How to Survive Advent and Christmas

As worship leaders and church musicians, it's often hard for us to enjoy the Advent and Christmas season.  We're busy with all kinds of special concerts and worship services, as well as our own family holiday events.  And sometimes this busyness leads to illness that keeps us from those special events or makes surviving them miserable.  Perhaps more than any other time during the year, we need to make sure that we are taking care of ourselves -- both physically and spiritually.

So I offer to you some ideas to help you survive this busy season in hopes that it will help you center yourself so that you can be your best self for yourself, your family, and your church.

1.  Plan, plan, plan!  It may be too late for this year, but the best thing you can do is plan well enough in advance so that you have all of your special concert and worship service details taken care of.  This means selection of music, instrumentalists, seating charts, blocking if you're using drama, decorations, visuals (banners/PowerPoint), costumes for dramas, check requests submitted for instrumentalists, etc.

2.  Start your day by centering yourself.  If you don't already, start your day with a devotional.  Allow yourself that time first thing in the morning to clear your mind and feed yourself spiritually.  You can't be your best or the spiritual leader that your music ministry or church needs if you are running on empty spiritually.

3.  Ask for help.  Don't be a "lone ranger."  Ask people in your music ministry to take on simple organizational tasks that will free you up to do the things that only you can do.

4.  Debrief.  After the season is over, debrief and look at all of the special concerts and worship services that you planned.  What worked?  What didn't?  Is there something that you could have done differently?  Start planning for the next season -- Lent -- and do the same thing:  plan, start your day with devotion, and ask for help.

As you know, this year Christmas Day falls on a Sunday.  For those of you trying to figure out what to do for your Christmas Sunday morning worship service, here is an Order of Worship for Christmas Day that we will be using at our church.  There are many online sources to find the stories behind these Christmas carols.  I used the book "Amazing Grace:  366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions" by Kenneth Osbeck and the Hymnary.org website.  The Call to Worship, Lighting of Advent & Christmas Candles, Prayer of Adoration & Confession, and Declaration of Forgiveness are from the Revised Common Lectionary Resources page by David Beswick.  The Offertory Prayer is from the United Church of Christ website.  And the Prayer of Dedication and Benediction are from "leading worship" blog by Carol Penner.

Prelude & Welcome

Call to Worship and LIGHTING THE ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS CANDLES
Leader:  After counting the weeks of Advent we have come to Christmas Day.
People:  The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness-- on them light has shined.
[Four colored candles are lit first and then the white candle, and reading continues.]
Leader:  The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
People:  And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the             glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.

*Opening Carol:  Joy to the World


*PRAYER OF ADORATION and CONFESSION
Loving God, we have not loved you with all our heart or served you with all our strength; we have been blind to the vision of a renewed world. In your mercy, Lord, pardon and restore us, that we may recover the love you have given to us in Jesus Christ. Remembering his birth, death and resurrection, we may serve you with joy all the days of our life. Amen.

*DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS
Leader:  God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.   
Hear then Christ's word of grace to us:   
Your sins are forgiven.
People:  Thanks be to God.

Offering:  When the shepherds heard the Good News the angels brought, they responded by going to see God's great gift of Jesus, and by glorifying and praising God. In the same way, we respond to the amazing things God is doing when we bring our gifts, too, praising God and giving God glory.

Offertory

Doxology

Prayer of Dedication: 

            God of great wonders,
            we join with you in the joy of this season of giving,
            You gave us a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
            You give us life and breath, you fill the world with beauty,
            our hands with bounty, and our hearts with the desire to give.
            Accept these gifts, and ourselves in service always, in every season. Amen.

 Christmas Carol Sing

Story:  "Good Christian Friends, Rejoice"
Carol:  Good Christian Friends, Rejoice

Scripture:  Luke 2:1-5
Story:  "O Little Town of Bethlehem"
Carol:  O Little Town of Bethlehem - vs. 1

Scripture:  Luke 2:6-9
Story:  "Angels From the Realms of Glory"
Carol:  Angels From the Realms of Glory

Scripture:  Luke 2:10-14
Story:  "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing"
Carol:  Hark! the Herald Angels Sing - vs. 1

Scripture:  Luke 2:15-19
Story:  "What Child Is This?"
Carol:  What Child Is This? - vs. 1 & 2

Scripture:  Luke 2:20
Closing Carol:  O Come, All Ye Faithful

Benediction:

Leader:  Merry Christmas, my friends! God has spoken his most joyful word of grace, mercy and peace!

People:  Mary gave birth to her first-born son, wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in  a manger.

Leader:  Go out into this day delighting in your kinship with God’s Son.

People:  Glory to God in the highest, and earth peace and goodwill.

Go Tell It On the Mountain (Refrain)

Postlude