 Finlay lights third advent candle
Narrator Agnes Ovenstone
Joseph - Mark Wong & Mary- Mary Paterson, in stable
Three Wise Men?
Jenny, Kenny & Andrew
Shepherds Elaine, Sheila, Ina and Joyce.
Angels
John thanks the players
|
| | | Christmas Nativity - 15 December 2019 |
 Finalé lineup of players.
Our
third Sunday in advent started with young Finlay Jackson, assisted by
dad, lighting the third candle. Agnes Ovenstone introduced the nativity
play that took the 12 days of Christmas song to tell the wonderful
story of the world's biggest birthday party.
The congregation
all knew the song, but this version changed the words to form a
'Pop-Up' version. Agnes explained that a Pop-Up play is
spontaneous, where nobody is too sure what happens next!
We
were guided through the first few lines of the revised song which
started with 'On the birthday of Jesus it's POP nativity', where the
congregation were encouraged to make a 'popping' sound with finger in
the mouth! The two turtle doves were changed to Mary and Joe!
Mary,
aptly played by Mary Paterson, and Joseph, played by Mark Wong, arrived
at the crib on the stage. So that made for the next line in our song'
Mary and Joe', which we sang. Having covered one and two, what were
there three of, asked Agnes? French Hens was the reply. For
our popup it was the three wise men of course! Time for Kenny, Andrew,
and Jenny Ramage (Ed; who said they were all men?) to enter the stable,
carrying their gifts of Gold, Frankicense and Myrrh. Another line
to add to our song.
We were on to four calling birds. Not more birds cried Agnes! What were there four of in our story? Shepherds, Elaine Jacobs, Sheila Haig, Ina McLaughlin,
and Joyce Hunter. What did the four shepherds cry when they saw
the angels? 'Arghh' Wouldn't you if angels appeared on a dark night?
 Our
song was building up. On the birthday of Jesus we now had four
shepherds, three wise men, Mary and Joe, and Jesus the special baby.
Time for the angels to appear. Our group, led by Angel Gabriel played
by Charlie Sprott, headed for the pulpit with Charlie in the highest
spot. What message were the angels bringing, that of the new born king,
'Peace to all people'.
But there were more than just people in
that stable. We were introduced to the Donkeys, which the congregation
had to reply with 'hee-haw' response, Camels which 'moahh', sheep that
'baaaaa', and cows that 'mooo'. All this under a starlit sky.
Time
to bring them all together in our 12 days of Christmas song. 12 Stars
a-shining, 11 cows a mooing, 10 sheep a-baaaing, 9 camels moaning, 8
donkeys braying, 7 angels singing 'Peace to all people', which was 6.
One missing, number 5? To replace the five golden rings, Agnes chose 5 noisy things, to which the animals and people all together made a lot of noise!!!
 Agnes
then put it all into her talk. Mary giving birth would not have been
the 'Christmas cardy' scene we often see depicted. It would have been
messy and painful. In a smelly barn, a long way from home, family, and
friends is not how she would have wanted it to be. But life isn't all
pretty chocolate box pictures. We looked at Forest Gump who said 'You
never know what your gonna get. Sometimes it's great, sometimes not so
great.'
At Christmas Jesus stepped into our messy lives. He lived with us in all the mess and pain and the not how I wanted it to be.'
Christmas
is a good time for all of us to talk with God, who became a baby;
who knows each of us better than we know ourselves, and still
likes us, even with all the mess!.
We concluded our Pop-Up
Nativity by all singing our full Pop-Up 12 days of Christmas, complete
with the congregation adding the sound effects.
| | On the birthday of Jesus it's POP Nativity
12 stars a shining
11 cows a moooing
10 sheep a-baaing
9 camels moaning
8 donkeys braying
7 angels singing
'Peace to all people'
5 noisy things
4 shepherds, Arghh
3 wise men
Mary and Joe
And Jesus the special baby. |
Well
done to all those who played the parts, Agnes the narrator, Eileen
Marchant on the piano, and most of all the congregation for working
hard to bring the story alive.
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