Christmas Classroom Liturgy

Preparation
Place: School hall
Feast: Christmas
Focus: The Birth of Jesus
Group: Year 5/6
Resources/Props:

Nativity Scene OR: candles to symbolise the

characters in the Nativity (in symbols section)
Prayer table
Christmas lights (white)
Catholic Bible
Smart board or whiteboard

How will the

symbols be
displayed/used?

In preparation of the liturgy, Year 5/6 students will

prepare the hall as follows:
Lay white fabric on the table at the front of the hall
Jesus: white candle
Mary: blue candle
Joseph: royal blue candle (Jesus, Mary and Joseph
placed in the centre of the fabric laid on the
prayer table)
Angels: yellow candles placed in crystal holders (or
similar) behind Mary and Joseph
The Shepherds: shades of green candles placed in
wooden holders, to the left of the Angels
The Three Wise Men: silver candles placed to the
right of the Angels

Introductory Rites

Welcome
Students will be
gather around the
prayer table, or in
front of it.

Teacher:
Welcome to our Year 5/6 liturgy. We gather here
today to celebrate the Birth of Jesus. Today is
Christmas Eve and we have gathered as part of
Gods family to celebrate in the joy of Christmas.
Christmas is a season when we celebrate that God
is with us - Emmanuel!
Teacher will light the candles of the nativity scene.

Readers - students

To symbolise the light of Christ, we have placed

white fabric on our prayer table and decorated the
hall with white Christmas lights. The candles
symbolise the Nativity scene, when God sent his
Son, Jesus, to bring light into our world of
darkness.
We gather here in the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Gathering Hymn

Everyone stands.
O Little Town of Bethlehem
O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight
Everyone is seated.

Opening Prayer
Reader 1:
Readers - students
Gracious God,
With joy and thanksgiving we gather as your
people.
We have come to hear again the timeless story of
Christ's birth.
Reader 2:
In the excitement of this night, quiet our hearts
that we may know the peace and fullness of this
holy time.
Reader 3:
Shine, O Light, in the darkness of our world.
Sing, O angels, in the stillness of our hearts,
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace
among those God favours."
This we pray in the name of the Child of
Bethlehem.
All: Amen.

Liturgy of the Word

Readings

Reader 4:
A reading from the Gospel of Luke 2: 8-14

That night in the fields near Bethlehem some

shepherds were guarding their sheep. All at once
an angel came down to them from the Lord, and
the brightness of the Lords glory flashed around
them.
The shepherds were frightened. But the angel said,
Dont be afraid! I have good news for you, which
will
make everyone happy. This very day in King
Davids hometown a Saviour was born for you. He
is Christ the Lord. You will know who he is, because
you will find him dressed in baby clothes and lying
This will be displayed on a bed of hay.
on the Samrtboard
Suddenly many other angels came down from
heaven
and joined in praising God. They said: Praise God
in heaven!
Peace on earth to everyone who pleases God.
Gospel Acclamation:
Glory and praise to you Lord Jesus Christ,
God loved us so and sent Jesus for us,
The light of the world will follow in our life,
Glory and praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
Share, Reflect, Respond
Teacher:
This will be displayed Let us reflect on ways which you have all
on the Smartboard
witnessed your peers being bearers of Christs
light. Make a prayer card completing the sentence:
you were a bearer of Christs light when...
Students will present these prayer cards to their
peers in a prayerful and reflective way.
Go and Tell

This will be displayed Lords Prayer

Our Father, Who art in heaven
on the Smartboard
Hallowed be Thy Name;
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Concluding Prayer
Merciful God, we confess that often we find
darkness more comfortable than light.
We confess that we find your good news
frightening and unsettling,
especially when we consider its demands as well
as its promises.
We confess that Christmas has become more to us
than the birthday of the Christ,
partly because we do not want a Christ-Child in our
lives or in our world.
Forgive us, break us, bend us, remake us.
Give us the courage to lay ourselves open to the
wonder and healing of your coming.
Be born again into our world, be born again into
our hearts and lives.
Hear now our silent and personal confessions as
we prepare ourselves for your nativity.
Reader:
We make this prayer through Christ, our Lord.
All: Amen.

Concluding Hymn

Silent Night
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
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Saviour is born
Christ, the Saviour 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 "