Our Advent theme this year is all about being welcoming and how the Christmas story encourages us to welcome everyone. 

Christian Christmas Nativity Scene flickr photo by johndillon77 shared under a Creative Commons (BY-SA) license

How many Christmas story characters can you name?  I will start you off:

Mary… Joseph…

Have you ever thought about how they are all so different and not the sort of people you would put together.  I am not sure a ‘wise man’ would have the same hobbies as a ‘shepherd’.  Yet they are all part of the Christmas story and are welcomed by God.

What are you like when it comes to welcoming people who are different to you?  Read these three questions below and discuss with your class.

• Do all your friends have similar interests to you? 
• Have you ever tried to make friends with someone who is completely different to you? 
• How do you behave when you have to work with someone you don’t like or don’t know?

Jesus and the Christmas story encourages us to welcome the stranger and be kind to those who are different to us. 

• What can you do this week to welcome the stranger at school?
• What can you do this week to welcome the stranger at home? 
• What can you do if you see or hear someone being unkind to someone they see as different to them?

To finish, let’s reflect on the words of Christine Sine. 

‘Christmas is…
not a time for complacency, but for commitment,
not a time for hate, but for love,
not a time to close doors, but to open them,
not a time for violence, but for peace,
not a time to wound, but to heal,
not a time to bring division, but to inspire reconciliation.’