Worship by Theme

During Advent, many churches have White Gift services, often led by children and young people. Why White Gifts? [PDF: 2 pp/17 KB] is a fictional drama that gives some background on the history of the White Gift tradition.

Since many churches no longer have burgeoning Sunday schools to provide casts of thousands for a dramatic stage production, our White Gift dramas can be adapted for churches with varying numbers of children and youth. They are designed for intergenerational services. A different person may lead each prayer, or one person may act as liturgist throughout.

To include as many leadership gifts as possible, young instrumentalists might accompany hymns and play the prelude, offertory, and postlude. With instruction, even small children may serve as greeters and ushers. Or families can do it together. Other young people may provide art for bulletin covers or posters leading up to White Gift Sunday.

Because of outside activities, it is challenging to find a rehearsal time when all can attend. One solution is to meet about a month in advance with all who want to participate, possibly for soup and a sandwich after church. Talk about the service and come to mutual decisions about who is willing and able to lead in various ways. Hand out the "scripts" with specific parts highlighted.

On the morning of the White Gift service, gather all participants in the worship space two and a half to three hours early. Bring duplicate scripts for every part. (You will need them!) Use your imagination and leadership development skills to help participants prepare for their service. Eyes will grow big when you tell them, "You are the ministers for this worship service." Given a sense of trust and responsibility, they will give superb leadership.

Give participants a brief overview of the service before walking them through it, encouraging each to speak slowly and distinctly into microphones. Seat them in front rows in the order in which they will lead. As each person speaks, they return to the end of the row, not to their former seat. This cues the next person in line. About an hour and a half before the service, hold a "dress rehearsal" where each person reads the first and last lines of their part again, at the microphone. The minister or an adult leader might sit in a front seat in case a stage cue is needed. However, I don't remember having to give one! Trust is the operative word.

Provide a continental breakfast in two shifts on this morning. As speakers practise their parts, those who are musicians, greeters, and collectors will eat. They may have other activities, such as helping with props, folding bulletins, practising music, and so on. Half an hour before the service, as greeters and musicians go to work, the speakers' turn for a snack will keep them out of the worship space until it is time to begin. (Adult help will be needed in the kitchen.)