The Nativity Season


Introduction (Ages 18+)

All great things in life must be prepared for—we human beings can’t just casually “walk up to” significant events without readying ourselves for them. And certainly the Great Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord calls for joyful yet serious preparation.

That is why this unit of study is entitled The Nativity Season. The feast does not stand alone. In preparation for the Feast of the Nativity, the Church offers us a season, a time,  to prepare—the Nativity Fast, or Nativity Lent, known to many in the West as Advent. One of the lessons in this five-lesson unit deals with this period of preparation.

God began preparing His people long ago, of course. A second lesson in the unit tells students about the ancestors and genealogy of Jesus Christ. The all-important Biblical connection is made in this lesson, showing students how the Old Testament prepared people over millennia for the coming of the promised Savior. The Theotokos is presented as the one who brought this long process to its intended fruition.

The Nativity season also brings us celebrations of several inspiring saints. First among these is Saint Nicholas, and a third lesson in this unit gives students an understanding of his real place in the Church. They come to see him as a self-denying defender of the faith and protector of the poor, rather than merely a cozy and uncritical dispenser of presents.

Another lesson takes students into the lives of more “winter saints”—among them St. Romanus the Melodist, St. Barbara, and St. Herman. And of course there is a lesson on the various aspects of the Feast iself.

Like all the units now being produced by the DCE, this one is written on five levels, thus offering material for parishioners of all ages. So, for example, in one lesson the younger children talk together on a simple level about giving and receiving gifts. The same lesson, written on another level, invites older students to look at The Gift of the Magi, O. Henry’s great story about self-sacrifice and love. The format of all these lessons is the same as that in the units already available.

Two overall objectives for this unit are:

  1. Students will be able to describe some of the elements of the Nativity season, including hymns, saints, fasting, and Old Testament preparation.
  2. Students will be able to define the Feast of the Nativity as God’s long-awaited gift to us of a Savior.

For unto us a child is born; unto us a Son is given. Authority rests on His shoulders, and He is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace  
(Isaiah 9: 6.)

Great Expectations (Ages 18+)

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Overview

It’s Hard To Wait - Children will become familiar with the stories of the coming of God’s Son to us on earth, as He is born of Mary "as a little child." They will be introduced to the concept of "waiting" and “listening” for something good, and preparing to “meet the Lord.” The birth of Christ is set within the context of human family and God’s family.
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Objectives

By the end of this Lesson, learners should be able to:

  • State that anticipated events don't always come up to our expectations
  • Acknowledge that sometimes we must modify our expectations
  • Compare and Contrast the Winter Pascha to Great Lent
  • Identify the expectations expressed in the liturgical verses of preparation, especially those of the Holy Week of Christmas
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Materials

  • Short Story, “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry
  • Two gift-wrapped boxes, one large and one small (e.g. a jewelry box and a shoe box or larger box)
  • 5 x 8 index cards for each student, markers, Christmas Stickers, glitter, and glue
  • Handout – “Winter Pascha” by Fr. Thomas Hopko
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Resources


Required Resources Optional Resources
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Procedure

1

Opening Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Thy nativity, O Christ our God,
Has shown to the world the light of wisdom.
For by it, those who worshipped the stars
Were taught by a star to adore Thee,
The Sun of Righteousness,
And to know Thee, the Orient from on high.
O Lord, glory to Thee!

2

Discussion Starter

Begin by asking the following: 

  • Show the two gift-wrapped boxes. Ask the class what they might expect to be inside each box. List on a sheet as many suggestions they brainstorm as possible.
  • Then ask them, “Based on your expectations, which box would you choose?”

Note: To reinforce the message of the short story, have an unusual trinket in the large box and a small Nativity icon in the small one. Prepare to open the boxes and discuss their reactions at the end of the lesson.

3

Discussion Questions

  • What are some things you anticipate?
  • Talk about a time when the event you anticipated did not live up to your expectations.
  • How did you react?
  • Were you disappointed, angry, sad?
  • Did this experience change the way you now anticipate things?

4

Short Story

Read the short story, “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry.  Try some of the reading strategies attached to this lesson. Discuss the above questions, this time as they relate to Jim and Della in the story.

