Category Archives: Blog

2016 Family Advent Devotional Booklet

Advent is a perfect time to come together as a family daily and prepare for the coming of Christ. In the rush and worry of Christmas, we often forget to hear and see what God is doing all around us. Pausing, hearing anew the prophesies and stories of watchful waiting remind us what exactly it is we are waiting for. Sharing our thoughts, prayers, and joys with one another helps us all grow in faith and faithfulness together.

Attached is a easy to use advent devotional booklet written particularly for families with children. Each day, following the lectionary texts, families are invited to pause, pray, read scripture, and discuss together a variety of themes over the four weeks of Advent. Each week there are additional songs, storybooks and activities that draw families in to the traditional themes of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love as they move towards the day of Jesus’ birth.

The file attached has been laid out as a document for assembling as a booklet. Because of this when you open the file you will see that it doesn’t make a lot of sense if you read it as is – it is only when it is assembled as a booklet that it ‘reads’ logically. If you only want only one copy of the booklet, print out the file as a double-sided, short-side, 5 page document, and then fold it into a devotional booklet and staple on the fold (much like a bulletin looks). Or, if you want multiple copies of the booklet for distribution to your congregation, print it out as a single-sided set of 10 pages and then photocopy these using the double-sided setting on your photocopier, fold into a booklet and staple down the middle seam. If you are printing the file single-sided for photocopying you will see that the second page is blank. This page needs to stay in your set as it is the blank inside cover page and if it is removed all of the other pages go out of order.

If there is a problem please don’t hesitate to email or call me for some help (647-348-0879, torismit@gmail.com).

Enjoy this very special time together as you grow in knowledge and faith as you anticipate this great coming of Christ into our lives and our world.

  Click here for the Advent Devotional Booklet file

A Bibliography of Children’s Christmas Books

The following is a list of beautifully written and wonderfully illustrated children’s picture books that tell the story of the birth of Jesus and unwrap some of the major themes of the Advent and Christmas season. Each of these books are suitable for reading during worship, Sunday school, at home or as a beautiful gift for a child. I have sorted the books under headings that might help you think about which books would work for your church or family.

Most of these books are readily available at Chapters/Indigo or other bookstores with good children’s book sections, and are also available for download on Kindle/Kobo.

If your church collects warm mittens and hats during this season

Mittens to Share by Emil Sher.
A child playing outside in the snow loses her mittens and digs through the mitten box filled with all sorts of shapes and sizes of mittens and is able to go back outside to play in the snow

Advent 1 – Year A – Waiting and Preparing for Jesus to Come

Who Is Coming To Our House by Joseph Slate.
All of the animals in the stable prepare a cozy welcome for baby Jesus

Waiting by Kevin Henkes.
Each of the toys on the nursery room window are waiting for something. Then a cat with patches joins them on the window ledge. She didn’t seem to be waiting for anything, until one day the thing she was waiting for is revealed.

The Man With the Violin by Kathy Stinson
This true story of musician Joshua Bell takes place when a little boy witnesses Joshua playing his violin in a Washington subway station. No one notices the musician except the little boy who is filled with the music he hears and dances with delight. Watchfulness at what is being displayed around us reminds us of our need to wait with our eyes and ears open.

Advent 2 – Year A – Peaceable Kingdom and Welcoming Others

Room for Little One: A Christmas Tale by Martin Waddell.
On a cold winter’s night one by one animals make their way to the warm stable and make room for each other, until all of them make room for Mary and Joseph and their baby. Take note of each of the animals and wonder how each animal was able to welcome another who they would normally not be with.

God’s Dream by Archbishop Desmond Tutu
This story opens with children wondering what God dreams about. The story tells of God’s dream of people getting along even when they are different. Sometimes we don’t get along, but even then God dreams that we will not get angry or hurt one another. The children then wonder how God’s dream can come true. If you are reading this in worship you may want to read a limited number of pages from the book to keep within time limits.

Last Stop On Market Street by Matt de la Pena.
As CJ and his Nana ride the bus after church, going across town to volunteer in a soup kitchen, CJ wonders why they have to go by the bus. Nana reveals to CJ the beauty of all of the people on their bus as each person shares with the others their music, compliments, and experiences. Through the bus ride and his time at the soup kitchen CJ discovers how his Nana sees things differently.

