On Line Resources for the Christmas Season
- General Resources
- Advent, Christmas and Epiphany Resources on the Web at Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada's "Lift Up Your Hearts".
- Yahoo's Holidays and Observances: Christmas directory page.
- Christmas, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, New Rochelle. Many helpful resources!
- Worship Resources
- Psalms for Advent and Christmas, other Christmas/Advent worship material, Silvia Purdie, 2017.
- Worship Resources for Advent and Christmas, Godspace, 2014.
- The Boy, a stunning film from the Reformed Church in Hungary, 2013.
- " The Best Story: An Imperfect Christmas Eve Pageant," Katherine Willis Pershey, 2013. (Creative Commons)
- A Family Friendly Christmas Eve Service of Lessons and Carols, Carolyn C. Brown, Worshiping with Children, 2012.
- Planning for Advent and Christmas in 2012, Carolyn C. Brown, Worshiping With Children.
- Annotated List of Christmas Carols Children Can Sing in the Sanctuary, Carolyn C. Brown, 2012.
- Advent and Christmas Resources, Rev. Mindi, Rev-o-lution, 2011.
- Worshiping with Children, Planning for the Advent and Christmas Seasons, Including children in the congregation's worship, using the Revised Common Lectionary, Carolyn C. Brown, 2013.
- Worship Planning Resources for Christmas, General Board of Discipleship, United Methodist Church.
- "What Christmas Brings," you tube video, Julian, Fiona, Vianne and Keiran, 2011.
- Worship Resources, Christmas Eve Candlelighting Service, (includes litanies, "artistic elements," etc), Rev. Nancy Townley, Free Resources, Cokesbury Worship Connection.
- Advent and Christmas Worship Resources, John van de Laar, Sacredise.
- A Ceremony of Lessons and Carols, Process & Faith.
- Christmas Resources, prayers, liturgies, etc, Katherine Hawker, Outside the Box.
- Resources for Christmas at Bass Mitchell's Special Days and Services site.
- Services of Lessons and Carols, 1997-2010, at King's College in Cambridge.
- Worship Resources by Lisa Frenz, Mt. Carmel Lutheran Church, Portland, OR.
- "The Places of Christmas," Six Weeks of Service Plans for Advent and Christmas, Margaret Dijkjuis, Reformed Worship.
- "Ordered for Impact: Using the Revised Common Lectionary's Scripture Choices for a Rich Celebration of the Incarnation," Fritz West, Reformed Worship.
- Wellspring Liturgies for Advent & Christmas, Catherine McElhinney and Kathryn Turner, Weekly Wellsprings.
- Big List of Christmas Carols, 2010, annotated suggestions from Natalie Sims, Singing from the Lectionary.
- Prayers on a Theme of Christmas, Christian Prayers & Resources inspired by the Celtic Christian Church.
- How Speaks the Lord?, Anna Shirey, Anna's Hosannas, Kid-Friendly Worship Song for Christmas Season, 2010.
- "Blue Christmas" / Longest Night
- "It's that time again: depression and the holidays," Barbara Lundblad, ON Scripture, Odyssey Networks, 2014. Video: 5 Things You Didn't Know about Depression.
- Blue Christmas: For Those Who Find Rejoicing Hard Work, Ann Scull, Mustard Seeds:
- "Blue Christmas: When Your Days Aren't Merry and Bright," Carl Gregg, Patheos, 2012.
- Hymn and Song Suggestions, Blue Christmas/Longest Night, 2011, annotated suggestions from Natalie Sims, Singing from the Lectionary.
- "Winter Solstice: Blessing for the Longest Night," Jan Richardson, 2011. Use of images.
- Words for Worship - Longest Night / Blue Christmas Order of Worship, The Worship Closet, 2011.
- Blue Christmas, Process & Faith.
- "What Christmas Brings," you tube video, Julian, Fiona, Vianne and Keiran, 2011.
- Blue Christmas/Longest Night Worship With Those Who Mourn, Resources from General Board of Discipleship, United Methodist Church.
- "Comfort Your People, Lord," Blue Christmas hymn by Carlos Wilton, to the tune of "The Coventry Carol," 2011.
