LAS POSADAS CHRISTMAS SOCIAL LIFE NIGHT OUTLINE GATHER

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1 LAS POSADAS CHRISTMAS SOCIAL LIFE NIGHT OUTLINE GOAL The goal of this Social Night is for the teens to grow in community by celebrating Christmas together. They will also learn about the Mexican tradition of Las Posadas. ABOUT THIS NIGHT This night is set in the town of Bethlehem. Everyone gets to play a part in the Christmas story as a shepherd, angel, or magi. The Gather has two games played in small groups that break open the Christmas narrative from the Gospels. The Proclaim gives a short explanation of the Hispanic tradition of Las Posadas. During the Break, another game is used, based on the idea of Las Posadas and traditional Christmas carols. The night ends with snacks and fellowship time for all. PRE-PLANNING Prior to the night, find two people to take on the role of Mary and Joseph. They could be Core Members, teens, or a couple from the parish. They should be dressed for the part. ENVIRONMENT Set up your main meeting space like the town of Bethlehem. Create nine simple storefronts, homes, workshops, and/or hotels out of butcher paper or cardboard boxes, and put them around the perimeter of the room. The town will be a life-size board game; so people should be able to walk from one building to another. Label the first building on one end of the room Start. At the other end of the town, create a manger scene. Label it as End. During the Break, Core Members will be stationed at each building dressed as a resident of Bethlehem. GATHER WELCOME TO BETHLEHEM (5 min) As the youth enter the night, each should be given a hat to designate them as an angel, shepherd, or magi. The angels should get a halo. The shepherds should get a simple headdress a pillowcase and strip of cloth to tie around their heads. The magi get crowns. Depending on the size of your group, use different colors of each of the three hats to designate small groups. The Core Team should be dressed as residents of Bethlehem. WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS (5 min) The youth minister should welcome all the teens to Life Night and introduce any teens at Life Night for the first time. The youth minister should open in a short prayer. Split all the youth into groups according to their hats. Have a Core Member with each small group. LIFE TEEN SPOTLIGHT 33

2 IT S A LEFT-RIGHT CHRISTMAS STORY! For this game, give each small group a wrapped gift. The youth minister or a Core Member should read the version of the Left-Right Christmas Story found on page 36. Whenever the word left is read, the gift gets passed to the left. When the word right is read, the gift gets passed to the person to the right. Whoever has the gift when the story ends gets the gift. CHRISTMAS SCRIPTURE SELECTION Give each small group four cards, with one of the names of the Gospels printed on each card. Show a Scripture verse on Power Point and give each group three seconds to decide in which Gospel the verse can be found (sample Scripture selections are on page 37). Then, on the count of three, have each group hold their answer up. Keep score; the group with the most right answers gets a prize. PROCLAIM LAS POSADAS TEACHING This brief teaching introduces teens to the tradition of Las Posadas. It is brief, and sets up the game that they play during the Break section of the Life Night. During this Advent season we are preparing to celebrate the birth of Christ. Many of us have great traditions to help us prepare. We may have an Advent wreath that we light with our family at dinner each night. We may have an Advent calendar to count down the days until Christmas. One tradition that comes to us from Mexican and some Filipino cultures is Las Posadas. Posada means lodging. You recall that Mary and Joseph could not find a place to stay in Bethlehem. There was no room at the inn. So, they ended up at a stable. Las Posadas, like a novena, is a nine-day reenactment of this search for lodging. Traditions vary from culture to culture; generally, people go knocking on doors seeing if they will be let in. There is a song that is sung about Mary and Joseph needing lodging. Half the group is inside the house and half outside the house; each has different lines to sing. At the end of the song, the lyrics talk about how those inside the house did not realize it was Mary and Joseph, and now that they realize it, they immediately welcome them inside the house. On the ninth day, Las Posadas is finished with a big celebration for Christmas. Of course, for Mary and Joseph, it was no party. They were left to bring the newborn King into the world, placing Him in a manger. Hopefully you have been preparing this Advent to celebrate the birth of Christ. But are you making room for Him in your house? At Mass, we say, Lord, I am not worthy for you to enter under my roof... What are you doing to make room for the Lord in your house? Do you recognize when He is asking for lodging? Revelation 3: 20 says, Behold, I stand at the door and knock. Will you let Christ in? Or is your life so busy and so full that there is no room in the inn of your heart? As we finish our preparations for Christmas, let s make sure there is room for Jesus in our lives. BREAK FINISH THAT CHRISTMAS CAROL (25 min) This game has multiple parts. It brings together the idea of Las Posadas with common Christmas carols. 34 LIFE TEEN SPOTLIGHT