Advent 3 – Year A – Joy and Joy Shared With Others

Great Joy by Kate DiCamillo.
This beautiful book shares the story of a little girl who watches an organ grinder and his monkey out in the cold of the city. She wants to invite the man in, but is discouraged by her mother. She invites the man to her church Christmas play, and when he arrives she bursts out her line of great joy.

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathon Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski.
A gloomy wood carver arrives in the town and is approached by a woman and her son to have him carve a nativity set that was lost some years ago. Through a number of visits and kindnesses the man becomes friendly and teaches the boy how to carve as the boy teaches the man about his most loved figures in the nativity.

Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett.
A little girl discovers a box full of yarn of every colour. As she knits sweaters and hats and mittens for everyone, every creature and even the buildings of her village the town brightens with her work. The box never runs out of wool until it is stolen by an archduke who wants it all for himself. He opens the box to find it empty, but when the box returns to the little girl the knitting carries on.

The Night Gardener by the Jan Brothers
In the darkness of the night the trees of the town are slowly being transformed into beautiful shapes by someone unknown. William must discover who is doing all of this. After waiting all night William spots the night gardener and is invited to share in the work that brings joy to the town.

Advent 4 – Year A – Love Shared

Beautiful Hands by Kathryn Otoshi.
Vibrantly painted handprints come together to display pictures of all of the wonderful things hands can do to share love with the world. Simply told and colourfully illustrated this book is a great conversation starter for how we display our love with the world.

Plant a Kiss by Amy Krouse Rosenthal.
In this simple book a little girl plants a kiss, and then tends and waters it day and night and waits for it to bloom. Her friends come to see it as it blossoms, but caution her against sharing it because of it’s rare nature. She ignores their words and spreads her love with everyone. All this from one simple kiss!

Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts.
Jeremy wants the black high tops with two white strips, but hi Grandma reminds him what he really needs is boots for the winter. Everyone else has them, well almost everyone. In the end he gets the boots, but finds the high tops in the thrift shop for only $2.50 and buys them with his own money. Just because they are too small doesn’t matter – he’ll stretch them. But his friend Antonio needs shoes, and his feet are smaller, and so Jermey gives his precious high tops to his friend.

Christmas Day, Epiphany, and the Flight to Egypt

The Friendly Beasts: An Old English Christmas Carol by Tomie dePaola.
Through strong images and words of the this Christmas melody the story of the birth of the baby is retold.

One Wintry Night by Ruth Bell Graham
Caught in a snow storm in the mountains of North Carolina, Zeb Morris is taken in by a woman to wait out the weather. Sitting down in front of the fire Zeb’s host retells the story of Christmas beginning with creation, sharing highlights of the Noah’s Ark, Moses and God’s chosen people, Samuel, David, and the prophets. Mary and Joseph are both visited by the angel and together they travel to Bethlehem where Jesus is born. The book concludes with the crucifixion and the resurrection as Zeb hears how this little baby could save the world. The artwork in this longer, chapter book is absolutely incredible and a page or two could be lifted from book to tell just a piece of the story while showing the art to draw listeners in.

To Whom the Angel Spoke: A Story of the Christmas by Terry Kay.
In this story of three very different shepherds with very different feelings, a voice interrupts their evening to tell them of the birth of Jesus. Unifying belief brings them together to celebrate the thing they all believe together.

A Shepherds Gift by Mary Calhoun
Matthew sets out to find his lost sheep and is lead to the stable with a gentle couple and their new baby.

The Grumpy Shepherd by Paddy Devon.
Joram is a habitual grouch until he is faced with the words of an angel telling the shepherds about the birth of Jesus. His sadness and loneliness are changed to love and hope when he meets Jesus.

Jesus, the Word by Mark Francisco Bozzuti-Jones.
This beautifully written and illustrated book retells John’s prologue (John 1:1-4, 14) and encourages the contemplation of the question, “Who is Jesus?”

