Advent wreath

What does the ADVENT WREATH represent?

The circle of the wreath reminds Chrisitans of God, His eternity and endless mercy, which has no beginning or end. The green of the wreath speaks of the hope that Chrisitans have in God, the hope of newness, of renewal, of eternal life. Candles symbolise the light of God coming into the world through the birth of His son, Jesus. The three purple candles in the Advent wreath symbolise hope, peace, and love. These candles are lit on the first, second, and fourth Sundays of Advent. The rose candle, which symbolizes joy, is usually lit on the third Sunday. A fifth candle is placed inside the Advent wreath. This candle is lit on Christmas Day. It is white, the color associated with angels and the birth of Jesus.



richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

Advent Calendars

Why do we have ADVENT CALENDARS?

They were designed to help children focus on the coming of Jesus by having a "window" to open each day from December 1st to December 24th with a picture behind it of something related to the nativity. "Jesse Trees" were used in this way too - see Christmas Decorations and Christmas Tress. But modern day Advent Calendars are often a countdown to Christmas devoid of anything to do with Jesus, and instead have pictures of cartoon charaters and contain chocolates.




richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

why do we thank God for food? (drama sketch)

Michelle: There’s no need to go into details! I was thinking more along the lines of sun and rain, like in the song, “We plough the fields and scatter, the good seed on the land..” (starts singing) “but it is fed and watered by God’s Almighty hand. He sends the snow in winter, the warmth to swell the grain...”

Derek: “The cow pats and the horse dung, the poly-ure-thane!”

Both: “All good gifts around us are sent from heaven above, Then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord, For all his love” Amen!

Michelle: This is cold now, I’ll zap it in the microwave (picking up both plates and walking off stage)

Derek: Do we have to thank God for microwaves?

Michelle: I’ve only got an hour for lunch, I haven’t got time to explain!


richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

why do we thank God for food? (drama sketch)

Derek: So what are we thanking God for?

Michelle: For creating seeds in the first place

Derek: Oh. And cows.

Michelle: Cows?

Derek: Yes, cows don’t grow from seed

Michelle: I never said they did

Derek: Thank you God for cows

Michelle: And seeds, and things that make seeds grow

Derek: Like stuff from cows


richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

why do we thank God for food? (drama sketch)

Michelle: No, we still thank God for the baked beans, the bread, and the tea with milk in it

Derek: Even though it all came from farmers via Sainsburys?

Michelle: Yes, because it’s God who makes things grow

Derek: Not farmers?

Michelle: Well, yes, it’s farmers who plant the wheat seeds and the haricot bean seeds and the... I have no idea how tea grows, it’s probably from seed too, and farmers milk the cows


richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

why do we thank God for food? (drama sketch)

Michelle: So you think we should just thank God for the baked beans?

Derek: Yes, because I can’t think how they ended up in a can looking like that. It didn’t happen on a farm did it?

Michelle: Ah, yes, the lesser known “miracle of the baked bean.” I think the clue is in the name. They actually are beans, haricot beans to be precise, and they ARE grown by farmers, then..er...well, baked, and put in tomato sauce, which is made with some tomatoes, which are also grown by farmers

Derek: Right. So we should thank farmers for baked beans too.



richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.

why do we thank God for food? (Christian drama script)

Why do we thank God for food?
Written for Harvest Festival. Psalm 111: 5 and Matthew 6: 9-13.
Scene: Lunch time, Michelle and Derek walk on to stage carrying plate of beans on toast and mug of tea each, sit at table to eat.

Michelle: Let’s thank God for our food before we eat
Derek: Why do we have to thank God when the food came from Sainsburys? It’s not manna from heaven, you know
Michelle: Well, where did Sainsburys get the food from?
Derek: A farmer? Bread from wheat, milk from cows, tea from a farmer in India maybe. Except for the baked beans. I don’t know where they came from. Maybe they came from God.


richmondparkchurch.org.uk an evangelical pentecostal church in Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, UK.