Making a difference together
One of the most encouraging stories we have received about the impact of our lights is from Pastor Leslie Ball. Leslie is the pastor of All Nations Baptist Church in London and one year he knew he needed to encourage his church members to each silently relcaim the streets of London. Download his story here.
To help spread the message of Christmas we have provided some posters for you to download and print:
The Journey (1.82 MB)
The Gift (2.33 MB)
Why display Angels? (2.01 MB)
Why display a Dove? (1.86 MB)
Why display a Nativity? part 1 (1.24 MB)
Why display a Nativity? part 2 (2.09 MB)
Why display Stars? (3.51 MB)
You could use this leaflet to encourage others to display traditional Christmas decorations and share the Christmas story:
Vision leaflet (0.99 MB)
Hand this postcard to your friends and colleagues to make them think about the true meaning behand Christmas:
Whose Birthday? (0.17MB)
Taking the Christmas message into schools
The Family Trust have chosen to take some of our angels into our local primary schools for leading assemblies. Family Trust are also taking one of our 5 figure nativity sets suitable for indoor use to use in their lessons.
Here is their lesson plan, together with a work sheet, they have produced:
Plan for Family Trust Christmas Lesson:
Word file (30 KB) | pdf (25 KB)
ChristmasMessageBooklet.pub (282 KB)
Family Trust drama using Silent Lights correx nativity figures:
Word file (33 KB) | pdf (39 KB)
Artwork sheets
We have used the designs of a number of our products to come up with some artwork sheets.
These artwork sheets are designed to be printed A4. There are different levels of complexity depending on the age and ability of those using them.
Here are two suggestions of how we have used these sheets:
- Print or photocopy the designs on white paper or card. Colour in using a variety or art materials (felt pens, paint, crayons). Tip: laser prints are better – particular if using wet art materials!
- Laser print or photocopy onto acetate sheets (the sheets used for OHP’s – back before power point!). The designs will be printed in black which looks similar to leading on stained glass! It is not necessary to outline again – although of course some may choose to.
The designs may then be coloured in using the following:
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Glass paints
– use sparingly! (if you use the outliner it needs to dry before adding the colour)
The glass paints do take some time to dry – particularly if put on too thick. Available from timetosow.com
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Glass paint pens – very popular because they are more controllable and dry quicker than paint, but they are more expensive.
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Peel off Pens
- similar to glass paint pens, but more economical! Available from timetosow.com
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Permanent OHP pens - A good way of using up old pens which have been sitting around for years!
Tip: Ensure the pens are permanent – the non permanent will wash off!
Once the designs are completed and dry, two holes can be punched in the top, and then they are ready to display. The acetate sheets work particularly well in a window because of the way the light catches them.
There are four different sheets to choose from:
Traditional nativity outline (87.2 KB)
Angels and star (49.0 KB)
Contemporary nativity outline (103 KB)
Simple nativity outline (68.6 KB)
Angels not Pumpkins!
All Saints' Eve is better known by most people as Halloween and has become a commercial event, which is associated with horror movies and trick or treating. We would like to encourage people to reclaim the Light of Jesus in their homes, by displaying a white angel light, rather than a pumpkin!
You can use the resources below to light up the 31st October and reclaim All Saints' eve message:
Angels not pumpkins leaflet (0.20MB)
Angels not pumpkins tags (0.20MB)
Silent Lights are always keen to encourage a positive response to situations, and we love to hear how our lights have been used to restore the Christian message. Maxine shares how Angel Lights were used to welcome Brownies and other local children to their light party last year:
"On 31st October, we stood two angels outside a school entrance where we were holding a Light Party.
The angels shone out superbly and we saw passers-by actually slow down as they saw them.
The angel lights really gave us an opportunity to shine God’s light out into the darkness outside, setting the scene beautifully.
Spirits of joy and peace, not fear, were welcoming the children into the hall.
Having heard some of the children speaking, it was clearly something they appreciated. The contrast to the often quite upsetting images they had been exposed to about Halloween, and other masked children on rounds of ‘trick or treat’ was dramatic.
It was visually a very strong and clear way to put out the right message, to onlookers and indeed to the spiritual world. It is so good to have found Christian Christmas lights, our angels will certainly be used more than once a year!"
Decorate your own angel!
All Saints Praise
In a number of Cathedrals across the country Christians will be gathering to celebrate All Saints Eve. This is a great opportunity for us to celebrate our HOPE in Jesus.
LIGHT PARTY CRAFT
Are you wanting to hold a celebration for the children in your area?
We have put together a few craft ideas based around the theme of LIGHT.
Download this document , and then adapt it suit your group.Silent Lights Party Craft
Send us stories and photographs of your event.
If you are looking to source some of the craft items we mention we recommend: timetosow.com
Here are some links to help you find items suitable for decorating candles:
Marbling materials
Wax sheets and motifs
Wire seed beads
Pumpkins are made for eating!
Silent Lights Muffin Recipe
Not Ashamed of the Nativity?
Silent Lights, in partnership with the Family Trust is giving 144 nativity sets to our primary schools in the Maidstone and Medway areas. The Family Trust is a Christian based organisation which has been working in primary schools for over 20 years. Members of the Family Trust team have been invited to lead a Christmas themed assembly, when the life-size figures are used as props for a photo shoot with an enthusiastic photographer! Towards the end of a fun-filled time, by which time the whole nativity scene has become obscured by all the Christmas trimmings, the school is presented with a special Christmas gift, their own set of nativity figures, which can be used for years to come.
Ruth, from Family Trust in Medway writes:
Just wanted to write and say how amazing the response has been to the Nativity set gifts we’ve been able to give out this week. The schools are really excited by it and we’re only in our first week! I’ve made my usual round of phone calls this morning to confirm our assemblies next week and a couple of schools have asked if they are allowed to keep the Nativity sets – it is a privilege to bless them with a gift. We live in a world that sometimes doesn’t know the concept of grace!!
And some comments from the Head Teachers:
I just wanted to say thank you for a particularly lovely assembly time on Monday and for the gift of Mary and Joseph. Sadly, I missed this Monday morning treat but staff told me how good it was and the way in which the message came across.
Thank you so much for the nativity figures - we are going to use them in a 'live nativity' on 14th December where we will have sheep and a donkey in school!
Finally do let us know how you get on, send us any further suggestions and photographs.
Please Note:
All our resources are available to download and use free of charge – providing no charge is made for them. Please remember all our designs are unique to us and copyright of Silent Lights. If you are unsure of our conditions, please call us and we will be happy to advise.
AnP