Boys dressed in bathrobes portraying...
Illustration
Object:
Boys dressed in bathrobes portraying shepherds, a shy girl cast as Mary, alongside a giggling boy as Joseph are the staples for annual church Christmas programs for generations. Much has been written about pageants gone wrong, a miscue, a forgotten line, and the frequent humorous ad-lib brings smiles to our faces.
Nancy would be directing the Sunday school's annual pageant, as she has for several years. She typed out their lines and picked the children for the various roles. Rehearsals went well; the children were well-behaved and learned their lines.
The program took place a week before Christmas. The fellowship hall was filled with parents and grandparents who enjoyed watching the children. The performance was flawless. Compliments were abundant. It seemed like the prefect pageant.
Afterward Nancy shared that she would like to take the program "on the road," to a couple of nearby neighborhoods. She explained that there were a lot of children living near the church who did not have a church home. They would share the Christmas story in hopes of attracting new children to their Sunday school. Others quickly backed her idea, volunteering to help in any way they could. On the Saturday before Christmas the pageant was held in a neighborhood. Nancy even secured a couple of live animals to add to the program. Neighborhood children lined the sidewalk watching. It was a wonderful outreach.
As we prepare to celebrate Christmas may we do so with a servant's heart. After Gabriel told Mary that God had chosen her, Mary replied, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word."
Nancy would be directing the Sunday school's annual pageant, as she has for several years. She typed out their lines and picked the children for the various roles. Rehearsals went well; the children were well-behaved and learned their lines.
The program took place a week before Christmas. The fellowship hall was filled with parents and grandparents who enjoyed watching the children. The performance was flawless. Compliments were abundant. It seemed like the prefect pageant.
Afterward Nancy shared that she would like to take the program "on the road," to a couple of nearby neighborhoods. She explained that there were a lot of children living near the church who did not have a church home. They would share the Christmas story in hopes of attracting new children to their Sunday school. Others quickly backed her idea, volunteering to help in any way they could. On the Saturday before Christmas the pageant was held in a neighborhood. Nancy even secured a couple of live animals to add to the program. Neighborhood children lined the sidewalk watching. It was a wonderful outreach.
As we prepare to celebrate Christmas may we do so with a servant's heart. After Gabriel told Mary that God had chosen her, Mary replied, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word."
