God used angels to announce the news of the coming of Christ. As I thought about the first coming of Christ and the promise of his second coming, the following Scripture verses came to me—and out of those verses came the concept and design for the angel banner. The Scripture verses were placed in the bulletin for each Sunday of Advent and Christmas Day. Along with the banner, those verses served as an invitation for the people to prepare their hearts for worship.
Sharon Ottens and Abby Byl helped to execute the design. The three of us spent about forty hours on the banner.
Scripture Readings for Advent and Christmas
On each Sunday of Advent, and on Christmas Day, the appropriate Scripture passage was printed in the bulletin.
First Sunday of Advent
In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin ... Mary.... The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary. You have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High."
Luke 1:26-32
Second Sunday of Advent
An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Joseph ... do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
Matthew 1:20-21
Third Sunday of Advent
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that... we ... will be caught up ... to meet the Lord in the air.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Then the angel... raised his right hand to heaven. And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them . . . and said, "There will be no more delay." But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.
Revelation 10:6-7
Christmas
An angel of the Lord appeared... and the glory of the Lord shone around them. . . . The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been bom to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Luke 2:9-12
Excerpt
How much Did it Cost?
Here's a list of the fabrics we used and how much the cost (tax-exempt):
Note: We used some polyfill on the face, gown, and ruching of skirt.
Item |
Price |
| blue velvet (heavy upholstery fabric, 6 x 10') | $255.20 |
| white satin (2 2/3 yd.) | 19.18 |
| fabric for face (no facial features) and arms (1/3 yd.) | 1.06 |
| gold lamé (1/3 yd.) | 2.65 |
| sheer fabric fo wings (1 1/3 yd.) | 5.15 |
| gold braid | 10.78 |
| gold and white rope tassels | 7.99 |
| silver thread | 1.00 |
| thread | .89 |
| tassel | 1.99 |
Total |
$306.88 |