5

Discussion Review
After reading "The Gift of the Magi", discuss the following:
  • What are some of the things you anticipate as Christmas draws near?
  • Do you think your expectations are realistic?
  • Do you think Jim and Della’s expectations were realistic?
  • How did Jim and Della deal with the fact of the reality they had to face?
  • How do you deal with the reality that your expectations are not always fulfilled?
  • How could you modify your expectations of Christmas so that there is a better chance of their being fulfilled?

6

The Winter Pascha
Read the Resource Handout The Winter Pascha together in class. Then, discuss the following to continue the discussion above:
  • How did Mary, Joseph and the Magi prepare for the birth of Christ?
  • What opportunities does the Church give us to receive the gift of Christ’s Nativity?
  • How does the Winter Pascha prepare us in the same way as Great Lent? How is it different?

7

He is Approaching. He is Coming.

Read aloud in unison the Resource Handout He is approaching, He is coming.  Discuss how the icon of the Nativity helps us to understand this verse. Point out the key figures in the icon of the Nativity.

8

Wrap-Up

As students are cleaning up and preparing for closing prayer, ask the following:  Open the boxes and discuss the contents. Did they meet their expectations?

9

Prayer Reflection

Examine the words of the Closing Prayer.  How do these words help us to prepare for the Nativity of Christ?

Before saying the closing prayer, clarify the following:  “Unapproachable” does not mean that Jesus is frightening or not accessible; rather, stress that in this context “unapproachable” means we should approach Him with awe and due respect.

10

Closing Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Today the virgin gives birth to the transcendent one,
And the earth offers a cave to the unapproachable one.
Angels, with shepherds, glorify Him.
The wise men journey with the star,
Since for our sake the eternal God was born as a little child!

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Showing God’s Love (Ages 18+)

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Overview

St. Nicholas of Myra in Lycia - The life of St. Nicholas illustrates how we can help others, thereby showing God’s love for all.  We also can associate the acts of charity with the real St. Nicholas and help students not to confuse him with the more familiar “Santa Claus.”  Understanding the true nature of St. Nicholas in Myra and Lycia helps us to prepare to meet the Lord, setting the birth of Christ within the context of God’s family.
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Objectives

By the end of this Lesson, learners should be able to:

  • Identify St. Nicholas as a bishop and patron saint of many groups
  • Distinguish the differences and/or similarities between St. Nicholas and popular ideas about Santa Claus
  • Recognize the danger of refashioning St. Nicholas into a cozy figure
  • Suggest meaningful ways of commemorating the life of St. Nicholas during this season
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Materials

  • Icon of the Nativity of Christ (use all throughout this unit)
  • Icon of St. Nicholas
  • Life of St. Nicholas (Suggested source: Prologue from Ochrid)
  • Copies of the Troparian of St. Nicholas
  • Film on Santa Claus
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Resources


Required Resources Optional Resources
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Procedure

1

Opening Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Thy nativity, O Christ our God,
Has shown to the world the light of wisdom.
For by it, those who worshipped the stars
Were taught by a star to adore Thee,
The Sun of Righteousness,
And to know Thee, the Orient from on high.
O Lord, glory to Thee!

2

The Life of St. Nicholas

Read one of the following attached Resource Stories with the class:

  • The Life of St. Nicholas
  • Saint Nicholas of Myra
  • St. Nicholas Archbishop of Myra in Lycia

Pause often to emphasize his good deeds, kindness and generosity.  Also pause often to ask students to make “text-to-self” or “text-to-world” connections for times in their life when they helped someone or did acts of kindness and generosity.

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The Winter Saints (Ages 18+)

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Overview

Saints Are Special People Who Are Friends of God - Knowing about these winter saints helps students to fully know and prepare for Christ’s birth.
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Objectives

By the end of this Lesson, learners should be able to:

  • Describe the life and work of St. Romanos the Melodist
  • Learn and reflect upon the Christmas Kontakion and identify it as the creation of St. Romanos
  • Outline the basic structure of the original form of the Kontakion (cf. Saints of All Ages: Vol. IX Poets and Hymnographers of the Church)
  • Examine several kontakia of the feasts of winter saints and list phrases that describe key concepts or theological statements about Christ, St. Barbara and St. Herman.
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Materials

  • Resource Handout: The Life of St. Romanus
  • Resource Download: Kontakion, Nativity of Christ
  • Resource Handout: St. Herman Handouts
  • Resource Handout: St. Barbara Handouts
  • Icon of St. Romanus
  • Icon of the Nativity of Christ
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Resources


Required Resources Optional Resources
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Procedure

1

Opening Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Thy nativity, O Christ our God,
Has shown to the world the light of wisdom.
For by it, those who worshipped the stars
Were taught by a star to adore Thee,
The Sun of Righteousness,
And to know Thee, the Orient from on high.
O Lord, glory to Thee!

