Notes to the Preschool Service Director

Come to Bethlehem and See

Notes to the Preschool Service Director

Children ages 3 to 6 will delight in telling the Good News of Jesus’ birth through this simple, yet powerful Christmas service. As teachers and helpers speak about the true meaning of Christmas and model the joy it stirs in Christian hearts, little ones will catch the excitement and eagerly prepare for this special chance to tell about Jesus’ birth.

You can practice many of the components of this service with individuals or small groups of children for several weeks before your first whole-group practice takes place. Here are some ideas that may help you get ready.

· Invite and advertise! CTA provides many free, downloadable pieces suitable for advertising. Visit www.CTAinc.com and click on the “Resource & Idea Center” and then on “Seasonal & Events” to find the downloadables for Come to Bethlehem and See in the Christmas section. They include a coloring page, the full-color artwork for the theme Come to Bethlehem and See, PowerPoint slides showing the pages from the book Come to Bethlehem and See, and more!

· Add simple actions to songs. We have made some suggestions. You can add others or modify ours to fit your setting and traditions. Actions help children memorize words, and they will enhance the presentation of the song for the family members and others who attend.

· Record a CD or mp3s of the speaking parts and songs (CTA’s Resource & Idea Center has audio files of the “Come to Bethlehem and See” song available for you to download for free). Use the recording to teach the children their parts. Let them listen to it during classroom craft times and at other appropriate times. If possible, make a CD for each child to listen to at home and during car time.

· If some songs are unfamiliar, key the titles into your Internet search engine. Suggested songs other than “Come to Bethlehem and See” are public domain and should be easy to find. Note that the new theme song CTA has commissioned just for this service is available on the free resources page. Just follow the directions in the first bullet point above.

· Send words home. Copy the song lyrics and action poem words. Encourage families to help small children practice their parts.

· Use hand motions to help children know what to do. For instance, extend your arms with palms up and raise your arms to indicate children should stand up. To indicate time to sit down, lower your arms with palms down.

· Invite children to illustrate the words they will say throughout the service. Plan to project their drawings on overhead screens as the story unfolds.

· Devise a signal to get everyone’s attention, and teach the children to stop, look at you, and listen when they hear the sound. For example, toot a party horn, jingle some Christmas bells, or simply count down, “Three, two, one. Shhhhhh.”

· Plan the presentation so the audience can easily see the children. Arrange for little ones to remain at the front of the church or auditorium throughout the service. Position tallest children in the back rows and smallest in front—perhaps on low risers or steps. When they are not speaking or singing, they may simply sit down in place.

· Place a manger at center stage. Be sure to allow enough space for all the children to gather around it at the appropriate point in the program.

· Adapt this service to fit your group’s size and setting.

· Print a program for those who attend. CTA provides a free program cover with theme art you can download and customize. Check it out online as described in the first bullet point above.

· After the service, give each child a copy of the book Come to Bethlehem and See (item TBC5SC) to read and enjoy at home.

In the weeks leading up to the service, prepare posters or banners with the letters J-E-S-U-S. If you have access to a projector and screen, plan to project the word JESUS and perhaps also the words to the songs the congregation will sing. If you decide to have the congregation ask the questions listed in the service, plan to project them as well.

Over and over again the children will say, “Come and see.” Help them prepare invitations to hand out at the end of the program, inviting people to your Christmas Eve/Christmas Day services, the elementary program, weekly Sunday services, Sunday school, and other events that will bring them back to learn more about Jesus.

If your group includes some children who are reading independently, consider having them read or memorize some of the speaking parts assigned to the leader.

Because photography can disrupt worship and because movement in the audience may distract the children, too, you might want to offer an alternative for parents and grandparents. Before you begin, announce that all adults will have an opportunity to take pictures of their children near the classroom Christmas tree or at the manger after the service. Then ask that they refrain from taking photos during the program itself.

Come to Bethlehem and See

A Christmas Service for Preschool Children

Let’s go to Bethlehem!

Let’s see this thing that has happened which the Lord has told us about.

Luke 2:15

The leader welcomes everyone and offers a brief opening prayer.

Leader: Today we want to share with you

Good news! (Great news!) And it is true!

Your Savior has come down to earth!

We want to tell you of his birth.

Congregation: Who is this Savior?

(The children will repeat the following refrain several times throughout the service. Each time they say it, display the word JESUS. You can do this in any one of several ways: have five children each hold up a letter, project the letters on a screen, or make and display a banner for each letter.)

Children: His name is JESUS!

Jesus is for you! Jesus is for me! (point out toward audience, point to self)

Come and see! Come and see! (arms outstretched with hands beckoning to come)

Come to Bethlehem and see!

In the Beginning

Leader: God made the world so very fine!

Bright, beautiful—a great design!

But people sinned, and good turned bad.

So now our lives are often sad,

Because we all have sinned.

Children: We all have sinned!

Leader: It broke God’s heart that sin had come

And made life hard for everyone;

He promised that he’d send his Son

So your salvation would be won.

Congregation: Who is God’s Son?

Children: His name is JESUS!

