The Jesse Tree
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If you have never done a Jesse tree, I encourage you to give one a try. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy
or extravagant. After dinner, we simply read or retell the Bible story of the symbol for the day and hang up an ornament of that symbol on a tree. We use a small Christmas tree, but you can also use a bare branch, or even just a picture of a tree on poster board. Ideally we talk about how the Old Testament story, which the symbol represents, points to Christ. We just say something like: “Oh, it’s Noah today. Do you remember the story to Noah? He was saved through water—just like we are saved through the waters of Baptism. God, grant us your grace to always listen to you, and may the grace we received at our baptism, carry us into eternal life. Amen.” I’ve included a link to very easy Jesse Tree program to use that is free. They have provided pictures of the ornaments for you to cut out, along with the Bible verses and readings. If you wanted to be a little more creative, you could have your family draw and color your own symbols, or make them from Sculpey clay, or use other craft materials to represent them. My Jesse Tree ornaments are pictures I cut out which I shellacked onto balsam wood. I also shellacked the Bible references on the back of them so they are always handy. http://www.eriercd.org/jessetree.htm |
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