“She will have a son, and they will name him Immanuel.” This name means “God is with us.” Matthew 1:23 (International Children’s Bible).
The good news of Christmas is that God is with us. In person, taking our form, into our world, hands on and messy, part of the everyday, involved in family life.
So, the Christmas story should not be something distant, clean and detached, a carefully arranged scene on a pretty Christmas card set high on a shelf. It is a real story that we want to pull down and make reachable to the smallest hands, so that we can all get stuck in and feel the wonder together.
That’s the reason for our Christmas Bake along! Come and join in, and share this real story with families in your community.
- Gather together all you need: 350g plain flour, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda, 1 tbsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 175g dark muscovado sugar, 100g butter, 80g golden syrup
- Join us on 12th December at 2pm on Facebook and YouTube (or catch up afterwards at a time that suits you).
- Watch Martha Collison walk you through a recipe in real time and hear her faith story.
- Listen to our friend Ed explain why knowing Jesus as ‘God with us’ is the best part of Christmas.
We’re dealing with the technical stuff, we’ve booked the baker, we’ll tell the story, we’ll host the event, so that you can focus on the part that only you can play – making the connection with the families you know.
You invite the kids in your class, or your Sunday School class. You be the friendly face that turns up on the doorstep with a box of ingredients and an invitation. You set up a Zoom call with the family down the street, the friend from school or the mate on Facebook, so you can join in together. You send an invitation to your family in the Lakes or in the States and Facetime them after for a chat and to admire their bakes. You follow up afterwards and invite them to your online church service, and out for a coffee and a walk in the park. You start the conversation about how knowing that God is with you has changed your life.
Is there a limit to the number of people you can invite? NO! Absolutely anyone near an internet connection is welcome.
Can you invite the kids from down the road even if they don’t go to church? ABSOLUTELY YES!
Is suitable for visitors? TOTALLY! What about little ones? COME!
What if you just want to watch in your pyjamas and eat biscuits and not make them? GO FOR IT!
What about different time zones? It will stay on our channels until you’re all fed up with it.
Where can I buy syrup sachets? Google it – you’ll find a few suppliers. Bulk buy and share with your friends. Or go crazy and give them a whole bottle (syrup on toast is joyful!)
What if I can’t deliver a recipe box? Invite them anyway – I’ve got ginger in my cupboard that’s moved house 3 times, they probably have too!
Let’s get stuck in and hands on with this great news – GOD IS WITH US!
