Week before 28 December 2025
Welcome (10 minutes)
Snack idea: ‘Fragile Treats’ – Serve delicate biscuits or pastries (eg Viennese whirls or shortbread stars) with a sign: ‘Handle with care!’
As you eat, reflect on how fragile things can be both beautiful and worth protecting.
One person reads this prayer aloud:
Gift-giving God,
the world is not always an easy place in which to live.
Let us handle with care and protection, love, joy, peace and hope everyone in this group, and all who we meet.
Amen.
Story sharing (10 minutes)
Invite people to say where they have noticed divine light shining in the darkness in the previous week.
Bible (10 minutes)
Read Matthew 2:13–23 and this summary:
After the visit of the wise men, Joseph is warned in a dream to flee with Mary and Jesus to Egypt. King Herod, threatened by Jesus’ birth, orders a violent massacre. But God protects the holy family and leads them safely to Nazareth.
This part of the Christmas story shows the darker side of the nativity. Jesus and his family become refugees, fleeing violence. Herod uses power to hurt others, but God acts to protect life. This reminds us that the world can be dangerous but God’s love brings hope and safety. We’re invited to see others with compassion and treat every life as precious.
Discussion (30 minutes)
Use these questions to help everyone join in, even if they’re not used to Bible study. Keep things informal and open. Rephrase or skip questions as needed for the group.
1. All creation praises God
Psalm 148 includes wild weather and sea monsters!
- Why do you think even the “chaotic” parts of nature are asked to praise God?
- Can you think of a messy or difficult time in your life where you later saw God at work?
2. Handle with care
The Bible shows us that life is sometimes dangerous or unfair.
- Have you ever seen someone go through something hard and been moved to help?
- What does it mean to ‘handle someone with care’?
3. Power and protection
Herod misuses power, but God helps Jesus’ family escape.
- Can you think of a time when someone used their power to help or protect someone else?
- What small thing could you do this week to offer safety or kindness to someone who needs it?
Craft activity (30 minutes)
Handle with care
You’ll need:
- Clean eggshell halves or small biodegradable pots
- Soil
- Flower or herb seeds
- Paint or markers
Activity: Decorate eggshells or pots with gentle messages like ‘Handle with care’, ‘Loved’, or ‘Fragile, precious’. Plant a seed inside and talk about how plants need nurturing and careful tending to grow – just like people need kindness and compassion.
Reflection: Caring for the seedlings becomes a reminder of nurturing vulnerable lives.
Group prayer (10 minutes)
Ask each person to hold out their hands as if holding something delicate.
Say: “Imagine you are holding someone who needs care right now – a child, a friend, a stranger.”
Pause, then pray aloud:
God of gentleness,
help us to hold others with love and kindness.
May we notice the fragile, and honour each person’s worth.
Amen.