Patterns and Ideas for Group Worship - Christmas - Prelude

Sep 28, 2026

A devotional worship guide offering structured patterns for group services, centered on Christmas and an Easter service. The text provides leader scripts, hymn and carol cues, prayer language, and reflective prompts that connect seasonal traditions with themes of love, peace on earth, forgiveness, and spiritual renewal. It suggests practical presentation ideas such as choirs, recordings, worship centers, tableaux, slides, and synchronized media to deepen fellowship and worship participation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

FormatPDF

Pages52

Reading Time2 h 11 min

AccessFree to download

Christmas

Suggestions to the Leader

Prelude

The Life of Our Lord - An Easter Service

Suggestions and program ideas

264 McC | 264
McCulloh,Evelyn Butle
McC | | | --- | --- | | Patterns and ideas for | | | Worsn
group | | | | | | ATE | ISSUED TO | | | | | | | | | | | | | 264 McC HIRST METHODIST CHURCHARTESIA,NEW MEXICO PATTERNS and IDEASforGROUP WORSHIP byEVELYN BUTLER McCULLOH FIRST METHODIST CHURCARTESIA,NEW MEXICO THE UPPER ROOM The World's Most Widely Used Devotional GuideAnd Other Devotional Literature1908 Grand AvenueNASHVILLE 5,TENNESSEE Second Printing◎ Copyright,1958by THE UPPER RooM1908 Grand AvenueNashville 5,Tennessee CONTENTS I. Christmas …………………………………………………………………………5 II. The Life of Our Lord(An Easter Service)…………8 III. Death Is a Part of Life. . …………………………………………………14 IV. The Word of God (Directed Meditation)…………………17 V. With God in the Out-of-Doors. . . . 19 VI. God Is Everywhere. …………… . .. 22 . .25 VII. Start Where You Are.· . VIII. Brotherhood …………………………………………………………………………………27 IX. New Discoveries of Ancient Truth(The Dead Sea Scriptures)…………… . .. 31 . ..34 X. Psalm 121 …………… XI. Christian Love. . .. 38 XII. Little Cares . . . . 42 . . 45 References .. . . . .. 47 Acknowledgments .· https://archive.org/details/patternsideasfor0000unse I # CHRISTMAS SUGGESTIONS Christmas is a festive time.This material could be used withTO THEa choir group or with recordings from The Messiah instead ofLEADERthe hymns suggested for the audience participation.The wor-ship center could be a large créche in a rustic setting orLerolle's picture,The Arrival of the Shepherds. # PRELUDE LEADER:“A child is born,A star gives light,The sheen of winter'sMagic decks a tree.A great log burns,Clear voices carol, Wild creatures hush and listen.These all are commonplaceYet lyric and in harmonyAll nature sings. Before the mystery men kneel,And kneeling,rise to see— In all the common things of life—New joy,new hope,new faithBecause a child is born."1 HYMN:“Joy to the World” LEADER:Merry Christmasl We live in a land where the Christ-mas bells can ring freely and proclaim to everyonethe birthday of the Prince of Peace and the establishment ofthe Kingdom of Love upon the earth. PATTERNS AND IDEAS FOR GROUP WORSHIP CAROL:(Children's voices if possible)Ukrainian carol,“RingChristmas Bells” "Bells,bells,bells— LEADER: ...the rhyming and the chiming of the bells!”2一Ringing for peace on earth andGood will to men—everywhere. “And in despair I bowed my head;'There is no peace on earth,'I said,'For hate is strongAnd mocks the songOf peace on earth,good will to men!'”3 The mood of despair can give way to joy,for this season一Christmas—is the symbol through which Christ brings thechallenge to all men everywhere to forget hate;to abandonselfishness;to turn away from greed,from lust for power.Christcalls us to surrender ourselves completely and in perfectconfidence to the Gospel of Love—love for God,love for fellowmen,and even love for our enemies. HYMN:"Love Came Down at Christmas" LEADER:Christmas time is gifting time,a time when a personin need might even sell a keepsake to buy red earmuffs or a toy to delight the heart of a child.Another mayhave saved all year to surprise a dear one with a locket orring.Someone yet more fortunate may purchase a warm coat foranother who is in need.Many will give baskets of food so thatphysical hunger will not mar this day of spiritual joy.In thiskind of giving they come to know: "It's not the weight of jewel or plateOr the fondle of silk and fur;"Tis the spirit in which a gift is rich, # CHRISTMAS As the gifts of the wise men were;For we are not told whose gift was gold,Or whose the gift of myrrh."4 Let us look at the Christmas creche and the Babe in Mary'sarms.Here is God's perfect gift to man,a Son who will liveand die for our sake and then live again through eternity,continuing to extend His love to all mankind.As we see thisanew,our hearts are quickened and the full impact ofChrist

FAQs

What does the guide provide for group worship leaders?

It provides patterned service sections with leader scripts, readings, hymn/carol cues, and guided reflections designed for group participation.

What themes are emphasized in the Christmas section?

The Christmas portion stresses joy replacing despair, peace on earth, goodwill, and a call to abandon hate, selfishness, greed, and power in favor of the Gospel of Love.

How does the guide suggest enhancing the Easter service experience?

It suggests using worship center visuals (including Sallman’s Head of Christ), and extending the program with colored slides or synchronized recordings of Scripture and music to support group spiritual growth.

Sep 28, 2026

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