Christingle Christmas

A minister friend, who was born in England, told me about the Christingle and with the details she gave me and doing an internet search, I gathered the following information that may help others have a Christingle Christmas.

Christingle Means

"Christ Child" in German. It is a fruit craft and ceremony that includes a candle (light of the world).

Christingle History

The Christingle has its origins in a Moravian children's service held in a castle in Germany on Christmas Eve in 1747.

The bishop conducting the informal service gave each child a lighted candle, tied with a red ribbon, in memory of the Saviour's coming which he said has kindled a flame in each heart which keeps burning "to His joy, and our happiness".

Christingle Today

Much later, this simple candle was replaced by a more elaborate Christingle which is rich in symbolism.

The modern Christingle consists of (I've added scripture readings to be read as you make the Christingle):

• an orange . . . representing the world
  Scripture: Genesis 1:1; Psalm 24:1; Jeremiah 32:17
• a red ribbon, tied round the orange . . . representing the blood of Jesus OR the love of God encompassing the entire earth
  Scripture: John 3:16; Psalm 119:64; John 15:12
• four toothpicks - North, South, East & West representing the four seasons
  *see note at end of lesson for alternative to toothpicks
  Scripture: Psalm 107:2,3
• fruits and sweets (raisins & small candies), skewered on 4 cocktail sticks (toothpicks) which are pushed into the orange . . . representing God's good gifts - the fruits of the earth and the four seasons
  Scripture: Genesis 1:3,4; Genesis 1:29
• a small cross-shaped cut: The cross on which Christ died for our sins, into this cut is place the candle
  Scripture: Genesis 3:4-6; Romans 3:23; Romans 5:8
• a lighted candle, pushed into the centre of the orange . . . representing Christ, the light of the world (can use a small white candle with foil or a birthday candle with holder)
  Scripture: John 1:1-5

Some online resources:

• From the Children's Society in the UK: What is Christingle?
  https://www.childrenssociety.o.../what-is-christingle
• Christingle Crafts & Games https://turtonmoorlandteam.co....ts_and_games.pdf.pdf
• Christingle Art & Crafts
  http://www.going4growth.com/do...Crafts_and_Games.pdf
• Bob Hartman A Christingle/Nativity Rhyming Mash-Up! http://www.going4growth.com/do...istingle_Mash_Up.pdf
• A Sparkly Christingle Talk!
  https://reverendally.org/2014/...ur-christingle-talk/
• A School's Christingle Assembly Idea
  http://flamecreativekids.blogs...tingle-assembly.html

We hold the CHRISTINGLE
The sign of the World
The Fruits of the earth
On its four points are curled
We say "Thank You" to God
For sending His Son
And the candles are lit
To remind everyone
Of a baby called JESUS
Born in the night
To rescue mankind out of darkness to LIGHT.

* Toothpick alternative - was shopping in the grocery store and picked up a package of "Plastic Heart Picks" name brand 'Diamond' –you get 120 picks in a clear container with a lid. One end of the pick is shaped in an arrow, the other heart shaped. Nice as you have only one sharp end, so the candies won't slide off the heart end. I also tested them on a tangerine and they slide in nicely.

Hand-Paint Baby Jesus Rocks
& hide them around your community

A parent shared the idea from a small village in Europe.  Someone painted baby Jesus on smooth stones and placed them around town where people will find them: on a park bench, a counter, an ATM...on the back is a verse about the birth of Jesus.  Our youth group paints the rocks.  The rocks are later taken by families who attend our Hanging of the Greens advent service.  Families then scatter them into our community and leave rocks around for others to find...and it's all done with no names left except the scripture verse on the bottom.  You could leave a card about your church.  It seems every age group is loving this project more each year. We buy a bag of landscape rocks from a stone supplier.  They are Mexican beach pebbles. Here's the story link from Europe.  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new...nted-baby-Jesus.html  

Blessings, Heidi

Questions ask by Luanne:

1. "What is the scripture verse you put on the bottom?
2. Do you paint it on?
3. Do you have a picture to post of the back of the stone?

Heidi's Answers:

1. First, we wash the rocks and let them dry.
2. Paint a white oval and let dry.
3. Use a fingerprint, q-tip or small paintbrush to paint the flesh tone face and let dry.  Using a sharpie, outline with black.
4. We write a scripture about the birth of the Christ child with a sharpie such as Luke 2:9-12, or Matthew 1:21, or Isaiah 7:14.  Any of those kind of verses, we mix it up. Then whoever finds it will hopefully look it up and read the verse!  (These can be written on tissue as well and glued to the back aka decoupaged.)

The 6th grade Confirmation class helped paint the white circles.  The youth group painted the faces and outlines baby Jesus then writes a scripture on the back.   This would be a great job for senior citizens to do also!  

The rocks are given out to the congregation at the conclusion of the Hanging of the Greens worship service on the first Sunday in Advent in the evening.  Their directions are to go spread the Baby Jesus rocks around town for others to discover!  People of the congregation go about town and hide them.

Lots of unique and funny stories about deciding where to hide the rocks and perhaps getting caught leaving it!  Plus, they seem to be hidden all over the church campus, too which makes me smile!   Plus, usually, there are a few at the bottom of my purse!  lol

We loved this project!

Blessings, Heidi

Neil adds "Tips for Painting Rocks"

Great tips for painting rocks, best types of rocks, paints, brushes, paint pens sealing, etc.

http://paintingrocks.blogspot....s-for-beginners.html

Who knew you could buy bags of "Caribbean Beach Stones" on Amazon!

FYI: Supporting Members can see the Writing Team's "Rocks Will Sing" Palm Sunday Story Stones Workshop which uses decorated rocks in a lesson to tell the story.