CHILDREN'S MASS – CHRISTMAS VIGIL – CHRISTMAS EVE ...

CHILDREN’S MASS – CHRISTMAS VIGIL – CHRISTMAS EVEDRAMA TO PREPARE PEOPLE TO HEAR THE GOSPELCharacters: Name: Telephone number:Innkeeper 1JosephInnkeeper 2Innkeeper 3MaryStoryteller 1Storyteller 2Shepherd 1Shepherd 2Shepherd 3Shepherd 4Properties:• Costumes for characters. (Consider how storytellers might bedressed)• Manger with straw or shredded yellow paper.(particularly if hay feveris an issue for some)• Doll wrapped in swaddling clothes.• Toy sheep• 2 simple backdrops – one for the stable and one for the paddockscene. These might be constructed from brown paper and tapedback to back (one upside down) so the scene change can be effectedby flipping between the two. Note there will be limited space on thesanctuary.

Innkeeper 1Sorry. We have no roomsJosephNot even an atticInnkeeper 1Innkeeper 2JosephNothing. The whole town is filled withpeople coming to be registered.We’re full(going to another Inn) This one is takingforever to answer. It’s hopeless.Innkeepersmove awayInnkeeper 3You must be the tenth one we’ve turnedaway in the last hour. Sorry. (Innkeepermimes closing door)Innkeepermoves away.MaryJoseph, there’s a stable over there in thecorner of that paddock. Let’s go overthere. We’ll make a little space forourselves. We’ll be comfortable enough.JosephMary, let me try one more street. I wantyou to have a proper place.MaryChoir(sings)I’ll be all right in the stable. Really I will.Anyway, Joseph, there isn’t any moretime. The baby is coming now. Take meover there (points to stable)Gloria, Gloria, In excelsis DeoGloria, Gloria, Alleluia, Alleluia(Taize)Innkeepers nowbecomebackdropmanagers. Holdup Stablebackdrop.Position mangercontaining doll.AlternativelyMary mightnurse doll.Choir enter andstands in frontof nativityscene. At endof chorus partto reveal scene.

Storyteller 1Storyteller 2It was lambing time and there were someshepherds in the top paddock protectingtheir sheep from foxes.Suddenly there was a bright light and lotsand lots of angels, all dressed in white,appeared in the paddock.Flip backdropand position infront ofnativity scene.(Joseph andMary bob downif necessary.)Paddockbackdrop is nowvisible.Storyteller 1They nearly frightened the shepherds todeath. But let’s hear it about it fromthem.Shepherd 1We’re shepherds. We heard the news up inthe paddock. We’re going to worship thenew-born saviour.Shepherd 2We heard the news from an angel. Wewere taking turns watching the sheep. Thewhole place lit up around us.Shepherd 3We fell on our faces trying to hide, waitingfor the worst. We thought we were donefor.Shepherd 4The angel of God told us not to be afraid,and gave us the news that our saviour wasborn in Bethlehem. Then hundreds ofangels began to praise God singing.ChoirGloria, Gloria, In excelsis Deo.Gloria, Gloria, Alleluia, Alleluia.Choir moves infront ofbackdrop. Flipback drop tostable sceneand placebehind Maryand Joseph.

Shepherd 1Shepherd 2We should have known. There’s been a lotof talk about the saviour in recent times.People making speeches telling us toprepare? Telling us that God was going tocome among this people.Choir moves toeither side ofscene.Shepherds takepositions infront of choir.Shepherd 3And the prophets told us over and overagain that God would not forget God’speople.Shepherd 4It’s really happened. God has come amongus. God is with us. Wow!Hey everybody, lets stand up and sing withthe angels as we welcome the Gospel, theGood news of our Saviour, Jesus Christ!ChoirGloria, Gloria, In excelsis DeoGloria, Gloria, Alleluia,(Repeat x 3 with harmony [in rounds])Everybodysinging!A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke follows immediately.Children hold positions during the Gospel reading.Children are seated in positions during the homily and return to their familiesat the conclusion of the homily.Prepared for Advent / Christmas Workshop 2002 by P brady.