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Reflections of ChristmasBy Barbara ThayerGrowing up, I have vivid memories of Christmas. But the one thing I remembermost is spending hours rearranging the figures in the nativity scene. I couldalmost hear the bleating of the sheep and the lowing of the cows!Although we had no iPads, iPods, smart phones or computers at that time, we didhave television. But my parents limited our TV time and made sure the true meaning ofChristmas was emphasized in our home. After trimming the tree, the manger scene wasplaced beneath the tree. I had the honor of positioning the figures.On Christmas Eve, we read the Christmas story from the Bible and placed the crib withBaby Jesus in the manger scene. This vivid memory was so important in our household.As our own children came along, my husband and I continued the tradition of themanger scene – the central message of Christmas. The tree and decorations are all beautiful,but they don’t outshine the birth of the King of Kings.Remembering God’s GiftWe also continued the tradition of reading the story of the birth of our Savior to ourchildren. For us, the manger (not the gifts) was the central point of our celebration. Whenour children asked why we gave gifts on Christmas, my reply was that God had given usHis best gift in the person of baby Jesus.He was born to die and offer His life for ours. Therefore, we offer our best (not themost expensive) but a gift of the heart to one another – remembering God’s gift to us.How we present Christmas to our children and grandchildren has a tremendous impacton them for a lifetime.Often the Bible speaks of not forgetting God in the midst of our celebrations, our successesand the many blessings we enjoy (Deuteronomy 6:10-15). As God warned Israel,He warns us today. We are not to lose Him in the tinsel, the toys, the parties, and the trappings of this season. We are not to takecredit for all the blessings we have been given.We must never forget the many blessings we have are as a result of God’s calling us to salvation through His Son. He deserves tobe the center of all we do as we gather with friends and family this season. My prayer is that we will allow our light to so shine thatmen may see the difference that Christ makes in our lives this season.?Keep the manger the primary focus at Christmas.Worship in Fellowship at ChurchMany churches hold Christmas Eveservices. The heart of our faith is foundin the preaching and teaching of God’sWord. Gathering together in the companyof saints encourages us, instructs and correctsus. We must not neglect our call tojoint worship for ourselves or our children.This keeps our focus on the Lord.Make an advent calendar withChrist as the focusInstead of making the calendar acountdown to Santa, place a symbol ineach pocket of the calendar representinga Christian quality. Each day, have childrentake turns taking out the symbol andpin it to the outside of the pocket. Read ashort verse and devotion as you count thedays till his birth.Read the Story of the Birth of ChristParents can read the story of Jesus’birth from the Bible, or let children taketurns reading.Serve Others at ChristmasTo show service and love at Christmastime, take your children to a nursing homeand distribute a small gift to residents.Sing carols and greet the residents. It is sorewarding to see the smiles on their faces.It will leave an impression on childrenabout serving others. You can also bless aneedy family by taking wrapped gifts foreach family member to their home. Thiswill teach children how to share the loveof God with others.Nativity Set for ChildrenOf course it’s important to have a nativityset that children and grandchildrencan handle to remind them about thetrue meaning of this holy day. Rememberto take the time to explain who each ofthe characters is and the part they playedin the Christmas story. In a child’s mind,this will bring to life the true meaning ofthe season.Bake a CakeMake Christmas a real birthday celebrationfor Christ by making a cake andsinging happy birthday to the Lord. Itisn’t so much about the food as it is aboutkeeping the focus on the Lord.Barbara Thayer is an author and a member of the Lake Placid (FL) ARP Church.20 THE ASSOCIATE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN
The Ultimate “Outdoor” ExperienceCHIP SHERERPresidentThe Christian Camps and ConferenceAssociation (CCCA) isa great promoter for all thingsrelated to Christian camping. Severalyears ago, they shared an item thatresearchers had found to be troublesome,but not surprising.Research is showing that the onlytime (all year!) an 8 to 15-year-oldspends more time outside than insideis during a week of camp. Thinkabout that for a moment and comparethat statement to your childhood. I’msure my memories of being outsideare the same as yours.But today’s youth have videogames. They may have an Xbox or aPlayStation, whereas we had a cardboardbox that was our play station. Inside activities are just a magnet for them,but being inside was the last place we wanted to be. So we now have a generationthat is unfamiliar with God’s creation. Bonclarken’s effort to remedy thesituation is called Camp Bonclarken.Camp Bonclarken offers the camping experience for rising 3rd through rising9th graders. We had 341 campers at the two, one-week sessions this summer.This total was a record for attendance.Led by co-directors Trip McGill and Lynn Grimsley, Camp Bonclarken combinesBible study and activities, which enable the youth to “grow in wisdomand stature” with fun, recreation, and games. Caving, hiking, ropes course,archery, zip line, and a trip to Sliding Rock are only a few of the activities available.It’s just a really good time.“We’re so blessed to have Camp Bonclarken thriving,” said Trip McGill.“Combining the energy of the campers, the leadership of the counselors, thebeauty of Bonclarken, and the moving presence of the Holy Spirit makes fora great week. And, when young people make decisions for Christ during theweek, all the work done in preparation for the camp is so worthwhile.”Held annually the last two weeks of July, Camp Bonclarken is open to all. Inaddition to ARP youth, we enjoy having grandchildren of ARP members, numerouschildren of Erskine alumni, friends of returning campers, and others.If you have a child or grandchild that is spending too much time inside,make plans to have them attend Camp Bonclarken either July 21-26 or July 28-Aug 2 in 2013. They will thank you for it!?BonclarkenNOV/DEC 2012 21
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Page 3 and 4: Powerful inExtending MercyA Letter
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