YOUTH at GRACE-ST. ANDREW'S
Grace-St. Andrew's has two age groupings now!
Jr Youth: gr 6-7 and Sr. youth - GR. 8 UP.
Each Christmas the Youth and Children put on a creative Christmas Drama.
If your church is looking for a Christmas Drama, please have a read of the first few scenes and email us using the minister link on the home page.
The LOST Wise Ones
A Christmas drama to include the whole Sunday school as participants
by Meg Illman-White and Charles Wilson
Characters: 17 speaking roles in total. Make simple costumes for the participants
(the angels will need pyjamas).
Two dancing stars
Four wise ones (Wise 2 should be female, Wise 3 should be male)
King Herod
Four or more townspeople
Shepherds and sheep
Mary
Joseph
Jesus
Two angels
Scene 1
(The play begins in darkness, with a spotlight on centre stage and also the
centre spotlight turned on. Two human stars tumble or dance down the aisle,
followed by three wise ones. The stars go in opposite directions. The wise ones
look confused about which star to follow; one goes one way, one goes another
way, and the third moves up to centre stage.)
Wise One 3: (loudly, calling to the others)
Hey! Haven't we been this way before?
Wise One 2: (moves up to join Wise One 3)
Y'know, I think you're right! When was that?
Wise One 4: (joining the others and whining)
Ohhhhhhhh, we were here before. It was this time LAST YEAR! Same place, same
landmarks, even some of these faces look familiar! We are SO lost!
Wise One 3:
Maybe we should just give up and go home already!
Wise One 2:
Following a star is not as easy as it looks! There's got to be an easier way
to find the child-king. If it takes us much longer he'll be a grown man!
Wise One 1:
Hey! Maybe someone can help us! Why don't we ask for directions?
Wise One 3:
Wise men don't EVER ask for directions!
Wise One 2: (whacks him playfully on the shoulder)
Maybe that's our problem! And in case you hadn't noticed,
we aren't all men!!!
Wise One 3:
Yeah, but we're supposed to know what we're doing! We're educated. We've spent
our whole lives studying stars, waiting for this moment.
Wise One 2:
How many more years are YOU willing to wander before we ask for help?
Wise 4:
Yeah, I'm with her. Its not like our way is getting us anywhere but around,
AND around, AANNDD around… in circles. THIS is a waste of time.
Wise 2:
Maybe, education isn't the only way to wisdom! Maybe even WE need help!
Wise One 1:
Hey! Look! There's a royal palace! We're looking for a king-
Why don't we check in there?
(Spotlight moves to stage right, the pulpit, where King Herod stands silently.
The wise ones approach, kneeling before they speak.)
Herod: (with an edge, kind of impatient and mean)
Who are you? And what is your business here?
Wise One 3:
We are astrologers. We have spent years studying stars.
Wise One 1:
We read about a great star that, at its rising, would mark the birth of the
King of the Jews, the heir of David.
Wise One 2:
We first saw the star about a year ago, and we have been following it ever since,
hoping to find the child.
Wise 4:
But we keep getting lost…
Wise One 1:
Do you know where we could find the infant king?
Herod:
Hmm, a king you say? (kindly) If you find him, let me know. I'd like to see
him too! (very sickly pleasantly) Off you go now! Find me that nice king baby
so that I may visit him too! Hurry back now!
(The wise ones hurry off stage and head off down the aisle to the back. The spotlight stays on King Herod, who begins to talk to the congregation in an aside.)
Herod: (with an evil, sinister laugh)
Go on, so called "wise ones"! Do my dirty work for me. Find me that
king so I can kill him now and save everyone a lot of trouble later.
(another evil laugh as he exits)
(Spotlight widens to focus on the cross/star.)
…the complete story of "The Lost Wise Ones" is available from
Meg Illman-White at the link at the bottom of this page
The Royal Search for the Messiah
By Charles Wilson and Meg Illman-White
Scene 1: Angel Intro
(Mike is sleeping, reclined on a "cloud," as Gabe enters, unrolling
a scroll)
Gabe: Ahem...(very serious narrative tone) One starry night two millenia ago
a story of...(giving a coy chuckle at his own wit) biblical proportions was
about to unfold-
(Mike snores aloud, Gabe sneaks up from behind and flicks his earlobe)
Mike: (jumping up, grabbing ear) AAAAHOWWWWWwww!!! What did you do that for,
Gabe? That hurts like crazy.
Gabe: (chuckling) Shouldn't be snoozing on the job, Mikey.
Mike: Man, next time, I swear to you-know-who that you're gonna get it! (Gabe
is still chuckling)
Gabe: (cutting Mike off …) As I was saying, Mike, there's a job to be done!
(annoyingly cheery) It's Christmas time again and we've got a story to tell.
Mike: Awww...this story has been more overdone than an in-law's Christmas turkey.
Gabe: Aw, c'mon, man, that's not the holiday spirit!
Mike: Seriously dude. Why doesn't someone beef up the festivities, do something
new?