- “How Can We Sing a Joyful Song?,”an original hymn by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette for a Blue Christmas service to comfort those grieving during the holidays. Tune: O WALY WALY 8.8.8.8 (“Though I May Speak”).
- "Blue Christmas" service, remembering loved ones. Rev. Kent C. Miller, Trinity Presbyterian Church, Denton TX.
- "Blue Christmas," Ann Fontaine, Episcopal Cafe, 2007.
- A Blue
Christmas Service, Whole People of God, Wood Lake Books.
- Blue Christmas Invitation (.pdf)
- Artwork, Crafts, etc
- Image-links at The Text This Week's Art Concordance:
- Chrismons:
- Christian Ornaments, patterns, shopping list, instructions.
- Rufty's Chrismon Shop
- The Chrismon Project at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Santa Barbara CA.
- Chrismons, Roseville Trinity United Methodist Church, Roseville MI.
- Audrey's Christmas Page, crafts, dramas, recipes, music, etc.
- CHURCH PowerPoint, Christmas, Rev. Dorothy Okray. Free PowerPoint slides for Worship Services.
- Devotionals
- Radiant Hope, Daily Meditations for Advent and Christmas by Pastor Hwa-Young, Glenview United Methodist Church, 2013.
- Red Boots for Christmas and The Puzzle Club. Free children's storybooks, Lutheran Hour Ministries.
- Articles / Reflections:
- "Celebrating the Lights: An Interfaith Christmas Reflection," Paul Raushenbush, 2020.
- "Seasons of Gifts: Preaching Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany," David Lose, Faith Forward, 2013.
- "It's Not about the Baby," Debra Dean Murphy, Intersections, 2011.
- "The Accommodations of Joseph and Mary in Bethlehem: Κατάλυμα in Luke 2.7," Stephen C. Carlson, New Testament Studies, 2010. (pdf)
- "The Manger and the Inn," Kenneth Bailey, PhD, Associates for Biblical Research, 2008.
- "Was Jesus Born in a Stable?" podcast by Mark Goodacre, NT Pod, 2011.
- "The Pastor and the Christmas Story," Gary Byers, Associates for Biblical Research, 2009.
- "Jesus! Enough Already with 'Keeping Christ in Christmas'," Debra Dean Murphy, Intersections, 2010.
- "The Joy - and Ambiguity - of Christmas," Bruce G. Epperly, Patheos, 2010.
- "The Christmas Mirror," Joshua Eli Plaut, Reform Judaism, 2004.
- Finding the Grace in Christmas, Louie Crew, Proclaiming Gospel Justice, The Witness.
- Christmas, Wikipedia.
- "Four Reasons Why Christmas Matters," Timothy Dalrymple, Patheos,2010.
- "Santa Vs. God," Jenell Paris, "Humbug!" Frederick W. Schmidt, "This Christmas, Give Presence," Greg Garrett, "Five Things You Didn't know about the Magi," Brent Landau, Patheos, 2010.
- "Rethink Christmastide," Taylor Burton-Edwards, UMC GBOD.
- "Living in the Shadow of the Manger," Margaret Eletta Guider, O.S.F., (other resources at) "Children," Christian Reflection, The Center for Christian Ethics at Baylor University, 2003.
- "A Celtic Christmas: Celebrating the Sacred in All Creation," Mary Earle, explorefaith.org.
- "In His Mother's Arms: A Christmas Meditation," Andrew Marr, OSB.
- "The Christmas Study Guide," BeliefNet.
- "The Twelve Days of Christmas" as a symbolic catechism.
- "Christmas in a Time of Fiscal Restraint," a bit of serious fun by William R.G. Loader, Uniting Church in Australia.
- Christmas, from the Catholic Encyclopedia.
- "Christ Climbed Down," Lawrence Ferlinghetti, 1958. Theology Today.
- "On Being a Jew at Christmas," Lawrence A. Hoffman, Cross Currents, 1992.
- "Christianity in the Marketplace: Christmas and the Consumer Culture - Joy to (Some of) the World," Leigh Eric Schmidt, Cross Currents, 1992.
- "Santa Claus - St. Nicholas," Greek Customs and Traditions.
