Glory to God
whose power working in us
can do infinitely more
than we can ask or imagine.
Glory to God
from generation to generation
in the Church and in Christ Jesus
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Diana Partridge has developed actions to accompany the words to this beloved prayer so that we can pray with our bodies as well as our voices. Praying in the way also helps us pray together when we cannot hear one another.
Let us pray.
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. But even when they finally arrived in Bethelehm, their problems weren’t over. Do you remember what happened? (Read Part Four)
That’s right – in the barn! But it was warm and quiet which was what Mary needed because she had very difficult, very important work to do. This is that story:
______
Mary:
I was so glad to be off my feet, even if all I had to sit on was a pile of hay. Joseph got some blankets from the innkeeper and I was actually quite comfortable – but that didn’t last.
Joseph:
It’s a good thing we found that helpful innkeeper when we did! I barely had time to fetch the blankets when the pains hit Mary. Her face went kind of white. My face went kind of white. I rushed back to the inn to see if one of the women there could come and help.
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 had seen my mother give birth – and heard her, too. So I knew it wasn’t easy. But there’s knowing and then there’s knowing. I was so grateful to the women who came to help, bringing water and towels and – most importantly, calm. Of course, they had no idea that this birth was anything unusual. But I knew. I knew my baby was a miracle baby – even more than every other baby. I remembered the angel. I thought of Elizabeth and her sweet little boy. I gave thanks for Joseph and his faith in me, in us.
And then all the thinking stopped. It felt like the whole universe was holding its breath; like my body was the only thing, the only place that mattered. I remember the woman telling me to push. And then, he was here. My sweet, little Jesus.
Joseph:
I stood outside under the stars and waited. It felt like forever. And then I heard him cry and the universe stood still – until the woman came to tell me I could go in to Mary…and to Jesus.
He was in Mary’s arms and they looked so beautiful, so perfect. “He has your nose”, the woman said to me. Mary and I looked at each other, across the head of our little miracle baby, and laughed.
Mary:
I wrapped my little boy up, nice and warm, and, once he fell asleep, laid him in the cows’ feeding trough. Joseph had cleaned it all out and put fresh straw in it – it was a strange first bed but something about it seemed just right.
And then Joseph and I just sat there and stared at our little miracle baby.
Away in a Manger
______
Meanwhile, on the hills outside Bethlehem, shepherds were watching their sheep – just like they did every night.
They had no idea that this was a special night. The sheep just kept on sleeping. The shepherds just kept on watching and chatting with each other.
But then, all of a sudden, an angel appeared! The shepherds let out a shout of surprise and the sheep all woke up!
Angel: Do not be afraid, said the angel.
Choir: Do not, do not, do not be afraid. Do not, do not, do not be afraid.
I have wonderful, happy news for you! A very special baby has just been born in Bethlehem – this baby is the Messiah, the one God has sent to be the saviour of all. He’s all wrapped up, nice and warm, and laying in a manger.
And before the shepherds could say anything, a whole crowd of angels appeared and they all started singing: “Glory to God in heaven and peace to all on earth!”
Hark the Herald Angels Sing!
The shepherds decided to go see the baby so off they went to Bethlehem.
They found baby Jesus just as the angels had described. Very quietly, so they wouldn’t wake the baby, the shepherds told Mary and Joseph all about the angels – and also, of course, about how perfectly adorable baby Jesus was.
And that is the end of the story of the birth of Jesus.
I wonder which part is your favourite?
I wonder if you can remember the story so you can tell it to someone else.
In fact, I hope you share the good news with lots of people tonight, tomorrow, and every day after that!
Jesus Christ is born!
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.