3 Part A: Warm Up (5 min) Have your music minister put together a medley of one-liners from Christmas carols. Tell everyone that when they hear a line that refers to them, they need to stand up and sing along, finishing that line until the next carol begins. For instance, when We Three Kings begins, all those wearing a crown will stand up. Other options might be Oh Little Town of Bethlehem, Hark the Herald, Angels Sing, or While Shepherds Watched their Flock by Night. Have fun with this and make sure that every group stands at least once. Part B: Las Posadas (15 min) Now that everyone is warmed up, invite volunteers to come up front. (Ideally, you want a representative or two from each small group.) Tell them that they will each be playing Finish that Christmas Carol to help Mary and Joseph find lodging in Bethlehem. If they get the answer right, Mary and Joseph get to move to the next house/structure. If they get it wrong, Mary and Joseph stay where they are. If the teen gets the answer wrong, he/she sits down. For the answer to count, the teen must sing. If he/ she gets the answer right, he/she goes to the end of the line. This game can be led by your music minister or by another person that is comfortable singing in front of everyone. Mary and Joseph should start at the structure in Bethlehem that has the Start sign. Whenever a teen finishes a lyric correctly, they move to the next house/structure and ask if there is room at the inn. Core Members stationed around the town of Bethlehem answer no to their request for lodging. This game should continue until Mary and Joseph make it around to the end of the town; the final stop should be the manger. SEND SOCIAL TIME Enjoy time eating goodies and socializing. Provide snacks for everyone gathered. Take each small group s photo with Mary and Joseph, using the town of Bethlehem as the backdrop. Close in prayer with a Christmas carol and the Hail Mary. ADAPTING THE LIFE NIGHT For larger youth groups, have each Core Member leading small groups read the story during the Gather, rather than the youth minister. If you don t have a projector, create a handout with the Scripture passages and give it to each small group to complete. As a group, fill out the handout, deciding which Gospel each line of the Christmas story comes from. Then, go over the answers as a large group. The group with the most right answers gets a prize. If your music minister cannot be present at the Life Night, cue up the music to various Christmas songs on a computer and play them, having teens complete the melody or lyrics. See page 38 for a suggested list of Christmas carol lyrics. Be sure that you have plenty of lyrics so that Mary and Joseph make it all the way around the town to the manger. LIFE TEEN SPOTLIGHT 35

4 LAS POSADAS GAME IT S A LEFT-RIGHT CHRISTMAS STORY! Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. RIGHT when his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but RIGHT before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her husband, since he was a RIGHTeous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. He had almost LEFT her when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him RIGHT in a dream and said, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife RIGHT into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. RIGHT when Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife RIGHT into his home. In those days a decree went RIGHT out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. So all LEFT to be enrolled; each to his own town. And Joseph LEFT from the town of Nazareth to go RIGHT to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. RIGHT while they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him RIGHT in a manger, because there was no room LEFT for them in the inn. Now there were shepherds RIGHT in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. The angel of the Lord appeared RIGHT in front of them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were LEFT with great fear. RIGHT away the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today RIGHT in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign LEFT for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and LEFT lying in a manger. And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God. When the angels LEFT them to return to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let us go, RIGHT now, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us. So they LEFT in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying RIGHT in the manger. When they saw this, they RIGHTly made known the message RIGHT away that had been told them about this child. All who heard it were LEFT amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them RIGHT in her heart. Then the shepherds LEFT, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, RIGHT as it had been told to them. At the same time, magi who had LEFT the east arrived RIGHT in Jerusalem, saying, Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star RIGHT at its rising and have come to do him homage. When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he RIGHTly inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, RIGHT in Bethlehem of Judea. Then Herod LEFT and secretly called the magi RIGHT away and ascertained from them the time of the star s appearance and when it LEFT. He sent them RIGHT to Bethlehem and said, Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word RIGHT away, that I too may go and do him homage. After their audience with the king they LEFT. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped RIGHT over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the RIGHT star, and on entering the house they saw the child RIGHT with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. RIGHT there they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they LEFT for their country by another way. 36 LIFE TEEN SPOTLIGHT

5 LAS POSADAS BREAK CHRISTMAS SCRIPTURE SELECTION Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. (Matthew) Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. (Mark) A man named John was sent from God. (John) And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel. (Matthew) Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel. (Matthew) In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. (Luke) While they were there, the time came for her to have her child. (Luke) And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. (John) For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. (Luke) Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. (Luke) Behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem. (Matthew) Entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. (Matthew) And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. (Luke) LIFE TEEN SPOTLIGHT 37

6 LAS POSADAS BREAK FINISH THAT CHRISTMAS CAROL 1. O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. 2. Silent night, holy night All is calm, all is bright round yon Virgin Mother and Child 3. Away in a manger, No crib for His bed The little Lord Jesus Lay down His sweet head 4. On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... A partridge in a pear tree. 5. Angels we have heard on high Sweetly singing o er the plains 6. The first Noel the angels did say Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay; In fields where they lay keeping their sheep On a cold winter s night that was so deep. 7. Said the night wind to the little lamb, Do you see what I see? Way up in the sky little lamb 8. Hark the herald angels sing Glory to the newborn King! 9. It came upon a midnight clear, that glorious song of old 10. Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Born is the King of Israel. 11. Come, they told me, Pa rum pa pum pum, Our newborn King to see. Pa rum pa pum pum 12. O star of wonder, star of light Star with royal beauty bright 13. God rest you merry, gentlemen, Let nothing you dismay, For Jesus Christ our Savior Was born upon this day. 14. Go, tell it on the mountain, Over the hills and everywhere, Go, tell it on the mountain, That Jesus Christ is born 15. Joy to the world! the Lord is come; Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare him room And heaven and nature sing, And heaven and nature sing, And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing. Do you see what I see? 38 LIFE TEEN SPOTLIGHT

7 Notes LIFE TEEN SPOTLIGHT 39