Sunday before Advent - 21/11/10

Theme: King of the World

READING

Jeremiah chapter 23 verses 1-6

PREPARATION

You need some crown shapes cut out of paper or card, large enough to write on. You may like to turn these into part of a display, so they could be made as a paperchain, or perhaps pegged on a washing line.

You may like to use the song "If I ruled the world" as your entrance or exit music, if you have a recording readily available.

INTRODUCTION

By now you are probably on a countdown to Christmas and can tell how many days it is to go - but can you tell how many days it is to New Year? Collect answers.

Not everyone uses a calendar which begins on 1st January; if you are a Muslim then your New Year's Day will be on 7th December (Al-Hijra), or if you are a Hindu then you had your New Year a few weeks ago on 5th Novemberr when Divali began. For Christians the Church's New Year begins next Sunday (Advent Sunday - four Sundays before Christmas - this year 28th November), so there are actually only *** days to go before we could wish each other "Happy New Year".

THE MESSAGE

In churches the last Sunday of the old year has several special names. One of these is "Christ the King" and all the different readings from the Bible that are used tell how God is going to send new rulers who will look after His people better than the old ones, and that for Christians this is Christ the King.

What would we do if we were made king or queen of the world for the day? What are the laws we would make? What would we tell people to do to make the world a better or nicer place for everyone? Collect suggestions from the assembly and discuss them together. Write key words on your paper crowns.

In a sense these ideas that have been offered by the children are also New Year Resolutions for the world. As (unfortunately) none of them are going to get the chance to really be king of the world, they are not likely to be able to put them into operation on a global scale. However, there may be equivalents you can think of on a school or classroom scenario, and you can ask the children how, for example, "world peace" translates into something they can do in their own lives. It is no good hoping or praying for things to be made right or sorted out by other people if we are not each prepared to look at the way we operate in our own little worlds!

PRAYER

As you celebrate this assembly unhappily there is sure to be fighting somewhere in the world, so prayers for a world which reflects the words you have on your crowns seems very appropriate.

Alternatively, another name for the last Sunday of the Christian Year is "Stir-up Sunday". This name comes from the post communion prayer which is used in the Eucharist on this Sunday, and which housewives traditionally are said to take as an indication to get busy "stirring-up" the Christmas pudding so that it is ready in time for the celebrations. You might like to use a version of the prayer such as the one below:

Stir us up Lord,, so that we may do things which are right and good to the benefit of all mankind, through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen

The actual words are: Stir up, we beseech thee, O lord, the wills of they faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen