Christmas Hope
Characters
Mary
Angel
Joseph
Innkeeper, his wife and family
Shepherds
Jesus
Heavenly choir of angels
Possible soloist
Music
“Breath of Heaven” written by Chris Eaten (song was recorded first by Amy Grant on the CD “Home for
Christmas” and has since been recorded by several artists)
‘Mary did you know?” written by Buddy Greene & Mark Lowry (song was recorded first by Michael English and
has since been recorded on various Christmas CD’s. Recorded by Clay Aitken, Kenny Rogers & Wynona Ryder,
Michael English, Kathy Mattea and many others. )
Download sheet music is available from music notes. www.musicnotes.com
Song available as download from itunes. www.itunes.com
“Hark the Herald Angels Sing”
Set up
On the stage have a carpentry work area set up. (Sawhorse, hammer, nails, wood) After Scene 2 this is
removed and replaced with a stable setting. Set up two chairs and a cardboard box painted to look like a
manger or if you have someone who is good with wood in your congregation you could get a manger made
from rough looking timber.
Bright spotlight for the Angel appearances.
Create some sheep for them to hold by rolling up white towels and sticking a cardboard black face on the end of
the towel.
Scene 1
Mary is sitting on stage alone. An angel appears next to her. Have a bright light spotlight/reading lamp to
shine on the angel as they stand on stage.
Angel: Mary!
Mary: Acts frightened. Covers eyes. Speechless
Angel: Don’t be frightened. I have good news to tell you.
Mary: What kind of good news?
Angel: You’re going to have a baby.
Mary: This is good news??? Surprised and nervous
Angel: This is very good news! Your baby boy will be God’s son. He will bring hope to the world. He will be the greatest king the world has ever known and his rule will never end.
Mary: How can this happen? Why me?
Angel: Nothing is impossible to God. God has chosen you. The holy child you bear will be God’s son. You are very blessed.
Mary: I am God’s servant. Let it happen as you have said.
Angel disappears from the stage.
Mary: On stage alone cries out her song with passion
With all my heartI praise the Lord,
47and I am glad because of God my Saviour.
48He cares for me, his humble servant.
From now on,all people will say
God has blessed me.
49God All-Powerful has done great things for me,
and his name is holy.
50He always shows mercy to everyone
who worships him.
51The Lord has used his powerful arm
to scatter those who are proud.
52He drags strong rulers from their thrones
and puts humble people in places of power.
53God gives the hungry good things to eat,
and sends the rich away with nothing.
54He helps his servant Israel and is always merciful to his people.
55The Lord made this promise to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his family forever!
CEV Luke 1:46-55
Mary bows in prayer and stays on stage until Joseph is on stage in the next scene. Then she unobtrusively
leaves.
Scene2
Joseph enters the stage. He starts banging the nails into the wood and talks to himself. After a while he tidies
up his tools and then stretches out on the floor (or a bench if there is something suitable) lying on a pillow and
pulling a blanket over him.
Joseph: Well this is a tricky situation. (bangs)
I don’t know what to do. (bangs)
I’ll have to divorce Mary. (bangs)
I don’t know what to do! (bangs vigorously)
I didn’t bargain on this sort of nonsense. (starts putting away his tools)
The shame and humiliation! (keep putting away things and tidying)
I’ll sleep on it tonight. (lies down)
I’ll go and tell her in the morning that it’s all over. (Pulls blanket over himself)
Yes. That’s what I’ll do. (Yawns and shuts his eyes)
Pause as gentle snoring is heard from Joseph.
A bright light appears and Joseph sits up rubbing his eyes.
Angel: Joseph, the baby that Mary will have is from the Holy Spirit. Go ahead and marry her. Then after her baby is born, name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins
Joseph: Okay God. I’ll change my mind. I’ll marry Mary.
I’ll go and tell her in the morning that it’s all okay. (Pulls blanket over himself)
Yes. That’s what I’ll do. (Yawns and shuts his eyes)
Between Scenes
Mary exits the stage. Ideally she will leave through a door near to the stage and then re-enter for the next
scene from another entrance into the church. She may want to pad herself with a pillow at this point.
After Scene 2, Joseph also exits stage the same way as Mary and joins her behind the congregation.
