Stories and Songs

December 11, 2024

Pastor Doug welcomes the group of parents and families of our Awana boys and girls, as well as members of our church. After his opening prayer, we invite the Awana Sparks and T&T students to the stage.

On this Wednesday night we celebrated our annual "Stories and Songs" emphasis of the Nativity and God's gifts to us associated with Jesus' birth. This year we started the program in a form similar to one of our large group meetings in Awana. This could give the parents a better idea of how our Awana meetings are conducted. The Sparks and T&T Awanas are seated on floor of the stage like they do in the Awana opening session and they respond to a series of gifts designed to correspond with items associated with the gifts to the world related to the Nativity.

For our gathered group of Awana boys and girls, Becky Ridgway reviewed the story of Jesus' birth and the Nativity scene. She is assisted by Teresa Lamb who provided a microphone to an Awana to hear their answer to the question asked and by Tony Mode who picked a name from among the Awanas for their participation.

We also sang Christmas carols about Jesus' birth, led by Timothy Thomas.

The Ananas were directed to observe the wrapped gifts on the front table. Those presents would be used to review the great gifts God gave in the story of the Nativity.

Tony had a box with all the names of the Awanas and he chose one to pick out a gift. The gift was a set of angels wings to represent the coming of the angels to the shepherds.

Becky asked questions to the group about how the gift was related to the story of the Nativity. Teresa provided a microphone so the audience could hear the discussion.

Tony picks another name and another Awana selects a gift.

When the gift was opened, the group discussed its relation to the Nativity story. There were animals from the stable, wise men, and of course Mary, Joseph and Jesus in the manger.

At different points in the Nativity story, a member of the Youth department would read the appropriate scripture description.

We enjoyed the singing of a number of familiar Christmas Carols.

After telling the Nativity story with gift, word, scripture and song, we illustrated it by bringing in the Kindergarten Cubbie group dressed in costumes. Cubbie leaders Donna Rosser and Wanda Willey had prepared them for their entry.

The Cubbies were excited about their part in the program, and it seemed like their parents and families were even more excited.

After the benediction we got the group to pose for families to take pictures.

We praised the Lord for a good time to celebrate the Nativity with the Awana boys and girls and the members of the Youth department. It was a good time of fellowship with the parents and families of the Awanas and Youth.