Arriving in Bethlehem

by Rhonda Waters

There once was a young woman named Mary.  We don’t know much about her except that she was engaged to marry a man named Joseph and she lived in a town called Nazareth.  Then, one day, something extraordinary happened to Mary.  Do you remember what happened? (Read Part One)

After she was pregnant, Mary went to visit her cousin Elizabeth who was also having a baby.  Do you remember what happened? (Read Part Two)

When the baby was almost ready to be born, Mary and Joseph got some news.  Do you remember what they had to do? (Read Part Three)

Well, after that long, long walk – probably at least a whole week long – Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem.  This is the story of what happened next

______

Innkeeper:
What a zoo that week was.  People just kept pouring into town – people we hadn’t seen for years, decades!  Bethlehem is a place where people are from – it’s David’s city, after all.  So when the Romans sent everyone to their hometowns – well, they came to Bethlehem.

 It was bananas.  Everyone had brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, cousins, second-cousins, third cousins stuffed into every corner of their homes.  And still, the people came.  Overflowing family homes, filling up friends’ homes, and spilling into the inns and pubs.  

It was actually kind of fun.

Mary:
I wouldn’t call it fun.  Joseph’s family had left Bethlehem generations ago so we had no family to claim a bed from.  Joseph kept dragging me to this house and that house – old friends of friends of friends of distant cousins.  They’d take one look at me, smile politely, and send us on our way.  I wasn’t going to have the baby by the side of the road but I was beginning to be afraid that he would be born on some stranger’s front step.

Choir: Do not, do not, do not be afraid.  Do not, do not, do not be afraid.

Joseph:
Things probably weren’t really that bad.  We were just tired.  And Mary kept insisting that the baby was on its way.  Her back hurt in a new way, apparently?  If it hadn’t been for that, we’d have been fine just squeezing into someone’s back room with the whole crowd.  But Mary needed more space.  And no one wanted to have front row seats at a stranger’s birthing bed.  So we kept looking.

Mary:
I thought this baby was something special – a holy child, the Son of God, heir to David’s throne.  He’s coming tonight.  I’m sure of it.  Special or not, when it’s time for a baby to come, they come.  I just need somewhere warm, dry, and reasonably private.  I don’t care about anything else.

We knocked on another door.

Innkeeper:           
Oh my.  Oh, you poor dear.  I’m so sorry.  We are just so full – you would never find the floor space for what it looks like you need to do tonight.  Oh my.

Mary:
Do you have a covered stable?

Innkeeper
A what?

Mary:
A stable.  With a roof.  I don’t even care if it has four walls.  All I need is a roof and some clean straw and some water.  And a little quiet.

Joseph:
This is why I’m sticking with Mary.  The innkeeper led us around to the stable.  We lay fresh straw on the ground and a few blankets.  The innkeeper’s wife and mother came out to help.  Mary’s face was white.  This was it.  The baby was coming tonight – Jesus.  Jesus was coming tonight.  Nothing would ever be the same again.

Mary:
Joseph looked so worried.  But I wasn’t afraid.  Jesus was coming tonight, just like the angel had promised me so many months ago.  I thought of Elizabeth and her beautiful baby boy, John. I remembered my song.  Jesus was coming.  The world was about to turn.  Nothing would ever be the same again.

Choir: Do not, do not, do not be afraid.  Do not, do not, do not be afraid.

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Mary’s Story: Part Five

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Journey to Bethlehem

by Rhonda Waters

There once was a young woman named Mary.  We don’t know much about her except that she was engaged to marry a man named Joseph and she lived in a town called Nazareth.  Then, one day, something extraordinary happened to Mary.  Do you remember what happened? (Read Part One)

After she was pregnant, Mary went to visit her cousin Elizabeth who was also having a baby.  Do you remember what happened? (Read Part Two)

Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months before going home to Nazareth.  Things were quiet for a while.  Mary’s baby grew and grew and even Joseph seemed to be getting excited for the birth of the miracle baby.

