This year’s Pageant play was quite funny and yet very simple. Written by two pastors in Scotland (Alec Shuttleworth and Robin Hill), it presented the question of who is included and deemed appropriate versus those who are not. Without restating the whole play, let me summarize it quickly: an artist was depicting the nativity scene in its traditional grandeur: angels, the holy family, a cow, a donkey, a camel and sheep were included. But, this typical depiction was put under scrutiny particularly by a pig and a rat who claimed that they were also in the stable at the birth of the Christ child. However, they are always overlooked when it came to portraying the scene.
Obviously, they are considered too dirty, too unclean, too inappropriate. The list could go on, right?
This sketch may be distributed, adapted and for use with possible donations going to The Church of Scotland HIV/AIDS Project, and it does present the attitude most feel toward people with HIV/AIDS: we are afraid of them being in the picture with the rest of us. We had a great cast for the play, including those with no speaking parts. The donkeys and sheep were just so cute!!! Thanks to those of you who jumped in at the last moment because of the snow storm. The play was too good not to show to a bigger congregation, so we performed a shorter version on Christmas Eve as well.
Tagged as:
Christmas pageant
And all of a sudden, there was that BIG winter storm. Not too convenient from Mother Nature; she gave us quite a present on the day of our dress rehearsal for the pageant play and the pizza party. Nevertheless, more than twenty of us braved the cold weather and snow by coming to church, regardless.
While the children were practicing in the (cold) sanctuary, the walkways were shoveled by Frank, and in the kitchen all things were prepared for the pizzas. The kids were looking forward to the pizzas made by Ethel and Erie, with so many options and different variations. To make it a little healthier, a salad and carrots were available as well.
When we had devoured about seven pizzas and were getting ready for dessert, a jolly good old man appeared. He came with a bag full of gifts; all the children who came got their gifts, as well as the cooks in the kitchen. Dessert was a big birthday cake for all the Eckerts kids who had just celebrated their birthdays.
After all the dishes were done, the kids started playing in the nursery, some went into the tower with Pastor Hartmut, while some other adults (or at least all the women) gathered in a circle, on their laps a small present. Frank read us the story of how Mary and Joseph traveled to the inn with no room left. Of course, the story was filled with rights, lefts, and crossings. So the gifts when around and back and over again and again. Only to end up on the same lap as they started. We could not figure out how that happened but in the end, we solved that and everybody was happy with her gift!
After that, it was time to get the little ones home, and everybody else out of the snow! Thanks for all those that did show up and helped with all the celebrations!
Tagged as:
Christmas pageant
