A Night like No Other Notes to the Preschool Service Director

Younger children, ages 3 to 6, will delight in telling the Good News of Jesus’ birth through this simple, yet powerful Christmas service. As teachers and helpers speak about the true meaning of Christmas and model the joy it stirs in Christian hearts, little ones will catch the excitement and eagerly prepare for this special chance to tell about Jesus’ birth.

You can practice many of the components of this service with individuals or small groups of children for several weeks before your first whole-group practice takes place. Here are some ideas that may help you get ready.

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Add simple actions to songs. We have made some suggestions. You can add others and/or modify ours to fit your setting and traditions. Actions help children memorize words, and they will enhance the presentation of the song for the family members and others who attend.

Record a CD or mp3s of the speaking parts and songs. Use it to teach the children their parts. Let them listen to it during classroom craft times and at other appropriate times. If possible, make a CD for each child to listen to at home and during car time.

If some songs are unfamiliar, key the titles into your Internet search engine. All should be easy to find.

Send words home. Copy the song lyrics and action poem words. Encourage families to help small children practice their parts.

Use hand motions to help children know what to do. For instance, extend your arms with palms up and raise your arms to indicate children should stand up. To indicate time to sit down, lower your arms with palms down.

Invite children to illustrate the words they will say throughout the service. Plan to project their drawings on overhead screens as the story unfolds.

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Devise a signal to get everyone’s attention, and teach the children to stop, look at you, and listen when they hear the sound. For example, toot a party horn, jingle some Christmas bells, or simply count down, “Three, two, one. Shhhhhh.”

Plan the presentation so the audience can easily see the children. Arrange for little ones to remain at the front of the church or auditorium throughout the service. Position tallest children in the back rows and smallest in front—perhaps on low risers or steps. When they are not speaking or singing, they may simply sit down in place.

Place a manger at center stage. Be sure to allow enough space for all the children to gather around it at the appropriate point in the program.

Adapt this service to fit your congregation’s size and setting.

Print a program for those who attend. CTA provides a free program cover with theme art you can download and customize. Check it out at www.CTAinc.com/FREE.

After the service, give each child a copy of the book A Night like No Other (Item #NLN4SC) to read and enjoy at home.

In the weeks leading up to the service, prepare posters with each of the program’s subtitles written in large letters. If you have access to a projector and screen, plan to project the subtitles and perhaps also the words to the songs the congregation will sing.

If your group includes some children who are reading independently, consider having them read or memorize some of the speaking parts assigned to the leader.

Because photography can disrupt worship and because movement in the audience may distract the children, too, you might want to offer an alternative for parents and grandparents. Before you begin, announce that all adults will have an opportunity to take pictures of their children near the classroom Christmas tree or at the manger after the service. Then ask that they refrain from taking photos during the program itself.

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A Night like No Other A Christmas Service for Preschool Children

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

Opening Song

Song: Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful (sung by the congregation as the children enter and take their places on stage. Children may sing the refrain with the suggested actions when they are in place.)

1. Oh, come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant!Oh, come ye, oh, come ye to Bethlehem;Come and behold himBorn the king of angels:Oh, come, let us adore him, (beckon; place hand palms together at chest in prayer) Oh, come, let us adore him, (beckon; place hand palms together at chest in prayer)Oh, come, let us adore him, (beckon; place hand palms together at chest in prayer)Christ the Lord. (keep hands together until next refrain)

2. Sing, choirs of angels,Sing in exultation,Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!Glory to GodIn the highest:Oh, come, let us adore him, Oh, come, let us adore him,Oh, come, let us adore him,Christ the Lord.

3. Yea, Lord, we greet thee, Born this happy morning; Jesus, to thee be glory given! Word of the Father, Now in flesh appearing! Oh, come, let us adore him, Oh, come, let us adore him, Oh, come, let us adore him,

Christ the Lord.

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Welcome and Opening Message

Prayer: Heavenly Father, prepare our hearts to worship now. Fill us with joy as we celebrate that night like no other—the night Jesus, our Savior was born. Amen.

A Time like No OtherGod Creates the World

Leader:When God decided to createOur world and all we see;That time was like no other timeIn all eternity.

(There are several ways to assign the following lines: An adult leader can read the first four lines and children respond with the fifth line; boys and girls can alternately say the lines; children on the left side of the stage can speak alternating lines with the group of children on the right; and so on. Choose the approach that fits best in your setting. All children may say the final line in unison.)

Group 1: God made the sky (point upward)Group 2: God made the seas (make ‘waves’ with hands)Group 1: God made the flowers (pretend to ‘smell’ splayed fingers)Group 2: God made the bees. (put index finger and thumb together and ‘fly’ them)All children: It was good! (shake index finger, smile and nod)

Group 1: God made animals (shield eyes with hand as if looking at animals)Group 2: God made trees (look upward)Group 1: God made people (point to audience)Group 2: Like you and me. (point to self)All children: It was good! (shake index finger, smile and nod)

A Day like No OtherSin Enters the World

Leader:That day was like no other dayWhen God’s first people sinned,The devil cheered to see the sight.Creation wept within.