Then they got some news.  This is that story.

______

Joseph:
I couldn’t believe the news when we heard it.  I mean, really?  A census?  Like the Romans weren’t already collected plenty of taxes – all we could pay and more, in fact.  Did they really need to count the tax payers?  And why make us go back to our home towns?  Why not count us where we were, if they had to count us?

Because Rome likes to push us around, that’s why.  But there was nothing to do but do as you’re told so Mary and I headed off for Bethlehem – with her almost 9 months pregnant.

Mary:
This sucks.

Joseph:
I know.  At least we were able to take the donkey – it’s better that we aren’t carrying everything.

Mary:
I am carrying everything.  I’m carrying an entire baby.  My back hurts.  My feet hurt. I’m hot and thirsty – but if I drink anything I just have to pee.  I hate Rome.  If I give birth at the side of this road, I am not going to be happy about it.

Choir: Do not, do not, do not be afraid.  Do not, do not, do not be afraid.

Joseph:           
But what could we do.  We trudged on, up and down the hills, with dust kicking up around us.  It must have taken at least a week.  It was good to have the donkey but, half the time, we practically had to drag it along behind us.  It would have preferred to stay home, too.

Donkey: Hee Haw

Mary:
And the whole time we’re walking, I’m wondering about Joseph and how he’s feeling about the baby.  Will he love it, like I already love it?  He decided to stay with me; to help me take care of him -this little Jesus who is coming any day now.  Although hopefully not before we get off this road.

Joseph
And the whole time we’re walking, I’m wondering what I’m doing.  Do I really believe this story about an angel?  Am I ready to be a father? Especially to a miracle baby? What will happen once the baby comes?  Will God want more from Mary? From me?  Will we be able to say “yes” again?

Choir: Do not, do not, do not be afraid.  Do not, do not, do not be afraid.

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Mary’s Story: Part Four

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The Visitation

by Rhonda Waters

There once was a young woman named Mary.  We don’t know much about her except that she was engaged to marry a man named Joseph and she lived in a town called Nazareth.  Then, one day, something extraordinary happened to Mary.  Do you remember what happened? (Read Part One)

We do know a little bit more about Mary, in fact.  We know that she had a cousin whose name was Elizabeth.  Mary and Elizabeth were very good friends and they were both having miracle babies at the same time!  Today, we are going to hear part of their story.

______

Mary:
I said yes to God and the next thing I knew – I was pregnant!  I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised but I was.  And it was hard.  Joseph was really unhappy but, thankfully, decided to stay with me.  My parents were furious.  The neighbours gossiped all the time.  I thought about telling everyone about the angel – but who would believe me.  I was pretty sad, and lonely, and scared.

Choir: Do not, do not, do not be afraid.  Do not, do not, do not be afraid.

My parents sent me to my cousin, Elizabeth.  I was glad to go – I love Elizabeth.  She’s older than me but she is smart and funny and I knew she would be nice to me, no matter what.  Besides, she was in the middle of her own surprise.  She was miraculously pregnant after a lifetime of not being able to have children – and her husband had suddenly stopped being able to speak!

So off I went, to Elizabeth and her very quiet husband, Zechariah.

“Hello, Elizabeth!  I’m here!”

Elizabeth:           
The instant I heard Mary’s voice, my baby started doing somersaults in my belly.  He was filled with joy – I just knew it – and it filled me with joy, too.

Then, suddenly, I was filled with more than joy – I was filled with the Holy Spirit!  I ran out to Mary and threw my arms around her in a big hug!  “Mary”, I shouted excitedly, “you have been blessed by God beyond anything we could imagine! You’re pregnant with the holiest of babies!  I can’t believe the mother of my Lord has come to visit me – my baby knew who you and your child were immediately.  You are so brave to trust in God this much!”

Choir: Do not, do not, do not be afraid.  Do not, do not, do not be afraid.

I knew it was a good idea to come see Elizabeth!  I was so happy that I burst into a song!