Gabe: A new twist on the story of the nativity?
Mike: Ya, seriously, those humans don't even know the half of it! We could give
them a behind the scenes perspective, like on a DVD.
Gabe: I have it! Let's tell them the story of Harry, the son of King Herod!
Mike: Ooo, that's a good one! It's got intrigue, suspense, cute little sheep
and even angels!
Gabe: Now, what'll we call it? I've got it! We'll call it Christmas: Episode
2: Attack of the Throne!
Mike: No way! It's definitely gotta be Jesus 2 - Escape to Egypt: The DVD!
Gabe: How about… A Herod Family Christmas...
Mike: I DON'T THINK SO! …Common!! We'll figure that out later!
The readings: (2 evesdropping little angels creep out onto stage) (Little Angel
=LA)
Little Angel 1:Gosh! Do you remember the story they're talking about?
LA2: no, not really.
LA1: Maybe this one happened before our time?
LA2: Or maybe we both have really bad memories?
LA1: we must have heard the story in "angel school"!
LA2: Hey, lets ask the angelic reader! Maybe the Bible says something about
this…
LA1: OK! (calling out) AMANDA! Please come tell us a story!
AR: I'm here! Here's the Bible. What story do you want to hear?
LA2: Can you tell us about King Herod?
AR: Sure! Here it is! It's found in Matthew's gospel, chapter 2:1-15…(calls
loudly) "LIGHTS PLEASE!!"
(reads Matt 2:1-15)
Well, there you have it! Does that help?
LA1: Yeah, I remember that part now. But the Bible story didn't mention King
Herod's son Harry?
LA2: Lets go watch and listen!
LA1: I'm right behind you (all three exit to sit in front rows with other angels)
SCENE 2
(Herod's chambers, a sort of balcony or gazebo-y type deal overlooking the Kingdom/audience.
Herod is pacing about, brooding, stroking long curled goatee. Twiticus is sulking
in the background, not too far from the evil king)
Herod: (bellowing) Twiticus! Twiticus!!! Do check the sundial Twiticus...
(just as Twiticus enters) Hurry up, you peon! Ah, there you are. What time is
it?
Twiticus: It is 7 O'clock, sir.
Herod: Those darn wise ones should have been here hours ago!
Twiticus: Uh, Sir, I don't think that sense of direction is their strength.
Herod: They could not have gotten lost --- I sent them with an escort of my
finest soldiers.
Twiticus: Uh, Sir, I do believe that if the … ahem, wise men wished to
escape their …escort, that it would not be too difficult for them. (a knock
on the door) Ohhh… here are the soldiers…
(Enter three soldiers, quickly, bumping into one another from behind until the
front one, Sol#1, falls)
Herod: YOU … ARE… LATE! And alone. (Menacingly, barely controlling
anger) This had better be excellent news or heads will roll.(All Soldiers cower.)
Well, speak up now. Did those confounded wise ones find that blasted child?
Sol#1: (coming out of cowering position) I don't believe so.
Herod: (abruptly) What? Have they continued the search?
Sol#3: (out of a cower) The-the uh, search, as you call it, Sire, ended tonight.
Herod: WHAT!? I gave no such order. (taking a spastic moment of furious flailing
to quell rage and regain composure) I sent the three of you to keep an eye on
those three wise fools. What has become of them? Why are they not shackled here
before me? That messiah-baby should be in my hands by now!
Sol#3: (tentatively) Sir … uh …
Herod: (yelling) What!?
(Soldiers exchange some shameful faces and work up some collective guts, fussing
briefly amongst themselves and pointing at whom they think should break the
news)
Sol#1,2,3: We lost them.
Sol#2: Well, actually, they lost us.
Sol#3: They set a booby trap for us!
Sol#1: Ya, and then they stole our camels while we were unconscious.
Herod: (lets out a furious roar) STOP IT!!! Stopstopstopstop. I am supposed
to be ruler of all Judea and yet I cannot find a simple little messiah in my
own kingdom! FOOLS! You are lucky that I don't fire you all and make you herd
sheep for the rest of your life!
Sol#1,2,3: Anything but that!
Herod: Get out of my sight, all of you!
(Twiticus celebrates, all begin to exit) Twiticus! Remain.
Twiticus: (in agony) Oh...
Herod: I am going to my chambers, Twiticus, to blow off some steam.
Twiticus: (making to leave) Aha. Good luck.
Herod: Good luck nothing, Twiticus. While I am gone you will send out orders
to my generals to redouble our efforts to find the Messiah!
Twiticus: Ahem, you mean the Hebrew baby?
Herod: Yes, This child cannot live and challenge my authority. Better that he
die now. And find those wise ones too; they have some explaining to do. (Herod
exits)
(Twiticus hangs his head and groans)
…the complete story of "Harry and the royal search for the Messiah"
is available from Meg Illman-White at the link at the bottom of this page
Ask The Minister:
An invitation
for kids to email me and ask me questions, also an invitation for them to email
me with their ideas for sunday worship especially youth services.
