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SCRIPTURE
Micah 5:2-4
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.
SONG
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.For Christ is born of Mary
and, gathered all above,
while mortals sleep, the angels keep
their watch of wond’ring love.
O morning stars, together
proclaim the holy birth,
and praises sing to God the King,
and peace to men on earth.How silently, how silently
the wondrous gift is giv’n!
So God imparts to human hearts
the blessings of His heav’n.
No ear may hear His coming,
but in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive Him still
the dear Christ enters in.
ACTIVITY
Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, it was prophesied that Bethlehem would be His birthplace. Isn’t it amazing how God planned it down to the details?
Let’s start setting up your village. Find a large shelf, mantle, counter, or table to display your village. You can opt to lay down a roll of thin quilting batting underneath the village to look like snow. Or you can cover your area with brown kraft paper if you want it looking more like a desert.
Lay a string of lights in front of your buildings – or if your buildings have cut out windows, place the lights inside the box buildings.
Now add details to the village. Although the following has materials suggestions, any materials your children choose or that you have on hand will work. Have your kids make trees, fences (with craft sticks), a pond (with blue cellophane), etc. They can build tiny snowmen with cotton balls or craft pom poms, draw and cut out villagers (or paint peg dolls), anything to make the village special and unique, a work of your children’s art.
Leave enough room in the middle of the display for the stable with the manger scene that you will start making tomorrow.
