Make Time to Make a Memory

One of the most important parental duties is making memories for our children that stick for a lifetime.   Those memories help to remind our children who they are and where they came from.  Kids remember the big important moments and things that are repeated.   Advent is one of the most important and powerful times for making spiritual memories.  It is both big, so it get’s their attention, and repeated every year so it becomes a Holy Habit. 

It all starts with the Hanging of the Greens.  We gather at the church, decorate the building, make Chrismons and hang them on the tree.  We also sing the first Christmas Carols of the year.  It is a great time of “Holy Party” as the body of Christ, and a super time to teach our children about the importance of the Christmas season.

This year we are going all out on Chrismon decorations.   We are asking all our families to make at least one Chrismon.   We will pass out patterns and instruction on the Sunday before Hanging of the Greens for you to take home.  If you have children at home get them actively involved in helping.   As you are working on the ornament talk with them about the symbol’s meaning and about Christmas.   We want to encourage spiritual conversations with our children and creating Chrismons as a family is a wonderful way to accomplish that.  Bring the Chrismon to the Hanging of the Greens and put it on our tree during the short service. 

We will close out the Christmas season with our Christmas Eve service.  This is one of the most powerful services of the year.  We will sing Christmas carols, hear the Christmas story and light the Christ candle.  We will turn out all the lights in the sanctuary leaving only the Christ candle as a single ray of hope in the darkness.  From that one candle we will light our candles and pass the light of Christ love to one another proclaiming Jesus is the light of the world! – You won’t want to miss it and don’t forget to invite your friends!

So this Christmas with all the hustle and hassle be sure and make time to make a memory with your children and grandchildren.  Remember…