Introduction
Our churches and cathedral will, as always, be seeking to make the most of the opportunity December brings to share The Joy of Christmas with their communities.
The great joy of Christmas, of course, is the good news the angel declared to the shepherds – the news of Jesus’ birth as Emmanuel (God With Us).
Social media content
Start thinking about ideas for content now – whether that’s graphics, creative ideas, or videos.
Perhaps there are some posts you can get started on, scheduling them in advance. Our wide range of downloadable icons, templates and graphics will help you easily create attractive social media content.
Plan what you’ll share and when – from Bible verses and prayers, to videos of behind the scenes moments as you prepare for Christmas, inviting members of your congregation to share their stories and highlighting your community outreach.
Download the Digital Promo Planner to help you share your Advent and Christmas events online this year.
Get the planner and read about how it can help you and your church.
Resources for churches
- Brand guidelines and logos: To help you use The Joy of Christmas logos and other assets in materials you produce, making the most of these attractive new designs. Brand guidelines, plus logo packs for digital and print in PNG, JPG and EPS formats are available now to download.
- Get our largest ever selection of downloadable resources: Including activity sheets for children, digital Christmas card templates, icons, social media covers and templates, ‘What’s On’ and ‘Keep in Touch’ flyer templates, poster templates, and PowerPoint templates from AChurchNearYou.com (login required).
- A directory of resources for use at home, church and school: Provided by members of the Parachurch Organisations Network of the Growing Faith Foundation, be inspired by this range of resources for children, young people and families.
- Christmas episodes from the Cheeky Pandas: These free resources feature cartoons, songs and Bible stories to help you engage the children in your church with the Christmas story.
- Advent reflections content outline: To help you plan how you might use the reflections with your congregation, an outline of the daily reflections and themes.
- Digital Labs blogs: Advent and Christmas blogs with resources, how-to guides and advice on design and social media to help you and your church throughout this busy period.
Resources for individuals
- Reflections via email: Sign up to our Christmas reflection emails and receive daily messages straight to your inbox. Our daily emails will offer Bible readings, short reflections and a practical challenge, as well as prayers linked to weekly themes.
- Downloadable reflections for 11-15 year olds: Following the same themes and Bible verses as our Advent reflections for adults, these bite-size daily reflections for young people written by Lucy Rycroft can be downloaded in full colour or black and white. A four-week session plan for youth groups using the reflections together is also available to be downloaded.
- Daily reflections via Everyday Faith app: You can read and listen to daily Advent and Christmas reflections from December 1st through the Everyday Faith app, the daily devotional app from the Church of England, which is available to download here.
- Women of the Nativity: A collection of nine imagined stories told from the perspective of women, written by Paula Gooder, recreating the events of the Nativity. Listen here.
- Online services: Can’t make it to church this Advent and Christmas? Watch the national CofE weekly online worship services from across the Church of England and worship with us this festive season.
Resources for schools
- Four weeks of collective worship resource materials is available from the National Society for Education for use by schools during Advent. The resources unpack the theme of ‘The Joy of Christmas’ and include activities, prayers, practical actions and videos. Sign up now to get access to this resource.
- Weekly Advent activity and colouring sheets
More Resources
The Grumpy Owl and the Joy of Christmas
To help schools and churches share the joy of Christmas with children and families, a heart-warming retelling of the Christmas story. Illustrated by Jago, the award-winning illustrator of The Jesus Storybook Bible. The Grumpy Owl and the Joy of Christmas tells the story of Jesus’ birth through the eyes of an owl who seems determined to miss all the excitement.
Supporting digital resources to support schools, churches and households can be found here.
This wonderful story from Jonathan Maltz and Christopher Poch is published as a picture book from Church House Publishing and is available now.
Advent: O Come, Emmanuel
To help congregations to prepare for the joy of Christmas, a unique Advent resource exploring the symbolism behind the hymn ‘O Come Emmanuel’.
With daily reflections by Jane Williams, Chris Russell, Esther Prior, Philip North, Muthuraj Swamy, Tanya Marlow and David Hoyle, O Come Emmanuel is available as a full-colour book from Church House Publishing (published September 1st). You can view downloadable sample pages here. The reflections will also appear on the Everyday Faith app from December 1st to 24th, accompanied by a range of online music, artwork and creative suggestions for local use. You can download an outline of these reflections, including themes and Bible verses.
For more than a thousand years, Christians have prepared for the nativity of Christ with the Advent Antiphons – an ancient and rich tapestry of biblical titles for Christ – on which the much-loved hymn O Come, O Come Emmanuel is based. Find out more here.
Twelve Joys of Christmas
To help all who will engage with church this Christmas enter deeper into prayer, a set of funny and profound reflections for the festive period. This year, The Very Rev Nicholas Papadopulos, the Dean of Salisbury, explores twelve classic hallmarks of the festive season – from Christmas jumpers to the Pantomime – in search of a deeper truth about the good news of God’s love.
The Church House Publishing booklet Twelve Joys of Christmas: Meditations for Christmas and the New Year is available to order individually, in discounted packs of 10 or packs of 50 and in LARGE PRINT. These printed versions – ideal for giving away at Advent and Christmas services – will be accompanied by free digital versions in the Everyday Faith app, and printed prayer cards to point visitors and worshippers to them. Sample pages of the booklet are available here.
God Became Like Me?
A new book, produced by Scripture Union for children, tells the Christmas story through a poetic retelling of why Jesus came, how much he loves us and how he is always there for us. It features stunning line illustrations for children to colour in while reflecting on the words.
Churches can order as many as they like for free. They would be great to give out as a gift to children and families at Christmas services and events – maybe with an invitation to come back to church again!
For more information click here.
Customised Christmas videos
Promote your Christmas services using video, without any hassle! GoChatter have launched a website that provides 12 customisable Christmas videos that can be used by parishes to promote their Christmas services. They require ZERO video production experience, and can be created in just 5 minutes. They're not expensive to download (around £4 per video), and can be used across most social media platforms. Click here to find out more, and produce your first video.
