“In these pages, regardless of how the story has been heard before, there is room for seven year olds and 70 year olds to grow and learn. I’m going to use this book with my congregation.”

That’s how one reviewer summed up Donald Schmidt’s Birth of Jesus for Progressive Christians adult study guide. Now Birth of Jesus: Study and Worship forProgressive Churchesmakes the vision of whole congregation sharing not only possible, buteasy. This all-in-one study and worship resource includes everything a congregation needs to enable children, youth, parents, and grandparents to share together in a four-week Advent study of the biblical stories of the birth of Jesus.

In these pages you’ll find:

• a complete, newly expanded edition of the original adult study guide Birth of Jesus for Progressive Christians, with five new photocopiable resource sheets for adults
• four weeks of learning resources for children, with full lesson outlines and photocopiable resource sheets
• four weeks of learning resources for youth, with full lesson outlines and photocopiable resource sheets
• ten prayers for Advent worship, including a “Call to Worship” and an opening or closing prayer for each week
• the scripture for each week, told in a creative way that can be shared easily with entire congregation
• a simple Christmas pageant
• music with lyrics that fit the progressive themes of the study, with permission for duplication and use within your congregation

Whenever he can choose what to do, Donald Schmidt likes to spin wool, knit, and weave. In his spare time, he also works in ministry in a variety of settings. He has served parishes in Quebec, New York, Vermont, Washington, and Hawai‘i. He has also worked as an Associate Conference Minister with the United Church of Christ, and is a retired United Methodist minister. Perhaps his favorite ministry has been as an editor and writer of church resources, for worship, education, and church revitalization. He has published 3 books, and has had a few pieces of music appear in various collections around the world. He also loves to travel, finding that visiting anywhere new and different can open us up to learn new things about others and, in the process, ourselves. More recently Donald has served with the United Church of Canada, and was Minister for Worship and Leadership Development at First United Church in Kelowna, British Columbia. He lives in the Okanagan Valley of BC. He is a grandfather of 8, and father of 3.

Sharon Harding is a mother of three grown children, trained educator, and published author. She enjoys a simple life with her partner in Canada. She loves reading, gardening, painting, hanging out with children, dark chocolate, and good coffee. She worked for many years with children and youth in churches across Canada.