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Group 1: God’s perfect world (use hands to make round ‘world’)Group 2: Did not stay that way. (shake head ‘no’)Group 1: ‘Cause God’s people sinned (hold hands to heart)Group 2: On that terrible day. (sadly shake head ‘no’)All children: A terrible day! (sadly shake head ‘no’)

A Promise like No OtherGod Promises a Savior

Group 1: But God loved them still. (hands over heart)Group 2: He gave the best news! (smile and nod)Group 1: A Savior I’ll send. (form cross with index fingers)Group 2: I promise! It’s true! (shake index finger, smile, and nod)All children: It’s true! (shake index finger, smile, and nod)

Song: Praise Him! Praise Him! All You Little Children

Praise Him, praise Him, all you little children; (wave hands over head)God is love, God is love. (point upward; place both hands over heart)Praise Him, praise Him, all you little children; (wave hands over head)God is love, God is love. (point upward; place both hands over heart)

Love Him, love Him, all you little children; (hands over heart)God is love, God is love. (point upward; place hands over heart)Love Him, love Him, all you little children; (hands over heart)God is love, God is love. (point upward; hands over heart)

A Night like No OtherJesus Is Born!

Leader:The promise like no other oneDid happen. It came true.In Bethlehem, the Savior dearWas born for me and you.

Action Poem

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(Spoken by the leader with children performing the actions, or recited by the children, depending on the group’s abilities; costumed children may pantomime the actions to match the words as they are spoken)

Trip, trip, trap to Bethlehem (pat knees)Here’s Joseph, Mary, too. (beckon with hand)Will they find a place to stay? (shrug shoulders, palms of hands up)Any place will do.

Knock, knock, knock! Please help us, sir! (pretend to knock)We need a place to stay. (hands over heart)I have no room inside for you. (shake head ‘no’)We’re all filled up today!

Look, look, look! A stable warm! (shield eyes, point)We can go in and stay. (beckon with hands)So Mary placed the Christ child in (‘rock’ baby in arms)A manger filled with hay. (smile and nod)

Song: Away in a Manger (sung by the children)

1. Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,The little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head.The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

2. The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.I love you, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky,And stay by my cradle ’til morning is nigh.

3. Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask you to stayClose by me forever and love me, I pray.Bless all the dear children in your tender care,And take us to heaven to live with you there.

Alternative Song: A Night like No Other (CTA’s original song to accompany this theme and service. Check it out and download sheet music and accompaniment files for FREE at www.CTAinc.com/FREE! Consider singing one or two verses only with younger children.)

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News like No OtherAngels Tell Shepherds the Good News

Leader: The night was like no other nightFor shepherds and their sheep.The sky turned bright! An angel cameAnd woke them from their sleep.

Song: Shepherds Watched (Tune: “Mary had a Little Lamb.” Costumed children may pantomime the actions described in the song.)

Shepherds watched their sheep that night, (hands shield eyes)Sheep that night, sheep that night.Shepherds watched their sheep that night, The night Jesus was born. (‘rock’ baby in arms)

Angels came into the sky, (point to sky)To the sky, to the sky.Angels came into the sky,To tell of Jesus’ birth. (cup hands to mouth)

Shepherds ran to see the child, (run in place)See the child, see the child.Shepherds ran to see the child.To see the baby boy. (‘rock’ baby in arms)

A Gift like No OtherJesus Is the Savior of the World

Leader:The special gift that God had sentWas meant for everyone,For God would rescue us from sinBy sending us his Son.

Action Poem

Little Baby Jesus (rock baby)Sleeping on the hay. (rest head on hands)

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Came to earth at Christmas (raise arms, then lower them)What a happy day! (clap/wave hands happily)

God Is So Good (sung by the children)

God is so good. (point heavenward)God is so good.God is so good.He’s so good to me. (point heavenward, then hug self)

He loves me so. (point heavenward, then cross arms over chest)He loves me so.He loves me so.He’s so good to me. (point heavenward, then hug self)

God sent his Son. (point up to God then pretend to rock a baby in your arms)God sent his Son.God sent his Son.He’s so good to me. (point heavenward, then hug self)

Closing Prayer (spoken by the leader/pastor)

Dear Lord Jesus, help us tell the world about the first Christmas—a night like no other—when you came to earth to save us from sin and death. Fill our hearts with joy—a joy like no other—all because of you! Amen.

Closing Song: Joy to the World (sung by the congregation as children exit)

1. Joy to the world, the Lord is come!Let earth receive its King;Let ev’ry heart prepare him room,And heav’n and nature sing, and heav’n and nature sing,And heav’n and heav’n and nature sing.

2. Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns! Let all their songs employ,While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains,Repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy,Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

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3. He rules the world with truth and graceAnd makes the nations proveThe glories of his righteousnessAnd wonders of his love, and wonders of his love,And wonders, wonders of his love.

#NLN4DSP

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Scripture quotation is from the King James or Authorized Version of the Bible.

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