When Mrs. Handi first suggested that we try a no-rehearsal pageant, I was intrigued. What would that look like?
I believe my exact words were, "It sounds chaotic. I'm in."
Well, anyone who stuck around after the 10:15 service got a real treat! We had nine wonderful volunteers who showed up that morning with no idea what part they would play and no review of the script. Thanks to Mrs. Handi and our other intrepid volunteers, they quickly become angels, shepherds, a sheep, Mary and Joseph, and (of course) the star of Bethlehem.
Our two narrators kept us on track as they told the story of how God took on human flesh and came into the world one dramatic night, long ago.
As a child, I loved being a sheep in my church's Christmas pageants, mostly because I was a huge animal lover. Once I got older and was pushed into a speaking part, I insisted on being a shepherd (I think the angel dresses were unacceptably girly to me).
I cherish the memories of many years of crawling down the aisle or standing on a small stage at the front of the church, and many more years of watching my siblings do the same. And I'm so glad that we're giving similarly joyful memories to the children and youth of St. Paul's.
Last year, as you may remember, we did a digital Christmas pageant (here's where you can find that, by the way). That was an incredibly fun project to bring us together when we couldn't gather in person at all. This year, it was nice to remember that, even though we're still taking many COVID precautions, we've come a long way.