The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Narrator: (Grandpa reading from Luke 2 and Matthew 2)

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.  And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph (played by the one and only, Chelsi) also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 

He went there to register with Mary (our stunning Lyndsi), who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son (ok, so our baby was sweet Abbi girl- but she played a great baby Jesus). She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

(Stage Left:enter shepherds)

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. (Shepherds were played by Kyle, Shannon and Jason.)

 

 (But of course there were sheep: Brad, Doug and Kristen.- of course there is one black sheep!) 

And you have to have a sheep dog. Right, Lucy?)

An angel of the Lord appeared to them (Tanya, the shining), and the glory of the Lord shone around them,

and they were terrified. 

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, (all the remaining Thiessen clan- hard to photograph)  “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. (So the babe was not lying in a manger- we had a hard time letting her be put down anywhere. We all had to have our turn holding her.)

When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.  The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

(SCENE CHANGE)

 (new animals: camel by the great camel player Tom; and Jack, the long eared donkey- sorry Jack! You scored great girlfriend points with that one!)

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east (Matt, Phil and Cait) came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.  “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
    who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.  When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.  

On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  

And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

(that's not the end- it's just the beginning of that story. To be continued at Easter.)

Special thanks to all actors, actresses, and narrator.  As well as the support team who helped to pull together the costumes and scene necessities! A good time was had by all- especially those left watching!