2

Wrap Up

As students are preparing for closing prayer, ask the following:

  • How will you read and listen to the kontakia in the future differently?
  • What is the importance of the kontakia we read today about St. Barbara and St. Herman?
  • How do these kontakia help us to understand the saints better and eventually ourselves?

3

Closing Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Today the virgin gives birth to the transcendent one,
And the earth offers a cave to the unapproachable one.
Angels, with shepherds, glorify Him.
The wise men journey with the star,
Since for our sake the eternal God was born as a little child!

4

Activity

Distribute copies of the Resource Handout Kontakion on the Nativity of Christ and begin by playing a recording of the Christmas Kontakion.  After listening to the recording, have the class find the prooimion or prologue, the stanzas or ikoi (strophes), and the refrain in the handout. Also have them check to see how many stanzas are in this kontakion.

Note:  Attached to this lesson is an MP3 file which you can download and burn to a CD for use in class.

5

The Life of St. Romanos

Read the Resource Handout The life of St. Romanos with the class. Discuss the meaning of the story of how he began to sing in church and compose hymns for the services.

6

The Lives of St. Barbara & St. Herman

Read both Resource Handouts for St. Barbara and St. Herman attached to this lesson. After reading both with the class, discuss how are they important models or heroes of the church?   What details in the lives of the saints are important enough to include in the hymns?

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Members of God’s Family (Ages 18+)

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Overview

The Geneology of Jesus - By learning of the genealogy of Jesus, we learn that we are all God’s family. We can learn much about the coming of Christ and the incarnation in the Old Testament, especially in the prophecy of Isaiah.
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Objectives

By the end of this Lesson, learners should be able to:

  • To trace the family tree of Jesus
  • To recognize that the ancestors form a continuous line from the forefathers of the Old Testament to the birth of Jesus, the promised Messiah
  • To discuss the Old Testament prophecies and images of the coming of Christ and the incarnation
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Materials

  • Materials for the Jesse Tree
  • Resource Handout: Messages of the Promised Messiah
  • Liturgical Text Handout: Daniel 2
  • Liturgical Text Handout: Isaiah 11
  • Liturgical Text Handout: Isaiah 7
  • Icons of the ancestors of Jesus
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Resources


Required Resources Optional Resources
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Procedure

1

Opening Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Thy nativity, O Christ our God,
Has shown to the world the light of wisdom.
For by it, those who worshipped the stars
Were taught by a star to adore Thee,
The Sun of Righteousness,
And to know Thee, the Orient from on high.
O Lord, glory to Thee!

2

Discussion Starter

Begin by telling the following story:

Once upon a time, there was a farmer who was having a run of bad luck. Her health was deteriorating, there were crop failures that year, and she had problems with her children. Her faith in God was wearing thin. It was hard to believe that God could understand and care about the struggles of ordinary human beings. Then, to add to her troubles, a bad storm began to brew. As she hurried out to get the animals into the barn, she noticed a flock of birds overhead, frantically searching for shelter.

As she watched them fly in one direction and then another, she felt sorry for them and tried to think of a way to shoo them through the open barn door to safety. But the noise of the animals and her own shouting only seemed to frighten the birds more. She thought to herself, “Poor little things! If only I could become one of them! Then they would trust me, and I could lead them to safety!” She stopped in her tracks and whispered, “Now I understand why You did it that way.”

Take some time to discuss the story. Encourage the students to answer these questions:

  • How does this story relate to our understanding of the incarnation of Jesus Christ?
  • Why do you think God chose to become a human being instead of appearing in all of His glory?
  • All human babies have a family tree, the generations of people who came before them. Who were Jesus’ ancestors?

3

The Geneology of Christ

D the Jesse Tree Symbols with the class following the outlined instructions in the attached Activity Resource.

