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MD2

Joseph DearestMary Mine

A Christmas Service for the Very Young

Leader’s Guide

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MD2 3

Leader’s Guide



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By Alayne Smith. Poem by David Mead. Cover image: Shutterstock. Illustrations by Sally Beck and Diane Sato Kodelja. © 2015 by

Creative Communications for the Parish, 1564 Fencorp Dr., Fenton, MO 63026. 800-325-9414. www.creativecommunications.com.

All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. Purchase of this kit gives the purchaser the copyright release to use the material in any

format for use in worship.

Index

About the Service ........................................................................................................... 5

Newsletter/Bulletin notices ..........................................................................................6

Order of Service ........................................................................................................ 7-10

Script .......................................................................................................................... 11-17

Notes And Suggestions ..........................................................................................18-30

Music Guide ..............................................................................................................31-43



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About the ServiceIdeal for preschoolers and kindergartners, this service features all the girls in the starring role of Mary and all the boys starring as Joseph, all the while keeping the focus on the Baby Jesus. The object lesson tells the story of God’s love for us and includes directions for an easy-to-construct manger. The kit contains the script, handouts, music and many additional suggestions for scenery, costumes and props.

The CD includes a PDF of prayers, sermon, script, notes, suggestions and music as well as the text files of the entire kit in .rtf (rich text format) with a copyright release and a PowerPoint document with text for use on screens.

Printed Bulletin (8 1/2 x 11) MD2A

Blank Bulletin (8 1/2 x 11) MD2B

Call Creative Communications for the Parish at 1-800-325-9414, or visit us on the web at www.creativecommunications.com for current pricing and availability.



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Newsletter/Bulletin Notices

Newsletter Notice

Join us for Joseph Dearest, Mary Mine, a very special Christmas service for the very young in which all the girls get to play the starring role of Mary and all the boys star as Joseph. While keeping the focus squarely on the Baby Jesus, this service tells the story of God’s love for us in the Savior with the staging of a manger scene, simple songs sung

to familiar tunes and a fun-to-make manger craft for everyone in attendance to take home. Bring the whole family to watch the youngest among us present the Christmas

Gospel in a way only they can!

Bulletin NoticeThank you for joining us for Joseph Dearest, Mary Mine, a very special Christmas

service in which all the girls get to play the starring role of Mary and all the boys star as Joseph. Celebrate the story of God’s love for us in the Savior as the youngest among us stage a manger scene, sing fun songs and present the Christmas Gospel in a way only

they can!



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MD2 11

Script

• The Call to Worship is spoken responsively by the pastor and the congregation:

P In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C Amen.

P Unto us a Child is born.

C Unto us a Son is given.

P This child is Christ, our God and Lord.

C This child is the Savior of the world.

P This child is born for everyone. Oh come, let us adore him.

C Yes! Let us adore him, Christ the Lord!



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• The Processional Hymn is sung by the congregation and the children to the tune Adeste Fideles irregular. Children can process in and sit up front during the singing of this song. Girls are dressed as Mary and are holding Baby Jesus dolls. Boys are dressed as Joseph:

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant! O come, ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;

Come and behold him born the king of angels; O come, let us adore him, O come let us adore him.

O 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: O come, let us adore him, O come let us adore him.


Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning; Jesus, to thee be glory giv’n;

Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing! O come, let us adore him, O come let us adore him.


• The Object Lesson is delivered by the pastor or other worship leader:

Objects needed: 1.) A large manger that can be taken apart and reassembled easily; directions on pages 19-24; 2.) Hay—real hay or shredded yellow paper; 3.) Manger handouts for each

child; see page 25 (no page number shown).

P Our Bible verse for today is Matthew 1:21: “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” We are here today to tell the Christmas story. Every Christmas story has angels, shepherds, wise men, animals and, of course, Mary, Joseph and the Baby Jesus. Mary and Joseph are such an important part of the story that we wanted to give all of the girls a chance to be Mary, and all the boys, Joseph. All of our Marys are holding babies right now, and I’m sure the real Mary held her baby, too. When it was time for everybody to sleep, Mary and Joseph used a manger for Jesus’ bed. A manger looks something like this (hold up or display the manger). It is really a big feeding dish for animals; the food goes in here. Perhaps there was hay in this manger for the cows to eat (put hay in the manger). Because cows and other animals are taller than cats and dogs, their food had to be up higher, so the manger had legs like this.

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Our Bible verse tells us that Mary will give birth to a Son, and he will save his people from their sins. Baby Jesus slept in a manger. (Ask one of the Marys to come forward and put her baby in the manger. She can remain next to you to take the baby back later.) But Jesus grew up. He was a little child, just your size. Then he grew to be a man, and he taught all the people about God. He told everybody how much God loved them.

