Messy Church for Advent and Christmas

We had a great Messy Church yesterday with an Advent and Christmas theme. Advent candles, angel lights, angel handprint wings for a big picture that will appear later in church, a giant photo frame, and some home made wrapping paper with stars and angels on it. There was a great lego nativity built and an angel  dice game too.
At the end, we told the story of Christmas with the help of our "knit your own Bible" hand puppets, and sang some songs before we enjoyed a lovely tea - many thanks for the cakes, Hilary, Jenny and Evonne, and to all the helpers for all your work.
Here are some photos.

A great "colour an angel" game, from flame creative kids. Throw a dice and colour the section of the picture.

Competition got fast and furious...

Everyone hard at work...

Advent candles - Sharpies write on wax, fortunately. A simple, but always popular activity.

The photo frame in the making.

Angel lights

Home made wrapping paper - I wonder who will receive a gift wrapped in it? 

Duplo nativity in the making.

Away in a Duplo manger... 

And a camel, of course...

...which needed closer inspection.

Our newest Messy Churcher makes her mark, with a bit of help from dad. The handprints are "feathers" on an angel's wings. The finished product will be on display in church later in Advent.

Ali's nativity picture.

We told the Christmas story together and sang some songs. Yes, "Mary and Joseph slept in a stable, e-i-e-i-o..." had to have its annual outing.

And there was cake!

And here are some pictures with our Christmas Blessings photo frame, and some of  our Christmas Blessings pictured within it!