Last updated: 2015-01-19                                      Back to Job Descriptions page

Program:

 Advent Wreath-Making Event

Mission:

 All Saints Episcopal Church provides an event for all the children at ASC to make and take home an Advent Wreath for their home. Left over wreaths can be donated.

Vestry Contact:

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Members:

 Adult Volunteers

Responsibilities:

 Organize the event which entails:

  • Advertise the event
  • Buy Supplies
  • Invite all the children
  • Solicit adults
  • Set up for the event
  • Provide an activity before they create the wreath
  • Provide an activity after they create the wreath
  • Clean up
  • Thank everyone when it is over

Advertise the Event
  • Send out email to entire church school members and parents
  • Put blurb in the e-bulletin, paper bulletin, and on the calendar

Buy Supplies
  • Styrofoam rings
    • We purchase 50 ea. 7” green rings from the Dollar Store for $1.00 each
  • Candles
    • We got boxes of Advent candles (one purple and three pink) candles from Medusa Floral (on line) 159.75
  • Greenery
    • We put out a request to parishioners for any greens they may have
    • Purchased a few “sprays” from a local florist for ~$6.00 each that we cut up
  • Ribbon and wire
    • We purchase purple and pink sheer ribbon (about ¼” wide), twisted the ribbon onto wire into multiple bows. The kids were able to add them to the wreath
  • “Charger” paper plates to hold the wreath. We wrote the child’s name on the paper plate so they could find them after the service
  • Tablecloths for each table. We purchase disposable table cloths at the Dollar Store
  • Styrofoam glue, just in case
  • Found and made copies of coloring activity for before and after the kids made the wreaths (attached at the back of this report)
  • Crayons and/or markers
  • Made copies of prayers and the meaning of the wreath for the kids to take with them (attached at the back of this report)

Invite All the Children

 We advertised (see “advertise the event” above) and asked Andie Bray, the church school administrator at the time, to send out an e-mail to all the children in the church

Solicit Adults

 Adults needed to help set up, help organize the children, explain the Advent wreath and its meaning, sit at the coloring table, and help clean up

  • Advertise in the bulletin
  • Make a face-to-parish announcement during the service
  • Word of mouth

Set Up for the Event
  • Set up tables; chairs not necessary
  • Put tablecloths on each table
  • Put a charger plate, candles, and wreath at each spot; about 5 on each side of the table
  • Put loose greenery on one long table and the ribbon on another table. The kids have fun running to pick out the greenery and ribbon they want to use
  • Set up table for the kids to use to color the coloring sheets after they finish making their wreath
  • Have an empty table ready for the kids to keep their wreaths during the service and/or class. They can pick the wreath up on their way home

Provide an activity before they create the wreath and Provide an activity after they create the wreath
  • We had the children gather around one of the adult organizers for a story about the Advent Wreath to discuss what it stands for and where it originated etc. (attached at the back of this report). This quiets the children and prepares them for what they will do. We also discussed how to put the wreath together
  • After they finish their wreaths, and they will finish at different times, ask them to sit with the adult volunteer at the table with the coloring sheets and crayons ready

The children then form a line and proceed to the service at about 10:30a.m.

Clean Up

 Try to finish before the fellowship group comes in to set up for coffee/breakfast

  • Break down and return tables to the holders
  • Sweep
  • Stack completed wreaths on the empty table
  • Store any leftovers in the ACY storeroom

Thank everyone when it is over

 Put an article in the paper and e-bulletin thanking everyone and the kids for their help and participation in the event

Calendar:

 November Usually the Sunday before Thanksgiving