It was time for the annual JAM Kids Christmas meeting!
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| We could paint a clay ornament and decorate a stocking. |
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| Bailey paints |
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| Grant gives a hand to Ivan |
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| Jayden |
And then it was time for the Christmas Story!
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| Costumes were ready |
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| The stable was empty in Bethlehem |
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| Yixuan tries on a halo. |
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| The angels are ready! |
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| Caroline is a perfect angel. |
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| Gavin will be a shepherd |
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| Peyton will be the son of the kind innkeeper. |
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| Max and Ivan are shepherds. |
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| Evan, Landon and Bailey look very regal. |
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| Is Bob an Angel or a King? |
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| Yixuan |
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| Elizabeth, Yixuan, Caroline, Maddie & Jayden - all type cast! |
Jack, Nathan, and Grace are ready to begin!
NARRATOR: Susan begins . . .
Everything was ready. The moment God had been waiting for was here at last! God was coming to help his people, just as he promised in the beginning.
But how would he come? What would he look like? What would he do?
The earth held its breath. As silent as snow falling, he came in. And when no one was looking, in the darkness, he came.
There was a young girl who was engaged to a man named Joseph.
Grace played the part of Mary.
One morning, this girl was minding her own business
when suddenly, a great light appeared, right there, next to her.
It was Gabriel, an angel, a special messenger from heaven.
Gabriel told Mary that she was going to have a baby.
Mary trusted God more than what her eyes could see.
And she believed. “I am God’s servant,” she said.
“Whatever God says, I will do.”
Now, Mary and Joseph had to take a trip to Bethlehem
so that they could obey the laws of the land.
Each person had to make the trip to the town of their ancestors.
But when they reached the little town, they found every room was full.
Every bed was taken. They went from one place to another,
searching for a room to rent for the night.
Joseph and Mary could not find a place to stay.
A kind innkeeper told them that they could stay in his stable.
And there, in the stable,
among the chickens and the donkeys, and the sheep,
in the quiet of the night, God gave the world his wonderful gift.
The baby that would change the world was born. His baby Son.
Shepherds and Angels!
Shepherds were warming themselves by the campfire when a bright new star appeared.
The shepherds turned around.
Standing in front of them was a huge light, blazing in the darkness.
“Don’t be afraid of me!” the bright shining angel said.
“I haven’t come to hurt you.
I’ve come to bring you happy news for everyone everywhere.
Today, in David’s town, in Bethlehem, God’s Son has been born!
You can go and see him. He is sleeping in a manger.”
Behind the angel they saw a cloud of light.
It was a large group of angels, and they were singing a beautiful song:
“Glory to God! Peace on Earth! Good Will to All.”
The shepherds stamped out their fire, left their sheep, hurried down the grassy hill, through the gates of Bethlehem, searching and searching, until, at last, they reached . . .a tumbledown stable.
They caught their breath. Then, quietly they tiptoed inside.
They knelt on the dirt floor. They had heard about this Promised Child and now he was here. Heaven’s Son. The Maker of the Stars. A baby sleeping in his mother’s arms.
Wise Men from the East!
Far away, in the East, three clever men saw the very same star. The star that God had put in the sky when Jesus was born. They knew it was a sign. A baby king had been born.
Far away, in the East, three clever men saw the very same star.
The star that God had put in the sky when Jesus was born.
They knew it was a sign.
A baby king had been born.
They went to see King Herod.
Surely he’d know where this baby was.
But he didn’t. In fact, he did not like the sound of a new king -- it made him cross. He didn’t want anyone to be king, except him.
But Herod’s advisers told the three Wise Men what was written in their books - what God had said about the baby king. “Go to Bethlehem. That’s where you’ll find him.”
Suddenly, the star they had seen in the East started moving again, showing them the way. So the three Wise Men followed the star out of the big city, along the road, into the little town of Bethlehem. They followed the star through the streets of Bethlehem, until it stopped right over . . . a little house.
The Wise Men searched for Mary, Joseph and the baby.
Sure enough, in that little house ---
there, sitting on his mother’s knee --- they found him.
The baby King.
The three men knelt before the little King.
They took off their rich royal turbans and gleaming, golden crowns.
They bowed their noble heads to the ground
and gave him their sparkling treasures.
The journey that had begun so many
centuries before had led three Wise Men here.
To a little town.
To a little house.
To a little child.
To the King God had promised David
all those years before.
CURTAIN CALL
Time for PIZZA
Singing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus.
GYM TIME
SINGING CHRISTMAS SONGS
AT THE END OF THE EVENING
