We want to encourage all our churches and all our churchgoers to invite their neighbours and their communities to an in person gathering this Christmastime where they can hear the Christmas story and be welcomed into the love of Jesus.

But what kind of gathering, and what about churches who feel they don’t have capacity to come up with something suitable? That’s where Christmas in a Box comes in.

Here you will find a small number of model services that you can take and make your own. 

Carol services

Outlines and resources for Carol Services in the Christmas season (from Common Worship: Times and Seasons) are available now. There are three suggested sets of lessons as well as three possible bidding prayers, including one based on the form created by Eric Milner-White used at King’s College, Cambridge.

An example order of service (as used by St Leonard’s Church, Streatham) using some of this provision is also available for you to download and edit.

The full text of the nine lessons (using the NRSVA translation) is also available.

Crib service

An outline and resources for a Crib Service (from Common Worship: Times and Seasons) is also available.

There are forms for Blessings of the Crib for use at any service, as well as outline orders and resources for a Christingle Services during the Advent, Christmas or Epiphany seasons.

An example order of service for a Crib Service with Nativity Tableau (with children helping to create a life-size nativity scene as the service progresses) from St Leonard’s Streatham is available to edit and adapt to your local needs.

You can also download the leaders’ script and the order of service template for the congregation.

Christmas prayers

Finally, a variety of Christmas prayers (including forms of intercession, blessings and thanksgivings) from Times and Seasons are available to download to use as needed.