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Full Members, Children in the Church ecclesicakes A112
Matthew 19:13-15
The place of children in the church and society remains a matter of debate. To me the main issue is around the question, "When does a human being become a spirtual being and full person? " Are we persons and spiritual beings at birth, at some later point in life?
My perspective on this questions is: Human societies have been slowly but surely moving from a position in which children are not persons or spiritual beings toward the assumption that children are spiritual beings and full persons at birth. Every society, religious organization and family is somewhere along this continuum, and moving toward the latter end of it; that is toward seeing children as having both rights as persons and something to share with the rest of us as spirtual beings.
This has practical implications for the church and its liturgy and for the society and its values and laws. For instance, if we consider that children are not full persons or spiritual being until reaching a certain age or being confirmed, their place in the church will be that of those under our authority who are being developed. They may be shaped and taught, but do not shape us, or speak to us except when mouthing back a script we have given them. So, they may take part in the Christmas pageant, but they do compose it to express their insights into the nativity. Or, they may read lessons in the liturgy, but they do not deliver the sermon. Again, they are expected to follow the rules of the church, but we do not see them as participants in making the policy.
On the other hand, if children are considered to be persons and spiritual beings, they may participate in the whole life of the church as full members of the Body of Christ, being children; just as the rest of us are members of the Body, being adolescents, young adults, middle-aged, or elderly.
The Midwife's Letter, an adult's Christmas Pageant Service A203
This Christmas Pageant was written to be enacted by older adults. It was first done by St. Stephens - Broadway United church, Winnipeg, at a time when that congregation had no children, and wanted a Christmas pageant anyway! This resource includes the order of service in which the pageant is set.
The
Midwife's Letter
Setting,
The "Inn" of Bethlehem
Reader 1. the following introduction:
A long time ago in the land of Judea, there lived a gentle couple, Isaac and Rachel. They were very faithful, and drew great peace from hearing the Holy Torah being read. So, every morning, and evening Isaac read aloud a passage from Scripture. Isaac was a Rabbi and therefore one of the few people in Bethlehem who had been educated to read, or would have access to the Torah.
Rachel and Isaac had one child, a daughter they named Sarah.One day, when Sarah was five years old, Isaac wondered: "Who will read the Torah to us when we are old and my eyes are dim?"
Rachel thought about this a great deal, then she suggested they teach their one child, Sarah, to read. Isaac was startled by this proposal. He had never heard of a female child being taught to read. But, in the following days, he could not get the notion out of his mind, until one night an angel came to him in a dream, and told him that he was to begin Sarah's reading lesson that very day.
So, a rare thing for those days came to pass. A girl child learned to read and to write, which was a great blessing to her parents. This began a tradition in that family, as Sarah taught her daughter, Miriam in the same way.
Now, let us go back in time to the home of this Sarah of Bethlehem, where we find her about to use her rare ability to set down in Hebrew script her version of the birth of Christ.
Scene I, Midwife decides to write a letter
Choir or congregation sings, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel."
Reader 2: 1st Reading: Isaiah 9:1 - 7
Midwife:
enters. A woman in her fifties or more, wearing apron, and
kerchief. Her facial and body expression is that of one who has
just had an astounding experience that she wants to share.
She
looks out an imagined window.
"IT IS JUST DAWN AND I HAVE BEEN UP ALL NIGHT,
EVEN NOW I AM TOO EXCITED TO SLEEP.
I WISH MIRIAM WAS HERE SO I COULD TALK TO HER...
I NEED TO SHARE THIS EXPERIENCE WITH HER.
I WANT TO TELL MY DAUGHTER ALL THAT HAS HAPPENED HERE THIS LAST WEEK".
She takes
the duster, and begins dusting imagined furniture, stops and faces
the audience,
"I KNOW. I WILL WRITE TO HER. I WILL WRITE A LETTER,
AND ASK ONE OF OUR VISITORS TO DELIVER IT TO HER
AS THEY GO PAST CAPERNAUM!"
She moves to
the wooden chest, and takes out a box of writing material and sets it
on the table. She opens the box, takes the bowl to the water
pail and dips a tiny bit of water into bowl, then returns with it to
the table and sits.
"SURELY ISAAC WON'T COMPLAIN IF I USE A BIT OF INK AND PARCHMENT
TO
TELL MIRIAM THIS WONDERFUL NEWS."
Congregation:
Carol, "Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus" two verses
As Carol is
sung, Midwife takes a block of dried ink and a knife from the box,
and scrapes the block of died ink into the bowl of water, then mixes
it with the pestle. Finally, she spreads out the parchment and begins
to write with the quill (not actually getting the nib wet).
You can tell
by watching her, that this is not something she does often.
