Christmas resource

You might be interested to follow the progress of this new Christmas resource from SGM which presents the Christmas story for teens in a Japanese graphic style.

Christmas Welcome for Students

Can you imagine what it would be like to be in a foreign country during a national holiday when everything closes and people are with their families? Could you share your Christmas with an international student? Two opportunities are below.


From University Chaplain Fiona Haworth:
Most home university students will leave around the 16 December. Staying in the halls of residence during this time can be lonely and isolating. 
Last year Fiona, the chaplain at Worcester Uni, was able to arrange for 23 students to spend Christmas Eve or Christmas Day with families, and for 11 to go to a Christmas Day lunch at Bromyard Road Methodist Church.  It was overwhelmingly successful for both students and hosts.


This Christmas we would like to offer more students the opportunity to experience a traditional British Christmas.  A simple act of hospitality and kindness makes a huge difference to a student's experience of Britain and can lead to lasting friendships. 

If you are able to offer a meal to two, or more, students, ideally on Christmas Day, or would just like to find out more, please get in touch with the Revd Dr Fiona Haworth.   
Fiona can be contacted by email:  f.haworth@worc.ac.uk  Tel:  01905 542327

Stay-at-home Christmas?
Are you staying at home for Christmas? Would you open your home and share Christmas with a student from China, India, or some other part of the world, who would otherwise be stuck at an almost deserted UK university? HOST invites you to give Christmas, perhaps for the first time in their life, to someone who is a guest in this country, who would love to experience your way of life and make your stay-at-home Christmas special. HOST will match you with one or two guests to suit your household. More volunteer hosts are urgently needed for 1-3 days at Christmas, and weekends all year round. Please see http://www.hostuk.org

Merry Christmas one and all!

Christmas resources

If you’re looking for some resources for Christmas why not use the one of recent cinema films either the portrayal of the Biblical events in The Nativity (resources here)or the less reverent but funny and thought-provoking Nativity! (resources free to download here at Damaris.

Grahame Knox at Insight has some good suggestions for resources and Steve Griffiths at YouthworkInternational offers these ideas. Ian Macdonald at Youthblog lists an even more extensive collection of seasonal resources (and will no doubt be updating nearer the time with even more fabulous ideas!)

Check out my Christmas postings from previous years here too.

Seasonal Thoughts

Paul Bayes has flagged up an initiative for Advent/Christmas this year. I know this may seem a long way off but if you fancy getting your church involved in setting up a nativity scene in your local shopping centre, have a look at what it's all about here.

Christmas resources

I know it seems rather early but there are some good Christmas resources for churches over at SGMLifewords. Have a look at the audio visual stuff as well as the crafty creations for children including a finger puppet nativity. Don't miss out seeing the liturgy including some great Advent/Christmas themed prayer stations.

There are some other resources here:

Pesterpower leaflet for families at Christmas.
Some ideas from "downunder"
Lots of ideas from over the years at rejesus.

more as I get them!