For many children in our city the answer to the question ‘What is Christmas all about?’ is a lot to do with food, presents and parties. And if the nativity does come to mind, they may well be thinking more about wayward sheep and itchy angel halos than Jesus.
The BCM Children’s Team, this year as ever, has been delivering Christmas assemblies and lessons that help children and their teachers to discover more of the joy and wonder of Christmas.
This year the theme was ‘Waiting for the King’, telling the story of the angels and shepherds and how baby Jesus was the king God’s people were all waiting for. We thought about how this baby was the one promised, in David’s line, born in David’s city, born in a special way, to do a special job.
All our Christmas assembly bookings were for in-person visits at last! With the increase of Covid cases in some schools, bubbles were reinstated and doors closed to visitors, but we were still able to give in-person 14 assemblies in 8 schools, and delivered a virtual assembly to 4 more schools. One school tweeted, ‘Another brilliant assembly this morning from Birmingham City Mission. The children enjoyed listening to the story of Jesus’ long-awaited birth and especially the quiz at the end!’
Physically or virtually, however this wonderful Christmas story was heard, please pray that it was a blessing to all.
Kathryn Hindley, Children’s Team Co-ordinator
The Youth Team also presented the Christmas story through assemblies and lessons, live and virtually, across 34 secondary schools, including several schools that were new to them.
The virtual option has meant that schools which cannot accommodate the team, or vice versa, still got to hear the message. There were some great opportunities to share about the person of Jesus Christ. One boy asked, ‘How do you know this story happened?’ Others asked about the trinity and whether Jesus really died. A teacher told us and his class, ‘I have really been made to think what it is I am celebrating at Christmas.’
Please pray that the young people and their teachers would ponder these things in their hearts and minds.
John Platt, Youth Team Co-ordinator
This term’s Fulfil youth event for 11 to 18s will be on Friday 11th March.
