, called the prophecy candle, to remind us that the prophets told us that our Messiah, Jesus, would be coming! One more time, what candle is this? (The prophecy candle!) Very good!

So this week it is time to light the second candle. (Put the flame headband on the second child's head). This candle is called the LOVE candle. That's an easy word, so you say it: LOVE candle! Now, there is nobody on this earth, and there never will be, who loves you as much as God loves you. He loves us SO MUCH that he came as Jesus to live among people on Earth and to die on the cross for us. That is LOVE! Raise your hand if God loves you! That's right: every single hand in here is raised high because God loves you so, so much! So, this week's candle is what? The LOVE candle!

Now, next week is my personal favorite candle - it's the PINK candle, and we call it the JOY candle! (Place headband 'flame' on child's head). That's another easy one to say, so let me hear you: JOY candle. Now, why are we so full of joy next week? Is it because the priests are going to be wearing pink? Haha! Of course not, even though they will be wearing pink, but the joy is that it is getting really, really, really close to CHRISTMAS! The JOY candle reminds us that we only have one more week to go, and then it will be time to celebrate the birth of our savior! I know that you all just love Christmas, and I know that you feel the JOY about that too, so next week when we light this pink candle you will all remember that it's the Joy candle because Christmas is almost here!

Finally we have our last purple candle. This candle is called the PEACE candle. (Put headband 'flame' on child's head). Let me hear you all say, "PEACE!" (Here I hold up two fingers in the sign of Peace and I say it with a voice kind of like a rapper says, "Peace-out." The students have fun imitating that kind of PEACE with their fingers). That's right. It's the PEACE candle, because it comes the week before the Prince of Peace is born. Have you ever heard Jesus called the Prince of Peace? That's another of the names we call him: Prince of Peace, Messiah, Emmanuel ... and of course Son of God! So when we light this last candle on the Advent wreath, it's time to really take a deep breath, relax, and experience the peace of this holy season, because Jesus is coming next week!

OK, so let's review this: Candle one is the? (prophecy candle!) And candle two? (love candle) Candle three is? (The joy candle) And last of all, candle four is? (Peace candle!) VERY GOOD!

Do any of you have an Advent wreath in your homes? I do too! At my house we light the Advent candle at our dinner table each night. And instead of saying grace before meals, we sing a special song as we light it. I want to teach that song to you today, and maybe you can teach it to your family to sing when you light your Advent wreath. It's called "Come, Come Emmanuel." Remember, Emmanuel is another way to call Jesus, so we are asking Jesus to come when we sing that song. (I use the song Come, Come Emmanuel by Steve Angrisano. I just teach them the refrain singing acapella, have them echo me line-by-line, and then put it all together while we sing and light the advent wreath that is on the stage).


Closing Minute To Win It: I used the game "Christmas Ball" found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYI078KqIN4 To choose my contestant today, I asked the boys and girls to remember our last lesson about "Whatsoever you do for the least of my people" and asked if any of them had done anything in the time since our last gathering to help feed the hungry, clothe the naked, etc.

It was really a fun, great lesson this week! If you have any questions, feel free to contact me directly at jtruitt@stolivers.com!