4

Wrap Up

As students are cleaning up and preparing for closing prayer, ask the following:

  • Why is it important to remember in church all of the ancestors of Jesus?
  • Why are there so many generations mentioned in Matthew and read in church?
  • How are we prepared for the coming of Christ in the Old Testament?

5

Closing Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Today the virgin gives birth to the transcendent one,
And the earth offers a cave to the unapproachable one.
Angels, with shepherds, glorify Him.
The wise men journey with the star,
Since for our sake the eternal God was born as a little child!

6

Messages of the Promised Messiah

Distribute the Resource Handout  Messages of the Promised Messiah to the students.  Begin by having the class read Isaiah 11:1-10 aloud taking turns with the verses. 

List four attributes of the coming Savior (most of the answers will come from verses 1 – 5). Then list four “wonders” that will take place when the Savior fully reigns (answers will come form verses 6 – 8).   As you discuss each of the pionts have students write them down on the lines provided in the first part of their handout.  Ask each student, “Which attributes of the Savior do you think are the most important? Which of the “wonders” would you most like to see?

Next, to continue the investigation into the importance of Isaiah, have students work together or in groups and Look up the passages in the second part of the handout and fill in the blanks from the book of Isaiah 

Now that you have read these quotes and also have read Isaiah 11: 1 - 10, ask the class what mental picture they are getting of the kind of world which will be brought about by the coming of the promised Messiah? Discuss briefly.

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God is with us! (Ages 18+)

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Overview

The Birth of Jesus Christ - God became man and dwelt among us.
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Objectives

By the end of this Lesson, learners should be able to:

  • Understand the concept of the incarnation of Jesus with the root "carne" as related to the coming of God
  • Locate references to the incarnation in the prologue of the gospel of St. John
  • Locate the articles in the Creed that speak of the incarnation
  • Connect the previous reading of John 1 to parts of Genesis
  • Give examples of how the world receives Christ today
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Materials

  • Bibles
  • Dictionaries
  • Icon of the Nativity of Christ laminated as a gift  (one per student)
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Resources


Required Resources Optional Resources
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Procedure

1

Opening Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Thy nativity, O Christ our God,
Has shown to the world the light of wisdom.
For by it, those who worshipped the stars
Were taught by a star to adore Thee,
The Sun of Righteousness,
And to know Thee, the Orient from on high.
O Lord, glory to Thee!

2

Discussion Starter

Begin by asking the following:

  • Who are those that “worshipped the stars”?
  • Where are they in the icon of the Nativity? Who is the “Sun of Righteousness”?
  • Where is He in the icon?
  • Why is He also referred to as the “Orient from on high”?
  • What is the star that is referred to in the Troparion of the Nativity?

3

Key Concept: Incarnate

Write the word INCARNATE on the chalkboard or in large letters on a large sheet of paper. Have the students look up the word in the diction aries and write what they believe are the key meanings on the chalkboard or paper.

Then Discuss the following concepts with the class:

  • What does it mean when someone says: "She personifies love itself." "He is the spitting image of his father." "I really see a lot of her mother in her." "He's the incarnation of the devil himself."
  • Are any of these statements related to our understanding of incarnate? How?

4

Extra Activity

Distribute the resource Handouts The Nativity of Christ by Veselin Kesich.   If possible, read several versions of Matthew 2:1-12 from the attached Resource Handouts.  If time does not permit, allow students to take copies home to explore further on their own time.

5

The Nativity Gospels: Compare & Contrast

Distribute to the Resource Handout: The Nativity Gospels: Compare & Contrast to the class. Each student should get their own copy.  Have students read the two texts included in the handout silently.  Instruct them to fill out the chart as they are reading.  Then, have them present and discuss the differences they noted.

6

Wrap Up

As students are cleaning up and preparing for closing prayer, ask the following:

  • What is the significance of Christ’s birth “as a little child”?
  • What are some of the many phrases and names that describe Jesus Christ?
  • How does the world today receive Christ differently from when He was born?

7

Closing Prayer

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Today the virgin gives birth to the transcendent one,
And the earth offers a cave to the unapproachable one.
Angels, with shepherds, glorify Him.
The wise men journey with the star,
Since for our sake the eternal God was born as a little child!

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