Guests at Our Tables: Celebrating Advent During a Pandemic

Posted by Liz Perraud at

Sample session here

Full sessions and all Advent resources here

Advent through Epiphany season is a great time to invite special “guests” into homes to celebrate the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us—special people and saints from around the world and across centuries that were impacted by the birth of Jesus Christ.

All God’s Children: The Church Family Gathers for Advent, Christmas & Epiphany was created to gather generations together at the church to celebrate the season over a series of weeks. With minor adaptations, the celebrations work well for households to do at home—either gathering their own supplies or having a church leader create pick-up kits for them.

Each celebration stands alone and is sold separately. The resource is downloadable so can be emailed to all in the church. We ask that you please not post the PDF(s) to a public page on your church website.

Consider planning some church-wide video calls with those who have done this at home, or have households record videos or take pictures to share their experiences and deepen your community.

The introduction and the Eating and Playing Together sessions of “Saint Andrew” are available as a sample of the series.

A Guest at Our Table: Saint Andrew (Advent)
Eating Together: Scotland-themed traditions (w/decorations, menu, blessing)
Playing Together: Make a Saint Andrew’s Cross ornament
Studying God’s Word Together: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 and John 6:1-13, reflection topics
Praying Together: Lighting the Advent candle, song, prayer

A Guest at Our Table: Saint Nicholas (Advent)
Eating Together: Dutch-themed traditions (w/decorations, menu, blessing)
Playing Together: Make a Saint Nicholas puppet, treat bags for local food pantry
Studying God’s Word Together: 2 Peter 3:8-15a, reflection topics
Praying Together: Lighting the Advent candle, song, prayer

A Guest at Our Table: Saint Lucia (Advent)
Eating Together: Swedish-themed traditions (w/decorations, menu, blessing)
Playing Together: Create a Faith Poem, woven heart basket ornaments
Studying God’s Word Together: John 1:5-8, 19-28, reflection topics
Praying Together: Lighting the Advent candle, song, prayer

A Guest at Our Table: Mary and Joseph (Advent)
Eating Together: Mexico-themed traditions (w/decorations, menu, blessing)
Playing Together: Las Posadas procession, luminaries
Studying God’s Word Together: Luke 1:26-38, 2:1-7, reflection topics
Praying Together: Lighting the Advent candle, song, prayer

A Guest at Our Table: Jesus (Christmas)
Eating Together: International-themed traditions (w/decorations, menu, blessing)
Playing Together: Record stories of family Christmas traditions
Studying God’s Word Together: Luke 1:26-38, 2:1-7, reflection topics
Praying Together: Lighting the Advent candles, song, prayer

A Guest at Our Table: The Magi (Epiphany)
Eating Together: Star-themed suggestions (w/decorations, menu, blessing)
Playing Together: Searching for Jesus game, flashlight Q&A activity
Studying God’s Word Together: Matthew 2:1-12, reflection topics
Praying Together: Lighting the Advent candles, song, prayer

Sample session and all Advent resources here

Full sessions here


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