Jesus is for you! Jesus is for me! (point out toward audience, point to self)

Come and see! Come and see! (arms outstretched with hands beckoning to come)

Come to Bethlehem and see!

The Promise

Leader: This promise came long, long ago.

God wanted everyone to know.

Still, when they’d waited (and waited, and WAITED!) for so long,

Some thought, perhaps, they’d heard God wrong.

But God is faithful. God is true.

He does just what he says he’ll do!

We trust him because . . .

Children: God keeps his promises! (point up, clasp hands together)

Song—Jesus Is Coming (tune: “Are You Sleeping, Brother John?”)

Christ is coming! Christ is coming!

Coming soon! Coming soon!

He’s God’s Son, our Savior! He’s God’s Son, our Savior!

Come and see! Come and see!

Congregation: Who is coming?

Children: His name is JESUS!

Jesus is for you! Jesus is for me! (point out toward audience, point to self)

Come and see! Come and see! (arms outstretched with hands beckoning to come)

Come to Bethlehem and see!

Jesus Is Born

An Interactive Action Poem

Leader: Children:

Mary and Joseph walked to town. Walk, walk, walk. (walk in place)

They looked for a place to stay. Look, look, look! (hand over eyes, looking)

The inn was full of people. No room! No room! No room! (shake heads, “no”)

They had to go away. (Sigh and droop heads dejectedly.)

At last they found a place to rest. Rest, rest, rest. (put head on hands as if sleeping)

That’s where the Baby was born. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. (rock the baby in your arms)

They laid him in a manger. Sleep baby, sleep. (put finger to lips; shhhhhhh)

That very first Christmas morn. (Smile and throw hands up in praise!)

Song—Away in a Manger

1. Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,

The little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head.

The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,

The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.

2. The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes,

But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.

I love you, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky,

And stay by my cradle ’til morning is nigh.

3. Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask you to stay

Close by me forever and love me, I pray.

Bless all the dear children in your tender care,

And take us to heaven to live with you there.

Angels and Shepherds

Action Poem

An adult should read these words while the children illustrate, doing the actions indicated.

Some shepherds watched their sheep that night (hand over eyes, looking)

Out on a hill nearby. (point forward, as if to the hill)

When suddenly an angel came! (look up into the sky)

Light filled the dark night sky! (shield eyes from the light)

“Don’t be afraid!” The angel said, (shake head, ‘no’)

“I have good news to share. (two thumbs up)

“Your Savior, Christ the Lord, has come (stretch arms up)

“For people everywhere.” (lower arms toward audience)

Congregation: Who has come?

Children: His name is JESUS!

Jesus is for you! Jesus is for me! (point out toward audience, point to self)

Come and see! Come and see! (arms outstretched with hands beckoning to come)

Come to Bethlehem and see!

Song—O Come, Let Us Adore Him!

The children move from their places to kneel beside the manger, fold their hands, and sing the refrain for “Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful.” Sing it through twice.)

Oh, come let us adore him,

Christ the Lord.

Action Poem

The children return to the stage and illustrate the words below, read by a narrator.

The shepherds ran out to share the news (run in place)

Of Baby Jesus’ birth. (rock the baby)

And very soon that Good News spread (arms moving out slowly)

Across the whole, wide earth! (arms spread wide)

Congregation: What is the Good News the shepherds told?

Children: His name is JESUS!

Jesus is for you! Jesus is for me! (point out toward audience, point to self)

Come and see! Come and see! (arms outstretched with hands beckoning to come)

Come to Bethlehem and see!

Song—Come to Bethlehem and See

We are the shepherds watching our sheep;

Our nights are lonely and long.

One night some angels interrupted our sleep,

And now this is our song:

Refrain

Come to Bethlehem and see!

Come to worship and adore;

He’s the one we’ve waited for.

Come to Bethlehem and see!

We are the animals gathered around,

Looking for something to eat;

But from our manger comes a sweet baby sound.

We don’t know how this could be!

Refrain

We are the millions around the world

Who call this Jesus our King.

This invitation is for ev’ryone:

Come, see and believe!

Refrain

Come to Bethlehem and see!

Go and Tell!

Leader: Our story’s done, but does not end

For Jesus came to be your friend.

He lived and died and rose again

And will forgive your every sin.

Congregation: Who is my friend? Who forgives my sin?

Children: His name is JESUS!

Jesus is for you! Jesus is for me! (point out toward audience, point to self)

Come and see! Come and see! (arms outstretched with hands beckoning to come)

Come to Bethlehem and see!

Closing Song (sung by the congregation as the children exit)

Oh, come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant!

Oh, come, ye, oh, come ye to Bethlehem.

Come and behold him, born the King of angels:

Refrain

Oh, come let us adore him, oh, come let us adore him,

Oh, come let us adore him, Christ the Lord!

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,

Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!

Glory to God in the highest!

Refrain

Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning.
Jesus, to thee be all glory giv’n!
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;
Refrain

As the congregation exits have children distribute the invitations to “come and see” described in the program notes to the director on p. 1.

#TBC5DSP

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The Scripture quotation is from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.