The Bible also tells us that God loved us so much that he kept his promise to send a Savior. Jesus was that Savior who died for us. (Hand the baby back to Mary, remove the end pieces from the manger, turn them so that they form a cross and hold them up. See diagram on page 20.) Jesus died on a cross, and rose again from the dead, and he made it possible for us to have eternal life with him. Someday we will live forever with him in heaven.

Now you will all help to tell the Christmas story as Mary and Joseph with Baby Jesus. And after the program you will all get a little manger with the Baby Jesus (show handout). Jesus is holding his fingers like this (make a peace sign). This means peace. Jesus came to bring peace. (Take the baby and rock him in your arms.) Sleep in heavenly peace, dear Jesus. (Return Mary’s baby and reassemble the manger for the rest of the program as the service proceeds. Mary can rejoin the other children.)

• The Prayer is delivered by the pastor or other worship leader, phrase by phrase, with each phrase repeated by the congregation:

P Let’s pray together; I will say the words and I want you to repeat them after me: Dear Jesus,

C Dear Jesus,

P we thank you

C we thank you

P for loving us.

C for loving us.

P We thank you

C We thank you

P for giving us everything we need.

C for giving us everything we need.

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P We thank you

C We thank you

P for saving us.

C for saving us.

P Bless us

C Bless us

P and be near us,

C and be near us,

P dear Jesus.

C dear Jesus.

P Amen.

C Amen.

• A Song is sung by the congregation and the children to the tune Stille Nacht 66 88 66:

Silent night, holy night! All is calm, all is bright Round yon virgin mother and child. Holy infant, so tender and mild,

Sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight; Glories stream from heaven afar, heav’nly hosts sing, Alleluia!

Christ, the Savior, is born! Christ, the Savior, is born!

Silent night, holy night! Son of God, love’s pure light Radiant beams from thy holy face with the dawn of redeeming grace,

Jesus, Lord, at thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

• A Recitation is spoken by a reader:

R The dusty streets of Bethlehem were filled with people. They had come from far away to register, so that the king could count everyone he ruled. Mary and Joseph came to Bethlehem, too. Mary was going to have a baby! The donkey carried her through the city, clippity-clop, clippity-clop. Joseph tried to get a room at the inn, knock-knock!

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MD2 15

Joseph and Mary were tired. They had been traveling for a very long time. A stable was the only place they could find to spend the night. During the night, God kept his promise. Jesus was born to be the Savior of the world.

• A Song is sung by the children to the tune of “My Darling Clementine,” as they do the motions as indicated. (Girls will need to set their dolls down, and all the children should stand. They can sing this whole song twice, if you wish.)

In a manger, in a stable (put fingertips together to make a pointy roof) In a land so far away (put hand on forehead as if looking far away)

Mary loves the Baby Jesus. (girls pretend to rock babies) He is born on Christmas Day. (hands sweep open)

In a manger, in a stable (put finger to lips like the sign for “shhh!”) In a bed of yellow hay (rest head on hands to one side)

Joseph loves the Baby Jesus. (boys pretend to rock babies) He is born on Christmas Day. (hands sweep open)

Baby Jesus, Baby Jesus, (all children pretend to rock babies in their arms) Baby Jesus, born today, (hands sweep open to embrace congregation)

You will love us all forever. (fold arms across chest) Thank you, God, for Christmas Day. (raise arms up to heaven)

• A Recitation is spoken by a reader, the girls and the boys:

R Mary gently wrapped Baby Jesus in soft cloths, and laid him in the manger. (Girls pick their babies up again.) The animals that lived in the stable stood by quietly, helping to keep Mary, Joseph and the Baby Jesus nice and warm.

Girls: Joseph, dearest Joseph mine, Help me cradle the child divine.

(Girls give the babies to the boys to hold.)

Boys: Mary, dearest Mary mine, I will cradle the child divine.

(Boys give the babies back to the girls to hold.)

R Suddenly, angels filled the sky! What a surprise to the shepherds who were watching their lambs out in the field! The angels told the shepherds that the Savior had been born. The shepherds ran like the wind to find the stable.

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Tune ........................................................................................ Antioch CM and refrain

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Antioch CM

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MD2 43

• The Closing Hymn is sung by the congregation and the children to the tune Antioch CM and refrain. Children can remain up front during this hymn for parents to take pictures at the end of the service:

Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King; Let ev’ry heart prepare him room and heav’n and nature sing,

And heav’n and nature sing, and heav’n, and heav’n and nature sing.

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns! Let all their songs employ, While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

He rules the world with truth and grace and makes the nations prove The glories of his righteousness and wonders of his love,

And wonders of his love, and wonders, wonders of his love.

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