Easy Children's Christmas Program: The Proclamations

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Check out this simple children’s Christmas program, perfect for a small church children’s ministry. No rehearsals & no memorizing required! Here’s an easy, uncomplicated way to highlight children in the Christmas season during a worship service. As long as you have a few older readers or willing teens, you’ll be ready to go in no time.

If you’re in a small church with few children, we get it! You want to show off the kids at Christmastime, but thinking about trying to pull off a play or a program makes you anxious (for good reason!) and maybe even a little nauseous.

Here’s the best news about this one:

No group rehearsals required
No memorizing
There are no costumes to sew
No dates to add to anyone’s calendar
And still … a great message!

For The Youngers

Invite all the youngers to come and join for two songs they are already familiar with: “Away in a Manger” & “Joy to the World”! We suggest playing a track with other children singing to make it easier and more fun too.

They do NOT need to attend a rehearsal. While you certainly can practice ahead of time if you choose, please invite any children who are attending the day it happens to come up front and join in the singing.

If you have early readers who will be singing, make some cue cards on poster board with the words to hold out in front. Otherwise, just have fun cueing them with some actions.

For The Olders

Whether you have 2 readers or more, this is gonna work just fine!

You can easily use just 2 readers alternating these parts. But if you have 8 readers, give them each one of the proclamations to read. Use only willing kiddos; please don’t stress anyone out or coerce them. If your olders don’t want to read, utilize their help leading the youngers in song!

I suggest two microphones on stands, all set up and ready, so the readings alternate back and forth between the two spaces. It makes for a smoother transition between readers and readings.

Print out these readings early if possible so they can practice a little on their own at home. If you can enlist parent support, all the better!

Call Them All Up Front

Before you begin, call all the kiddos in the church up front. Sit them facing your readers so everyone can pay attention! When it’s time for the youngers to sing, just have them stand right where they are and face the congregation to sing. And then sit them down (right where they are) for the next short set of readings.

Looking for a step-by-step to starting or restarting your children’s ministry?

Check out the Children’s Ministry Bundle For Small Churches!

Your Easy-Peasy Christmas Program: The Proclamations

Your Children’s Leader Starts The Program With This:

“Who knows what a proclamation is? Have you ever heard the word ‘proclaim’? Well, when Jesus came, there was lots of proclaiming! Here’s what we know … “

Reading 1: The Angel Gabriel Proclaimed About John The Baptist

The angel, Gabriel, proclaimed to Zechariah that his son, John the Baptist, would prepare people for the coming of Jesus. “Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:16-17)

Reading 2: The Angel Gabriel Proclaimed About Jesus

The angel Gabriel proclaimed to the virgin Mary that she would give birth to the Savior Jesus. “You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:31-33)

Reading 3: Elizabeth Proclaimed About Jesus

Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, proclaimed that Mary carried the Lord in her womb. Even before his birth, John the Baptist made a unique proclamation about Jesus by leaping in his mother’s womb. “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.’” (Luke 1: 41-44)

Reading 4: Mary Proclaimed About God

Mary proclaimed the great thing God had done in choosing her to give birth to Jesus. “And Mary said: ‘My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name.’” (Luke 1:46-49)

Song: Away In A Manger (Youngers Sing)

Reading 5: Zechariah Proclaimed About Jesus

Zechariah, father of John the Baptist, proclaimed his praise that Jesus would be the Redeemer and Savior. “‘Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago).’” (Luke 1: 68-70)

Reading 6: An Angel Proclaimed About Jesus

An angel proclaimed to Joseph that Jesus was conceived from the Holy Spirit and would save his people. “An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’” (Matthew 1: 20-21)

Reading 7: The Prophet Isaiah Proclaimed Too

Over 700 years before Christ, the prophet Isaiah proclaimed that the Holy One of Israel would one day be among the people. Let us sing for joy that Jesus did indeed come to live with man! “Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.” (Isaiah 12:6)

Song: Joy To The World (Youngers Sing)

Reading 8: Our Proclamation

So with all this proclamation going on … we want to invite you now to proclaim to each other. Please stand up … get out of your seats … and take a few minutes to greet each other … proclaiming the JOY we have found this Christmas season!

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