As the
congregation settles back into their seats after the hymn, she
continues to write for a moment, then, Picks up the scroll and reads
what she has written (Scroll id printed with text of letter):
"MY DEAREST DAUGHTER, MIRIAM, I DO MISS YOU.
ESPECIALLY, DURING THESE PAST DAYS AND NIGHTS.
THIS HAS BEEN THE MOST AMAZING TIME IN ALL MY LIFE.
AS YOU WELL KNOW, I HAVE DELIVERED MANY BABIES,
AND I HAVE SPENT MANY NIGHTS WITH WOMEN IN LABOUR,
BUT THE NIGHT OF THIS BIRTH, AND THESE NIGHTS OF CROWDS,
AND STARS, AND ANGELS, AND SHEPHERDS, AND MAGI, I SHALL NEVER FORGET.
TO BEGIN WITH, THIS TAX REGISTRATION
HAS BEEN LIKE HAVING TEN WEDDINGS IN ONE WEEK.
PEOPLE KEPT COMING UNTIL EVERY ROOM
IN EVERY HOUSE IN ALL BETHLEHEM WAS FULL,
AND SOON PEOPLE WERE SLEEPING IN THE STREETS.
YOUR FATHER GOT VERY CRANKY, SAYING OVER AND OVER:
"NO ROOM, NO ROOM, WE ARE FULL! SORRY."
THEN, THERE CAME THIS ONE COUPLE HE COULD NOT TURN AWAY.
MARY, AND JOSEPH.
SHE WAS PREGNANT, AND TIRED, AND SO YOUNG.
HE WAS ANXIOUS ABOUT HER, AND HER NEED TO REST.
THEY HAD COME ALL THE WAY FROM NAZARETH.
SO, YOUR FATHER CALLED ME: 'SARAH, COME QUICK.'
I COULD SEE RIGHT AWAY THAT SHE HAD NOT LONG TO WAIT,
A NEW CHILD WOULD BE PUSHING ITSELF
INTO THE WORLD THAT NIGHT, FOR SURE!
BUT FIRST, THEY WERE HUNGRY,
SO, I GOT THEM SOME GOATS CHEESE AND BREAD,
WE LED THEM THROUGH THE CROWD INTO THE BACK,
TO THE STABLE, WHERE IT WOULD BE QUIET.
THEN I CALLED ANNA. SHE'S MY NEW MIDWIFE TRAINEE.
ANNA BEGAN RIGHT AWAY TO SWEEP THE FLOOR - SHE'S A GOOD GIRL.
I FIXED A BED FOR MARY OF FRESH CLEAN STRAW.
JOSEPH SAT ON THE FEED BOX.
I LEFT THEM THEN AND TOLD ANNA,"CALL ME WHEN THE PAINS BEGIN.
WELL,
I HAD BARELY GOTTEN TO SLEEP
WHEN
ANNA WAS POUNDING ON MY DOOR - LIKE ALWAYS!
SO, I
CAME DOWN RIGHT AWAY, AND BEGAN MY WORK.
THIS
WAS MARY'S FIRST, SO I COACHED HER ON BREATHING AND PUSHING,
WHILE
ANNA COOLED HER BROW.
JOSEPH, OF COURSE, WENT OUTSIDE.
AS
SHE LABOURED, SHE KEPT SAYING THE STRANGEST THING:
'THIS
IS GOD'S CHILD, THIS IS GOD'S CHILD!'
WHEN I
TRIED TO CALM HER, SHE TOLD ME A FANTASTIC STORY."
Scene Two, Mary and Joseph are visited by the Angel
Stage hand,
sets in place: a bench with two cushions on it
Midwife,
during the following scenes, remains at her place at table.
Mary, a
youth, comes onto stage and sits on bench doing needlework.
If there is
no youth in the congregation, recruit a woman of childbearing years
(who perhaps has an infant of less than three months or a teenaged
grandchild of a member of the congregation
2nd Reading:
Luke 1:26 - 38, Angel visits Mary.
Carol,
"To a Maid whose Name was Mary," verses 1, 4, 5 &
6 Rusty Edwards, Gracia Grindle.
Angel (an
older woman) comes and sits beside Mary, taking Mary's hand in hers.
Mary and the
Angel sit facing one another.
Angel, exits
after the third of these verses has been sung.
Mary, exits
at end of hymn singing.
3rd Reading,
Luke 1: 39 -45 Mary visits her cousin, Elizabeth
Solo or
communal reading - Magnificat
Midwife -
writes for very brief moment, then stops to read what she has written
"I LISTENED TO HER STORY.
TELLING IT SEEMED TO CALM HER.
BUT CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT? A VISIT BY AN ANGEL?
I HAVE TO SAY, I FOUND MYSELF WANTING TO BELIEVE HER.