Refuge by Anne Booth.
This gentle retelling of the nativity focus’ particularly on the flight to Egypt with the search for finding kindness in the strange places and among the people they will meet. The dream of Joseph to go is shared in the story, but the particular reason for going to a new land is not revealed – they just need to go and found refuge in the welcome of Egypt.

Click here for a printable file of this bibliography

Milestones: Back-To-School

As parents do pirouettes in the aisles of the local Staples singing, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” we recognize that the last few days of the summer are now upon us and soon the ‘real’ first day of the new year is about to occur. It’s ‘Back to School’ time in Canada, and students, parents and teachers are all getting ready for this event.

In the homes of our church families many annual rituals are now taking place; parents are out shopping with their kids, hunting for outfits that will fit and impress, backpacks are being dug through to establish what needs to be replaced, and what will do, and lunch box worthy foods are being assembled to ensure students are energized for their upcoming days of school. At home, children are beginning to go to bed a little earlier each evening to become acclimatized to the demands of an early morning rush to get everyone out the door on time for school buses and walks to school. Teachers are putting together lesson plans and decorating classrooms to be welcoming and educational.

Some students are looking forward to this brand new school year, while others may be worrying about what this year might bring. Will they like their new teacher(s)? Will their teacher(s) like them? Will they do well, or will the challenge of new learning feel like a constant up uphill battle? Will they get on the school team this year, or will they face disappointment. Will some of their very best friends be in their class(es), or will that person who bugged them every day be sitting in the desk next to them. For most students the first day of school is a complex mix of all of the above.

Where is the church in all of these preparations, celebrations, and anxious anticipation? As a church we are often great at marking significant religious events in people’s lives, but we sometimes forget to also offer rituals for the other significant events or milestones in the lives of our people. Back-to-School is a great opportunity for the church to mark this significant event in the lives of our children and youth and anchor this occasion in the activity of God. Rituals surrounding the special moments of our lives remind us of who we are and what God has done in our lives. As we celebrate this story with our families we place it into God’s story and our children hear that this aspect of their lives is important to God and to us. We remind our children that God goes with them as they return to school and that the church values and cares for them as they enter into this new year. Adults of the church are also reminded to care for the children and youth of the church and to be present in all of the events of their lives.

So what can we do to mark this great milestone. We begin in community worship the first Sunday after Labour Day weekend and acknowledge this event in our corporate prayers, stories, and preaching. Most importantly we must pray with and for our students as they head off to school. We need to give thanks for God’s activity in all of the events of the lives of our students and particularly for God’s care and presence as our children head off to school. Pray for growing wisdom, safe places, anxieties relieved, opportunities to care for others, fun and joy in learning vocation and for the teachers that will guide, teach and mentor our students. A file with a few samples of a few litanies for this Sunday are attached below.

In addition to prayer, many churches are beginning to add a ‘Blessing of the Backpacks’ ritual on this Sunday. Students (and even teachers) are invited to bring their packed backpacks to worship on the first Sunday of the school year and come forward to be blessed along with their backpacks. A children’s message that helps to anchor their activity in school as their vocation and remind them that God is present with them in all of the aspects of their lives helps children to see themselves as children of God in all things and to bring their faith and faithful activity to school with them. As they and their backpacks are blessed, consider also giving each child a small token reminder of this day as a gift from the church. A button or key ring that has a symbol of God’s love on it could be attached on the outside or inside of their backpack as a constant reminder that they are loved by God and their church community. A link to a blog posting on the backpack blessings can be found at the end of this article.

In addition to blessing the backpacks of the students of the church, consider also gathering good quality new school supplies and backpacks to be given to children who are unable to have these new and much-needed items as they return to school as well. These packed bags could be given to a local shelter that welcomes children or even a nearby school or teacher from your congregation to distribute as needed.

As you introduce this new ritual to your September calendar take note of what was welcomed by church and what might be improved upon for next year. Begin to think of what you might do next year, remembering that while our rituals may be tweaked each year the repetition of ritual itself is significant. Such rituals have ‘staying power’ and shape us and our experience of God’s presence in our lives.

Click here for Back-To-School Litanies

Link to Litany of the Backpacks

Some additional thoughts and ideas for Back-To-School