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| Everything was ready, waiting for the JAM Kids to arrive! |
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| The sanctuary was all set up for our Christmas drama. |
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| Costumes waited for the children. |
The tree looked beautiful.
As the children dressed and prepared
for the Christmas drama,
there were activities for everyone.
JAM Kids rehearsed their parts for the play.
And then it was time to begin the play!
The Christmas Story -
from “The Jesus Storybook Bible” by Sally Lloyd-jones
from “The Jesus Storybook Bible” by Sally Lloyd-jones
“He’s Here!” From Luke 1 - 2
Everything was ready.
The moment God had been waiting for was here at last!
God was coming to help his people,
God was coming to help his people,
just as he promised in the beginning.
But how would he come?
But how would he come?
What would he look like?
What would he do?
The earth held its breath.
The earth held its breath.
As silent as snow falling, he came in.
In the darkness, he came.
Sam was the narrator.
There was a young girl who was engaged to a man named Joseph.
One morning, Mary was minding her own business when suddenly,
a great light appeared, right there, next to her.
It was Gabriel, a special angel messenger from heaven.
When Mary saw the angel standing there,
she was frightened.
“You don’t need to be scared,” Gabriel said.
“You don’t need to be scared,” Gabriel said.
“God is very happy with you!”
Mary looked around to see if perhaps the angel
Mary looked around to see if perhaps the angel
was talking to someone else.
“Mary, you’re going to have a baby.
A little boy. You will call him Jesus.
He is God’s own Son.”
God was coming to earth . . . as a baby.
Part 2 - MARY AND JOSEPH GO TO BETHLEHEM
Sure enough, it was just as the angel had said.
Many months later, Mary was almost ready to have her baby.
Now, Mary and Joseph had to take a trip to Bethlehem,
the town of Joseph’s ancestors.
But when they reached the little town, they found every room was full.
Every bed was taken.
“I’m sorry,” said the innkeeper.
I have no space inside where it is warm.
But my stable would be a warm place to sleep.”
So Mary and Joseph stayed where the cows and the donkeys and the horses stayed.
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.
Mary and Joseph named him Jesus,
“Emmanuel” - - - which means, “God has come to live with us.”
Because, of course, he had.
Part 3 - The Light of the Whole World
That same night, in amongst the other stars, suddenly a bright new star appeared.
Of all the stars in the dark heavens, this one shone clearer.
It blazed in the night and made the other stars look pale beside it.
It blazed in the night and made the other stars look pale beside it.
God put a special star in the sky when his baby Son was born -
to be like a spotlight shining on him, lighting up the darkness.
Showing people the way to him.
(Our props manager set the scene for the shepherds, including the campfire.)
That night, some shepherds were out in the open fields,
warming themselves by a campfire, when suddenly
the sheep SEEMED FRIGHTENED by something.
They 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 strange glowing cloud
- except it was not a cloud.
It was angels --- troops and troops of angels, armed with light!
and they were singing a beautiful song:
“Glory to God! Peace on Earth! Good Will to All.”
Then as quickly as they appeared, the angels left.
Then as quickly as they appeared, the angels left.
The shepherds stamped out their fire, left their sheep, raced down the grassy hill, through the gates of Bethlehem, down the narrow cobble streets, past an inn, round a corner, through a hedge, 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. A baby sleeping in his mother’s arms.
This baby would be like that bright star shining in the sky that night. A light to light up the whole world. Chasing away darkness. Helping people to see. And the darker the night got, the brighter the star would shine.
PART 4 - KING OF ALL KINGS
Far away, in the East, three clever people saw the very same star.
Far away, in the East, three clever people 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 had been waiting for this star.
They knew it would come.
“He’s here!” they shouted. “He’s here!”
At dawn, they packed up their camels and wrapped gifts for the baby.
They brought their most precious treasures of all: frankincense, gold, and myrrh.
Special, sparkly, lovely-smelling, gleaming things - just right for a king.
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.
But wait, it wasn’t a palace. And there weren’t any guards.
But wait, it wasn’t a palace. And there weren’t any guards.
Or servants. Or flags. Or red carpets.
Or trumpets. Or anything.
Did they get it wrong? Or was this what God meant?
Sure enough, in that little house ---
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.
To the King God had promised David all those years before.
But this child was a new kind of king.
Though he was the Prince of Heaven, he had become poor.
Though he was the Mighty God, he had become a helpless baby.
This King had not come to be the boss,. He had come to be a servant.
We give thanks for the gift that was given to us that first Christmas.
We give thanks for the gift that was given to us that first Christmas.
Jesus was born - a gift to the world.
He was born to teach us how to live and how to serve others.
THE END.
The cast gathers for a photo following the drama.
PIZZA FOR SUPPER
Mike helps to pour the beverages.
John brings in the birthday cupcakes.
"Happy Birthday, Dear Jesus . . . "
Free Time to Play in the Gym!
And the Evening Ends with Song
It was so much fun to share our December JAM Kids with families.
God be with you
And bless you, loved ones.
God be with you loved ones
And bless you every day!