WHEN SHE WAS CALM, I LEFT HER IN THE CARE OF ANNA
WHILE I WENT OUT TO ASK JOSEPH TO BRING US SOME FRESH WATER FROM THE WELL.
HE GOT THE WATER, BUT HE ALSO HAD A STORY TO TELL."
Joseph -
comes onto the stage carrying a blanket. He wraps the blanket around
his shoulders, and lies on the bench. He sleeps restlessly.
Angel,
enters and stands by Joseph's bedside.
4th Reading
Matthew 1:18 - 25.
Joseph,
tosses and turns in his sleep.
Angel, exits
after reading.
Joseph,
awakens and exits.
Scene Three, Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem
Carol;
"O Little Town of Bethlehem"
Midwife,
exits during carol
Inn Worker
(stagehand) during this singing, sets Manger in place, puts bench
near it, and moves second chair to back of stage.
Innkeeper,
enters, goes to imagined front door of Inn, sweeping briskly, then
freezes in position during the next reading.
5th Reading
Luke: 2: 1 - 4. Journey to Bethlehem.
Mary and
Joseph, enter together from back of congregation, and proceed down
aisle during the reading
Innkeeper,
comes to M & J as they step past the front row of seats.
Innkeeper
and Joseph, pantomime discussion about a room at the Inn.
Joseph,
points to Mary,
Innkeeper,
notices that Mary is pregnant
"SARAH, SARAH COME QUICKLY!"
Midwife,
enters onto stage, notices them, and comes to them, speaks briefly
with Mary, then to Innkeeper, and leads them onto the stage to the manger.
Mary and
midwife - sit on bench beside the manger. Midwife takes Mary by the
hand in a motherly way, and mimes asking her questions related to her
pregnancy.
Innkeeper
leads Joseph to chair at back of stage, where he leaves him sitting.
Scene 4, The Birth
Two Angels,
enter with large coloured sheet, and hold it between them to curtain
off the manger scene so that Mary and the Midwife are not seen by the congregation.
6th Reading
Luke 2:5 - 7 Birth of Christ
Congregation,
Choir, or Soloist "Gentle Mary"
Angels, exit
with the sheet, at end of carol.
Mary, is
tired and reclining on straw bed
Midwife
passes wrapped Christ child to Mary
Mary takes
"baby Jesus" into her arms.
Joseph comes
and kneels (or sits) beside her.
Carol,
"Away in a Manger,"
Midwife -
during this carol, moves to the table and writes. After the carol she
reads what she has just written.
"THERE WAS NOTHING UNUSUAL ABOUT THE BIRTH ITSELF;
THE GASPS OF PAIN, THE SWEAT, THE BLOOD, THE CHILD'S FIRST CRY,
I'VE SEEN AND HEARD THOSE A HUNDRED TIMES BY NOW.
BUT AS I RECEIVED THE INFANT INTO MY HANDS
I FELT A TINGLE GO UP MY ARM,
AND A LIGHT SEEMED TO COME INTO THE ROOM.
I'VE NEVER KNOWN THAT BEFORE!
O, I FELT MY HEART FILL WITH JOY
&ldots;JUST AS I DID WHEN I GAVE BIRTH TO YOU.
AFTER I PLACED THE INFANT IN MARY'S ARMS,
I WAS FAINT FOR A MOMENT. IMAGINE, ME, FAINT!
I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY THAT THERE COMES A TIME
WHEN YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WERE BORN FOR.
WELL, I THINK THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE MOMENT
I'D BEEN TRAINING FOR
IN ALL MY YEARS AS A MIDWIFE.
AND TO BE ABLE TO WRITE ABOUT IT!
WHAT A BLESING!"
Scene five, Shepherds
Midwife,
pauses to gather her thoughts for moment, then writes.
Shepherds -
enter and take position on "hill."
Midwife -
reads what she has written
"WELL IT SEEMED WE HAD JUST GOT THINGS CLEANED UP,
AND CALLED JOSEPH IN,
WHEN THERE WAS A CLAMOR AT THE DOOR - SHEPHERDS!"
7th Reading
Luke 2:8 - 14
Angels,
appear to the shepherds during this reading
Choir,
becomes Heavenly Host and sings Gloria
Angels - at
conclusion of Gloria, exit to, front row seat.
8th Reading
Luke 2: 15 - 20
Shepherds -
following this reading, Shepherds move to Manger
Carol
"While Shepherds Watched"
Shepherds -
exit during carol.
Mary and
Joseph - During carol, after the shepherds exit, move from Manger to bench
Stagehands,
remove Manger - if this can easily be done
Scene six, Magi
Midwife -
writes, then stops to read what she's written.
