Inside this Issue:

Dates to Remember2Family ServiceOpportunitiesFun Family Outings Teen Devotion Wednesday Night Youth NewsSelf Defense Class Akaloo NewsUpcoming YouthEvents Twelve Days of ChristmasSummer Preview 3 3 4 4 4567 8

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After you’ve unwrapped yourpresents on Christmas morning,spend some time to celebrateChristmas together as a family!You’ll need:* Container to serve as a manger.* Small baby doll or ﬁgurine torepresent Jesus.* Piece of wrapping paper.* Christmas ad from a newspaper,mail or magazine.* Christmas lights.* Map or picture of family.Read Luke 2:1-21 and Matthew2:1-9. Put the baby and containerin the middle of your family. Thebaby in the container representsbaby Jesus. ACTIVITY #1: Sing Away in aManger together - as many versesas you’d like. Spend some timetalking together about the words inthe song.

What do you think the phrase, “away ina manger” means?

The manger waslocated away from other peopleand was not a normal place for ababy. Jesus was born in a place foranimals. Jesus was born inBethlehem away from his hometown of Nazareth. Jesus is God’sson who came from heaven andwas born on earth. As each persongives an answer ask them to movethe baby Jesus and set him downthree paces from the family. Witheach correct answer, the baby Jesuswill move farther and farther away.

We need to get Jesus back here with us! Who can name someone from theChristmas story who knew Jesus was the promised Son of God?

Mary, Joseph,Shepherds, Angels, Wise Men,God, Elizabeth (Mary’s cousin),Simeon and Anna (prophet). Witheach correct answer invite them tomove baby Jesus three steps closeruntil he is back in the middle of the family. ACTIVITY #2: During Christmaswe do things to push Jesus away. Jesus was away in a manger andsometimes he is away fromChristmas. (continued on page 2)

Family Devotion

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherdssaid to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ Sothey went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. ~Luke 2:15-16

LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE RESURRECTION

CHILDREN

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2010 WINTER EDITION

Let’s talk about ways we push Jesus away fromChristmas.

Presents.

Presents help us remember the very special giftthat God gave us on that ﬁrst Christmas day, butsometimes presents push push Jesus away at Christmastime - how? Jealousy over what others receive. Greedover wanting more and more presents. Put the piece of wrapping paper over baby Jesus.

Advertising.

How can TV commercials, store displays,magazine and newspaper ads push Jesus away atChristmas time? The focus becomes buying forourselves or others without ever thinking about Jesus.Commercials make us want more and more stuff, whenwe’re supposed to celebrate Jesus’ birth. (With olderchildren you might put a value on the top three giftsthey are requesting. Then compare that to how muchthe family gives to food baskets, Angel Tree, OperationChristmas child, etc.) Put a Christmas ad from thenewspaper, mail or magazine over Jesus.

Christmas lights.

How can the decorations, lights andSanta Claus push Jesus away at Christmas? A lot of times people display Santa Claus but not Jesus. Santareminds us of the spirit of giving, but without Jesus,Christmas means nothing! We love Santa, but we don’twant Santa to replaced Jesus. Put a string of Christmaslights over the baby Jesus.

Family.

How could family push Jesus away atChristmastime? Complaining, arguing as we travel tosee relatives. Sometimes the stuff (good and bad)happening with family makes us forget to focus on Jesus. What would be different if we thought about Jesus as afamily when we went to visit family far away? Put a mapor picture of family members over the baby Jesus.Now that we’ve thought about all the things that mightcover Jesus this Christmas season, how can we use eachof these items to uncover Jesus?

Family.

We can read the Christmas story together, listenU

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24Christmas Eve Worship5:00

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6Special Epiphany Worship J

24 Annual CongregationalMeeting F

Scout SundayF

14Intergenerational SundaySchool - EpiphanyCelebrationF

17 Ash Wednesday Worship at N

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12-14 All-Georgia(for all 6th-12th graders)

to Christmas songs and/or watch Christmas DVDs while traveling. We could play“Christmas Story” charades with family members. Talk about how Jesus wasinvolved in your life during the past year. Remove the map or picture.

Santa Claus and decorations.

We could drive around the neighborhood looking formanger scenes and stars. How can some Christmas decorations remind us of Jesus?Lights represent Jesus as “light of the world”, evergreen tree represents eternal life…Brainstorm ideas on how to include Santa Clause in the fun without ignoring Jesus.Remove the Christmas lights.

Sale advertisements.

Toys are usually not as cool as they appear in the ads. Being awareand being thoughtful about what we see will keep us from being fooled about thereal meaning of the ad and the real meaning of Christmas. Try to think more aboutgiving than getting. Remove the advertisement.

Wrapping paper.

Angel Tree, Operation Christmas Child and other programs are wayswe can use wrapping paper to make a gift to Jesus. Be thankful for the gifts we get.Put more thought into what I can give others rather than my own wish list. Removethe wrapping paper.Let’s work hard to eliminate the distractions of the holiday so we can see Jesus thisChristmas!Close in prayer and by singing Away in A Manger together again.

Adapted fromwww.famtime.com.

Family Service Opportunities

CHRISTMAS at MUST

Every Christmas, MUST Ministries has a ToyShop. This year, they are especially in need of Secret Santa Shop gifts. In the Secret Santa Shop,children select gifts for their parents - take yourfamily shopping and pick out perfumes/colognes,wallets, candles, gift stationary, small tools kits andknick-knacks. Their second biggest need is itemsfor middle and high school youth, including new,unwrapped hoodies, makeup, electronics, games, jewelry, belts, etc!Donations are needed ASAP, but no later thanDecember 20. If you would like to donate or formore information about the Toyshop pleasecontact Paula Rigsby atprigsby@mustministries.org or call 678-218-4488.

MUST FAMILY MEALS

The MUST Shelter needs your help preparing andserving meals this winter. Your family can preparethe meal on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday. Speciﬁcinstructions are available on the fridge in thekitchen! You can see available dates and sign upon the bulletin board just outside the Gathering Room.T

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The Big Apple Circus brings you anall-new show every year featuring renowned circus artists from aroundthe world. This year's performerscome from America, Armenia, Brazil,Bulgaria, China, England, France,Germany, Italy and Russia! The

performance lasts 2 hours and 5minutes, including intermission.Children under 3 are free whenthen sit on the lap of a paid adult(one child per lap). For moreinformation or to buy tickets, go tohttp://www.bigapplecircus.org /.

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Atlanta’s only snow park, SnowMountain has a 400’ tubing hill and aSnowZone ﬁlled with activities for thewhole family. For more information,or to watch a video of all the fun,check outhttp://www.snowmountainpark.com

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