Immediately after Joseph leaves the stage the song “Breath of Heaven begins”. If you have data projection you
could project a silent scene from The Nativity Story showing Joseph and Mary leaving Nazareth and beginning
the journey to Bethlehem. Alternatively, you could make a slide show with still images of Mary and Joseph
travelling on a donkey.
Scene 3
The song Breath of Heaven continues to be played/sung as Mary and Joseph enter from behind the
congregation and move to the front of the stage.
I have travelled many moonless nights
Cold and weary with a babe inside
And I wonder what I’ve done
Holy Father you have come
And chosen me now to carry your Son
I am waiting in silent prayer
I am frightened by the load I bear
In a world as cold as stone
Must I walk this path alone
Be with me now. Be with me now.
Breath of heaven, hold me together
Be forever near me, breath of heaven
Breath of heaven, lighten my darkness
Pour over me your holiness
For you are holy, breath of heaven
Do you wonder, as you watch my face
If a wiser one should have had my place
But I offer all I am
For the mercy of your plan
Help me be strong.
Mary and Joseph walk slowly in together. They go to stage door where a sign above reads INN. The innkeeper and his son open the door. Shake their heads. Then Mary and Joseph walk slowly away, crestfallen. The innkeeper and his family race after them. Indicates that he has a barn where they could sleep. They walk to the barn and settle down. The family provide a bit of a shield around Mary and her baby is born with the Innkeepers wife helping. Pillow is removed and either a doll or a real baby are placed in Mary’s arms.
Mary: Oh Joseph, look at him. He’s so little. He’s so perfect.
I feel so scared about this. I know God chose me to be Jesus’ mother and with God’s help I will care for our baby Jesus. But I can’t help feeling like someone else could have done better.
Joseph: God chose you
Mary: It seems hard to see ahead to when Jesus will grow up. This little baby is going to change our world forever. It’s hard to imagine forever. But our world could do with some hope and some peace and some love.
Scene 4
Shepherds come up and stand facing the congregation, in front of the manger. The following conversation is slow with pauses between bits of talk.
Shepherd 1: Nice night.
Shepherd 2: Yep
Shepherd 1: Bit cool.
Shepherd 2 : Yep
Shepherd 1: Good night for lookin’ at stars.
Shepherd 2: If yer inta that sorta thing.
Shepherd 1: Nah. Just somethin’ to say. Don’t have the edjacation for that stuff.
Shepherd 2: Ya don’t have to talk.
Shepherd 1: Nah. Spose not.
Brief silence.
Heavenly chorus of angels stands. Shepherds back away in fright and shield their eyes. Fall on the ground in awe at the sight of the congregation.
Song: Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Shepherd 2: Wot was that?
Shepherd 1: I reckon we’d better go and find out for ourselves.
Scene 5
Shepherds move to Bethlehem to find the baby. The innkeeper and family join them at this stage. All gather around to look at the baby and then arrange themselves on the stage behind the manger, Mary and Joseph.
The song “Mary did you Know” is played/sung as the Shepherds and the Innkeeper and family gather around to look at Jesus, eventually arranging themselves behind the manger scene.
If you have data projection you might like to have a slide show with still images/artwork of Jesus as an adult; walking on water, feeding the hungry, healing people, teaching etc interspersed with images of creation; people and places in our world today.
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy has come to make you new?
This Child that you delivered will soon deliver you.
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy will calm the storm with His hand?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little Baby you kiss the face of God?
Mary did you know..
The blind will see.
The deaf will hear.
The dead will live again.
The lame will leap.
The dumb will speak
The praises of The Lamb.
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would one day rule the nations?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
The sleeping Child you're holding is the Great, I Am.
Shepherd 1: I don’t have nothin’ to say. I have nothin’ to say. I don’t want to talk. I can’t think of what to say…. I’m, I’m, I’m….
Shepherd 2: Why us? We’re just a bunch of blokes lookin’ after sheep.
Joseph: God chose you
Mary: This baby Jesus is going to change our world.
He will bring love, peace, joy and hope.
Shepherd 1: Whoa! Wouldn’t that be somethin’!
Written by Caroline Bindon 2010