Parents: Don’t forget, you can find the latest edition of the script (and sometimes cool pictures) at: http://pneumanotes.blogspot.com
List of Wednesday Rehearsals: 17 November and 1 December
Extra Called Rehearsal: Saturday, 4 December at 3pm
Dress: Since we are going to video the dialogue during rehearsals
(and especially during the Saturday, Dec 4 rehearsal),
your child can wear their Christmas Best for the concert portion that will be live the night of theChurch wide Christmas Party (December 8). The video of the dialogue will be projected onto the wall where you and your family can watch your child saying the dialogue (with great amplification that should help you to hear every word) while the others do interesting interpretative motions. The children will then sing the songs live (in their Christmas Best).
Volunteer: We need a good camcorder to record the singing that night so that we can edit together a video, which each family will receive a week or so after the party.
The remaining rehearsals are extremely important since we’ll be filming portions of the script each of the remaining three times we’ll rehearse.
Sunday School Assembly: Carrie-Beth Atkinson leads this awesome time of singing on Sunday mornings just before Sunday School in Room 8. We hope to teach some of the songs for the concert during this time as well, so we hope your singer will be able to attend these special sessions.
Sundays remaining: 14, 21 and 28 November; 5 December
The kids will still need your help memorizing the songs (especially Songs 3, 4 and 6 since they sing these by themselves). If you haven’t already received a CD, let us know as soon as you can and we’d be glad to get you one.
Listening to these can help a lot!
Why video the dialogue and drama?
To help keep stress and rehearsal time down during the Holidays
and to help preserve the memories forever!
Why the Chimes Rang
SONG: Westminster Bells (Deck the Halls while the eating is still going on)
| 1. (David) There was once, in a far-away country, where few people have ever traveled, a [spreads arms out in front of him, palms up as if to indicate our congregation] wonderful church. |
| 2. (Orion) It stood on a [others look up shielding eyes towards a spot on the wall to the left] high hill in the midst of a great [half group group looks left, other half right, crossing] city |
| 3. (Grace Gandy) Every Sunday, also on special days, like Christmas, thousands of people climbed the hill to its great [hands go up framing archway] archways. |
| 4. (Frankie) They looked like [all group gets in line follows leader; David?] lines of ants, all moving in the same direction. |
| 5. (Orion) When you arrived at the church, there were [all scan from eye height to high] tall stone columns and tall doors. |
| 6. (Ava)Inside, looking where the congregation sat, you could barely [all shield eyes, looking far toward the middle of the back of the hall]see where the choir stood behind the marble altar. |
| 7. (Lucy) To the right of the choir [all look back toward front, to the right] was the organ. It was so loud that people from miles around would close their shutters and prepare for a great thunderstorm. [Most cover their ears, 2 fall down] |
| SONG 2: (Congregational) The First Noel – stanza 1 |
| 8. (Ava) The strangest thing about this church was the wonderful bells in the bell tower. There were no steps [half shake head “no” ] leading to the bells and no rope [other half shake heads “no” ]to pull them. |
| 9. (Grace Watson) The bells that rang at Christmas time were untouched [all reach out then hide hands behind backs] by human hands. |
| 10. (Lucy) This bell tower rose so high into the sky that the top was covered with clouds. [Most strain to see high up] |
| 11. (Elizabeth) Because this bell tower was built a hundred years ago, no one remembered how tall it was. [Matthew tries to climb over the others to see] |
| 12. (Frankie) The bells in the tower only [waves index finger back and forth] rang on Christmas Eve. |
| 13. (Ava) Old people who remembered hearing the bells said they sounded like angels [half crane hands to ears to hear] way up in the sky, or like strange wind, singing through the tall trees.[Other half make wind motions with hands] |
| 14. (David) No one had heard the bells for years and years. Still, at Christmas Eve all the people would bring to the church their offerings to the Christ child, hoping to hear them. |