"NOW, MY STORY MOVES TO A WEEK LATER, MY DEAR.
I HAD BARELY ANY SLEEP SINCE MARY'S CHILD WAS BORN.
THERE HAS BEEN THIS BRIGHT STAR IN THE SKY,
AND I HAVEN'T SLEPT FOR WATCHING IT.
AND NOW WE'VE HAD MORE VISITORS!
AND I'VE HAD ANOTHER NIGHT WITH NO SLEEP!
I'M BOTH EXITED AND EXHAUSTED!
WOULD YOU BELIEVE - ORIENTAL PRIESTS OR KINGS, MAYBE;
MAGI THEY CALL THEMSELVES - THREE OF THEM.
THEY ARRIVED JUST AFTER NIGHTFALL,
CAME HERE ASKING ABOUT THE CHILD -THE BIRTH?
I KNEW RIGHT AWAY IT WAS MARY'S CHILD THEY WERE ASKING FOR.
BY THIS TIME MARY AND JOSEPH AND THE BABY -
THEY NAMED HIM JESUS - LIKE THE ANGEL SAID,
WELL, THEY HAD A ROOM AT THE INN - OUR INN!
SO THESE MAGI CAME THERE.
YOUR FATHER JUST ABOUT TRIPPED OVER HIMSELF TO SERVE THEM,
BUT THEY WANTED ONLY TO SEE THE BABE.
WHAT A STORY THEY HAD TO TELL."
9th Reading:
Matthew 2: 1 - 12.
Magi enter
from behind congregation down aisle.
Innkeeper,
enters briskly onto stage, then down to floor level, and greets them
with bowing and smiling,
Magi, mime
asking directions
Innkeeper,
acts puzzled, then mimes, "aha," and points them the way
to M & J.
Magi,
proceed onto stage and present their gifts to the Christ Child, and
pose there while Midwife reads final entry in her letter.
Innkeeper -
Moves chair, and sits beside his spouse, the Midwife.
Midwife
"I HAVE TO CLOSE THIS LETTER NOW,
THE MAGI ARE LEAVING BEFORE DAWN,
THEY ARE GOING HOME BY A BACK ROAD,
STAYING AWAY FROM HEROD.
THEY WILL DELIVER THIS LETTER TO YOU ON THEIR WAY.
I HAVE THIS FEELING THAT ALL THE DREAMS OF THE PROPHETS
ARE COMING TRUE. MY HEART IS FULL OF PEACE AND HOPE.
I SEND MY BLESSINGS TO YOU AND YOUR DAVID,
AND YOUR LITTLE SARAH.
YOUR MOTHER."
10th Lesson,
John 1: 1-5; 10 - 14.
Carol
"The first Noel"
Innkeeper -
adds his mark to the letter
Midwife -
takes letter to Magi
Magi - exit
down aisle
Mary and
Joseph - exit
Angels -(who
have been seated in front row of congregation) exit following Mary
and Joseph
Innkeeper
and Midwife - exit
Hymn,
"Once in Royal David's City."
Producing this Pageant
Staging at
front of church sanctuary, with pulpit/ lectern moved to one side.
Stage is set in two halves. On one half is a small table and two
wooden chairs, a small cupboard with a dusting feather hanging from a side.
Below the cupboard is a wooden chest. Inside the chest are
writing materials in al wooden box (small ceramic bowl and pestle,
leather pouch containing a block of dried ink, a small dull knife,
and roll of parchment, This "parchment" has printed on it,
the letter the Midwife reads to the congregation). Beside it is a
wash stand with wash bowl, water pail with water, dipper and towel.
An inconspicuous microphone is usually a big help to inexperienced
actors, so set one on the table from which the Midwife will read her letter.
The other
½ of the stage will be set at times as a home interior
(represented by a simple bench), and as the Manger.
Stage hands.
You will need two stagehands to move sets during the pageant
Fire hazard
- If there is straw in your Manger, be very careful of fire hazard.
Keep candles well away from inflammable material. Set a couple of
fire extinguishers where they are within easy reach of the stage. See
that two people trained in their use and identified as fire fighters
are seated near the stage. Name one of the ushers to be ready to
phone 911 should the need arise.
Casting -
List of characters in order of appearance:
Midwife, Innkeeper;
Mary, Angel
of the annunciation; Joseph, Angel of Joseph's dream;
Angels who
shelter the birth;
Shepherds,
Angel who tells them of the birth (all the angels noted above)
Magi.
I suggest
that the usual assigning of roles according to sex (i.e.
angels=women, shepherds and Magi = men) can be forgotten with
delightful results.
I suggest
also that you share the reading among two or more readers.
My
experience of casting this pageant with older adults as players was
that they filled these roles with the faith that had seen them
through a lifetime of experience.