My soul magnifies the Lord, 
   and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, 
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
   Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
   and holy is his name. 
His mercy is for those who fear him
   from generation to generation. 
He has shown strength with his arm;
   he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. 
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
   and lifted up the lowly; 
he has filled the hungry with good things,
   and sent the rich away empty. 
He has helped his servant Israel,
   in remembrance of his mercy, 
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
   to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.

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Mary’s Story: Part Three

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The Annunciation

by Rhonda Waters

There once was a young woman named Mary.  We don’t know much about her except that she was engaged to marry a man named Joseph and she lived in a town called Nazareth.  Then, one day, something extraordinary happened to Mary.  This is her story.

______

Mary:
It was just an ordinary day.  A day like any other day.  I had helped with the chores – fed the chickens, fetched the water, made the bread.  I was tired and was nearly ready for bed.  But the house was always so noisy, so full of people, and I wanted just a little time all by myself.  So I slipped out of the house and sat out under the tree and watched the sunset.

Maybe I fell asleep.

Because I don’t remember…it…coming.  One minute, I was alone.  The next, I was not.  Who – or what – was with me, though?  I was almost blinded by the brightness that was shining out of…him?her?it?  I thought I saw wings and eyes, too many of both.  I was about to scream when… 

Gabriel:           
“Do not be afraid, Mary,” said the shining creature.  

Choir: Do not, do not, do not be afraid.  Do not, do not, do not be afraid.

 And somehow, I wasn’t.  Somehow, I knew the creature was an angel and had been sent by God. So I listened.

Gabriel:           
God knows you, Mary – God knows everything about you and thinks you are wonderful!  And God has something for you to do – something very important but very hard and a little dangerous, too.  

God will give you a son, a beautiful baby boy.  You will carry him in your body and when he is born you will call him Jesus.  Mary, your baby will be great.  People will call him the Son of the Most High and he will be king of the Jews and his kingdom will never end.

This was all ridiculous, of course.  How would my son ever be a king?  How could I even have a son, for that matter.  I was engaged to Joseph but we had never done anything that made babies!  I was starting to feel scared again.

Choir: Do not, do not, do not be afraid.  Do not, do not, do not be afraid.

So I took a deep breath and asked the angel: How is any of this even possible?

Gabriel:           
The Holy Spirit will take care of everything.  The baby will be holy, the Son of God.  Remember, God can make miracles happen.  For example, your cousin, Elizabeth, who couldn’t have children and is pretty old – well, she’s six months pregnant.  Nothing is impossible with God.

I took another deep breath.  Could I do this?  Could I do this thing God was asking me to do?  It would cause so much trouble.  Joseph might not marry me.  My parents would be very angry.  I might end up all alone.  With a baby.

          A miracle baby.  The son of God.  Jesus.

I looked at the angel.  I am God’s servant.  I will do as God asks.  
“Yes,” I said, “yes”.

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Mary’s Story: Part Two

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Regretfully, Fleet Musicalement has been forced to cancel its upcoming concert, due to illness in the family.

As a replacement, we have booked Ottawa’s newest, hottest, jazz/chamber ensemble. Side-eye and Grace have been creating buzz at the Black Sheep Inn, Black Squirrel Books, and Ottawa’s Winter Music Festival.

Your ticket includes sweets and savouries, coffee and tea, or purchase a glass of wine or craft beer.

When: Saturday, November 2 at 7pm Where: Church of the Ascension, 253 Echo Drive Tickets: side-eye-and-grace.eventbrite.ca

Open House

On Saturday, November 9, from 4:30-9:30, join us upstairs for an open house with tours, community mapping, interactive exhibits, and a video history both.

Send in anecdotes, photos, or documents (copies only) by Oct 25th to be included in the historical community collage. Email or mail (253 Echo Drive, Ottawa, K1S1N3)

Italian Supper

Before or after visiting the open house, join us for the amazing biannual Italian Supper, with seatings at 5pm and 7pm.
Vegetarian and gluten-free options available.
Tickets and menu details at Eventbrite