Messy Christingle

This year we ran our Christingle in our messy church service PPP - people, prayers and potatoes.  I wanted to break out of the formal Christingle service we've been using with mixed success over the past few years and I'm really pleased with how this worked; it was a lot of fun. With 26 children, 24 adults and 2 leaders we made 30 Christingles. 

Here are the leaders notes.
12.00 - people arrive
Two craft tables at the back to make Christingles, stars and stained glass windows with tissue paper.

12.20 - congregate at the front
Introduction:
Jesus was born to bring light into the darkness.  Today we remember the story of Jesus' birth when the light came into earth.

Invite the children to bring their Christingles and crafts to the front so we can all see them.

"Look at your amazing creations; you have made these Christingles, stars and stained glass windows.  What an amazing gift God gives us to allow us to have such creativity and of course he also gave us the massive gift of his creation of the world."

Sing #396 -  it was on a starry night

Talk about the Christingle
Talk through the different symbolism of the Christingle's orange, fruits, ribbon and candle:
Here is an orange to represent ..... Jupiter? Snowmen? Smiley faces? Sun?
Here is a candle to represent ..... Heat? Warmth? Tall people? Statues?
Here are the fruit to represent ..... Children? Sweets? Rubbish?
Here is the ribbon to represent ..... post boxes? Trains? Fire engines?

The kids can all shout out the real answers but just keep smiling and being silly.

Then ask the children of they can help us really understand the Christingle:
- A lighted candle (symbolising Jesus, the Light of the World),
- an orange (representing the world),
- a red ribbon (indicating the blood of Christ and a big hug for the world)
- and four cocktail sticks with fruit and sweets (symbols of God’s creation.)

How amazing that something you've made yourself reminds us of how God created the world and gave us Jesus and loves us so much that he died for us all, surrounding us with his love and still lighting all the dark places in the world and in our lives even today.

The Children's Society works with God to bring love and light to children who are in dark places, and that's what the money raised today will go towards. So let's light the candles, make a donation for the children's society and sing.

Light the Christingles and sing in darkness
#65 - go tell it on a mountain

Pray together
When all the Christingles are lit, invite everyone to enjoy a moment of reflection to look at the light in the darkness and say something private to Jesus.

Dear Jesus
Thank you for coming and being the light of the world for everyone.  Please be with all the children who are lonely or sad or ill this Christmas and let them see your light.

Lords Prayer

Sing
#12 - away in a manger

Blow out the candles, turn on the lights and invite everyone to put their Christingle down in front of them.

Blessing and invite to share lunch

Xxxxxxxx

If you'd like to include a poem, here's a poem I wrote about our Christingle this year.