It’s easy to think of mission as only overseas or ‘out there somewhere’. But mission can be done wherever you are, right now—in your neighbourhood, at your school or workplace, in your sports team and even at home. Here’s some fun and festive Christmas ideas to get your mission juices flowing.
Deliver a koha kirihimete!
Here is an easy-to-make Christmas gift—you may have even seen these before! Who doesn’t love a Mallowpuff? Have fun making these as a family, then deliver some to your neighbours.
Ingredients
- Packet of Mallowpuffs
- White chocolate
- Jaffas
- Mint leaf lollies or green jubes
Instructions
- Freeze the Mallowpuffs ahead of time to ensure the chocolate doesn’t melt the biscuit.
- Slice the green lollies until they are small and look like mini leaves.
- Melt the white chocolate in the microwave; heat for 30 seconds, then stir. Repeat at 10-second intervals, stirring in between until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
- Using a teaspoon, drizzle a small amount of white chocolate over the top of a Mallowpuff. Use a spoon to gently encourage the chocolate to drizzle down the side.
- While the chocolate is still melted, add a Jaffa and one or two sliced green lollies to the top.
- Repeat with all Mallowpuffs and leave until solid.
Share kai!
Take a trip to the grocery store with the family! Grab a nice-sized box and fill it with food that a family in need can use over the Christmas period. If you have children, let them guide the shopping and select what they think is needed or might be special. Wrap the box and include a message from your family letting the family who receives the box know that you are sharing God’s love with them this Christmas. Find out from your church or the local Citizen’s Advice Bureau where you could take your hamper.
While you are packing the hamper, or after you have delivered it, talk about how God looks after us and wants us to do the same for the people in our community. As a family, pray over the hamper that the people who receive it would be blessed and would know that God loves them this Christmas.
Taurangitia an act of service!
For this activity you need paper, colouring pens and scissors.
Cut some reasonably sized rectangular paper cards. Let the children decide what acts of service they would like to offer people. It can be things like mowing the lawn, taking a dog for a walk, washing a car, making a meal, or playing a game with them. Draw/write these acts of service on the cards, making them into vouchers. Decide who you would like to give them to and go and deliver them as a family.
Talk about what it means to do an ‘act of service’ for someone. Talk about what things each of them could do to help (depending on their age). Explain what a voucher is and how it works. Giving a gift of your time is sometimes more valuable than the biggest present in the world.
Visit te tiakitanga ā noho mō te pahake!
Put a day aside in your diary for you or your family to visit a rest home in your area. During the Christmas season older people often miss their families and the opportunity to be out and about. Also, COVID has meant many have been isolated for long periods during the past year. A visit from your family can really brighten their day! Phone the rest home and ask the staff which of their people would benefit from a visit. Older folks love chatting or just listening to your stories. If you are musical, take along some instruments and sing some songs. Alternatively, you could visit some elderly neighbours.
Talk together about the joy of family and how much each of us mean, not only to each other, but to God.
Thanks to Karen Warner and New Zealand Baptist Children and Family Ministries for the ideas!
