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The Stations of the Manger idea invites us to take time to pause and reflect on all the components of Advent and the Christmas story.
The season of Advent traditionally begins the Sunday after Thanksgiving and continues on through the celebration of Christmas. Many liturgical churches mark the first day of their calendar year at this time. From readings to candle lighting ceremonies to special music, there are many ways to celebrate Advent in our small churches.
The Advent Season is a season of expectation. It is a season of waiting and watching in preparation for the One who came as a baby in a manger to be the Savior of the world. Christians all over the world celebrate Advent in different ways. The Stations of the Manger idea invites us to take time to pause and reflect on all the components of our Christmas story.
As Christians, we have many different prayer practices and ways to practice spiritual disciplines.
Stations of the Manger invites us to experience some of those practices and disciplines as a way to prepare our hearts for Christ.
One of our passions at Small Church Ministry is helping to equip our members to minister to their church families by sharing new ideas and ways to reach out to them and their communities. Becki Mallozi came up with the idea for Stations of the Manger after doing a Maundy Thursday Stations of the Cross service with a sister church. She was looking for something contemplative to allow families to slow down during the Advent season. Stations of the Manger was created to fill the need for quiet space to really focus on the Christmas story.
The Basic Structure Of This Small Church Advent Event
Advent is a perfect season in the church calendar to try fresh opportunities for ministry and outreach. This idea for Advent is based upon the tradition of the Stations of the Cross, which is practiced during the Lenten season. Stations of the Manger is a fresh twist on a tradition that focuses on the birth of Jesus.
The Stations of the Manger has 5 different stations for families and individuals to move through and participate in different activities and times of reflection. This gathering is a wonderful way for your small church group to slow down and pause during the Advent season. Each station is designed to give people a space to be silent before the Holy Spirit and to reflect on the gift of our Savior.
Stations Of The Manger For Small Churches
- Low-cost
- Simple to set up
- Free downloadable instruction guide
- Easy to plan
- Ideas for children
Ask a friend to help you plan. Choose a volunteer to be the ‘station conductor.’ The conductor is the one who serves as a greeter and guide to the people who participate in your Advent event. All information, needed materials, and detailed instructions are Included in the full downloadable guide.
Celebrate Advent With Prayer Stations
Remember to make your stations accessible for those who may have trouble with stairs or mobility. Each area or room should be set up with Bibles and enough printed copies of the devotions so people can take them home and continue to use them afterward or share them with others if they wish.
There is no need for any type of snacks or hospitality at the end of the event. Becki explains why. “I don’t have any fellowship time following the stations because the stations are meant to be self-guided and contemplative. I invite people to go through the stations at their own pace and then to leave in contemplative silence.” This is a real quiet time before the Lord in anticipation of His coming!
There are certainly many other opportunities for fellowship and hospitality within the church family during the holiday season. The Stations of the Manger event is one space where the focus is placed on the individual discipleship journey being more important than gathering afterward!
How to Promote Your Event
It’s important to think through how to promote small church events. For most events, we put our heart and soul into planning and getting everything ready. A good promotion can help others hear about the amazing things we planned.
- Put announcements in the bulletin
- Post the event on social media
- Make live announcements during the church service
- Host the event with another small church in town to extend your reach and to make connections between the two churches.
- Hang flyers around town.
For professional-looking flyers, create them using free apps like Canva.
Share the information with all your church groups. Place it on your church calendar early. Send out an email blast, and even better, invite people personally. These ways can all be effective in promoting your gathering.
Add Impact To Your Advent Season
Stations of the Manger is a wonderful way for your group to slow down and pause during this Advent season. These prayer stations can have an added impact on our attendees this year when they consider Advent. Each station is designed to give people a space to be silent before the Holy Spirit. A time to model to your children the importance of the true focus of Christmas.
- Works for any size church
- Few volunteers are needed on the day of
- Easy set up
- Simple clean up
- Great for all ages
Try this event at your church and let us know how it goes. We invite you to share and post pictures of your Stations of the Manger event on our Creative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook community!
Encourage Families To Connect To God
Advent is a perfect season in the church calendar to try fresh opportunities for ministry and outreach. Think about how you can use Stations of the Manger at your small church for a fresh twist on a tradition that focuses on the birth of Jesus.
Try these interactive moments. Invite your attendees to read, pray, ponder, and listen for God’s leading as they explore the characters and moments leading to the birth of Christ.
Becki Mallozi, creator of Stations of the Manger Guide, is a storyteller who loves Jesus and enjoys quilting, reading, coffee, and spending time with her family. She lives with her husband, David, and her first child, a six-month-old son, Zachary.
Becki has always loved encouraging families to connect to God, but this Advent season is even more special to her because of being a new parent! Becki wants Zachary to grow up knowing Christmas is more than just mom running around and doing stuff for church. She wants to try and set an example to him of slowing down and making and finding meaning during the Christmas season. Becki serves her church as a solo pastor.
Read More:
Explore Prayer Stations For Your Small Church
