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Christmas Chapel and the Christmas Story

Christmas Chapel and the Christmas Story

Many of us have read or heard the Christmas story and the events leading up to the birth of Jesus. But nothing tells the story quite like the lower school students at Second Baptist School at their annual Christmas Chapel. Dozens of families packed the Sanctuary to hear kindergarteners through fourth graders, donned in their Christmas best, perform and recite the Christmas story, as it is written in Luke 2:1-20, by heart.  

“Memorizing Luke 2 is a longstanding tradition at SBS,” said Head of Lower School Rita Herring. “Students begin in kindergarten and add verses until they know the entire chapter by fourth grade. They are taught hand motions that go with the words to help them memorize and understand the meaning of the verses. So, they are truly ‘hiding God’s Word in their hearts.’”

Lower School Bible Teacher Ashley Corbin explains the strategy, “Our students begin scripture memorization from PK3 and continue to fourth grade. They are assigned a new Bible verse to memorize every week. We engage many of the senses to help with memory retention. We read, speak and sign each word of the verse. As students move up in grades, the Bible verses become longer.”

It is intentional teaching that points to Christ, then and now. Ms. Herring recalls, “My grown children can still recite all of Luke 2. It is our prayer that memorizing scripture in lower school will help students understand the Bible is truth and still applies to  us almost 2000 years later. Hopefully, students will use the scripture they have learned to praise God, console them during hard times, and help them make decisions.” 

“Scripture is the living, breathing Word of God,” Mrs. Corbin adds. “God speaks to us directly through His Word. Memorization keeps God’s Word in our minds and hearts, and allows us to access God no matter where we are.”

As the students faced the audience at Christmas Chapel and recited all twenty verses of Luke 2, emotions of love, joy, hope and pride showed on the faces of each boy and girl, mom, dad, and grandparent, alike. Now, we are ready for Christmas!