| 15. (Elizabeth) [Steps toward audience]That’s right. And when the greatest and best offering was laid on the altar [half mime laying things on “altar”], one could hear the bells way up in the tower. [Half crane to listen and smile] They could be heard over the choir and the organ. |
| 16. (Matthew) Some said the wind rang them. [All make wind sounds and do wind hand motions] |
| 17. (David) Others thought the angels set them swinging. [3 on each side are his wings, he motions as if moving a bell] |
| 18. (Kinsey) That’s true. But, sadly, for many long years they had never been heard. [All crane to listen, then say “Awww!”] |
| 19. (Caroline) It was thought that people had not been generous in their gifts for the Christ child. Apparently, no offering was brought to the altar that was valuable enough to make the bells ring. [All sigh] |
| 20. (Kinsey)That’s right, yet still every Christmas Eve the rich people crowded to the altar, trying to bring a gift that was better than anyone else’s. |
| 21. (Caroline) [Steps forward] Yes. They gave gifts out of their own pride. They were show-offs. [All tsk tsk and shake their heads negative] Maybe this Christmas Eve would be different. |
| SONG 3: The Wise May Bring Their Learning, stanza 1 |
| Big Sister (Allie) Little Sister, let’s go to the Christmas Eve service at the church. We can walk there and be back without worrying our parents. I have heard it said that sometimes the Christ child comes down to bless the service. What if we were able to see Him? |
| SONG 4: Emmanuel, Emmanuel Twice with Pneuma, then add congregation for third time |
| Little Sister (Anna) [Mimes putting one on] We can wear our warm coats and hear the wonderful choir and organ. [Allie beams] Many are walking from our town. Mother and Father, who can’t come, will know we will be safe. |
| Big Sister (Allie) There’s snow on the ground, [holds hand out as if testing for the snow]but none coming down, so we can make it for the Christmas Eve service. [Reaches in pocket, holds up coin]I have a coin I’ve saved that we can put on the altar for the Christ child. Hold my hand, little Sister; it’s beginning to be dark.[They hold hands and walk a few paces, maybe around a table] |
| Little Sister (Anna) Look at the path ahead of us. [She points to secondary stage] Do you see what I see? |
| Big Sister (Allie) [They rush forward and kneel down] Let me kneel down closer. Oh, this is a poor woman who fell down. She must have been too tired to walk any farther. Look at her face. She looks like the Madonna in the chapel window. |
| Little Sister (Anna) What shall we do, big Sister? [Dismay] |
| Big Sister (Allie) I will stay with her and rub her to keep her warm. You go to the church. When you come back you can bring someone to help her. [Takes the bun out] Perhaps I can get her to eat the bun that is left in my pocket. Hurry now; follow the lights from the church. You’ll easily find your way. You must see and hear everything twice, Little Sister – once for you and once for me. |
| Little Sister (Anna) [With some fear] You won’t see the Christmas festival and I have to go alone? |
| Big Sister (Allie) I am sure The Christ child knows how much I would love to come with you and worship Him; and oh! If you get a chance, Little Sister, slip up to the altar without getting in anyone’s way. Take this little silver piece [gives it to her] of mine, and lay it down for my offering when no one is looking. Do not forget where you have left me, and forgive me for not going with you. Hurry! The organ is playing now. |
| SONG 6: Get Ready with soli and / or duets |
| 22. (David) Little Sister reached the church. [Singers are lined to make it hard to squeeze through, hands up as if holding hymnals] Inside she squeezed between people to be near the altar. There she watched rich men and great men parade down the aisle to proudly lay down their gifts to the Christ child. [All watch the imaginary processional] Some brought jewels, some baskets of gold. [For each line mime some coming forward to bring those things] A writer laid down a book that had taken him years to write. [One brings one forward, holding it up high and looking proud] Finally, the king of the country came, hoping like all the rest to win for himself the chime of the Christmas bells. He took off his crown and a great murmur went through the church. [Does so with the crown] All were expecting to hear the bells ring. [All look expectant] |
| SONG 7: (Congregation) We Three Kings; stanzas 1 and 5 |
| 23. (David) [All inhale together and hold on to each other] Nothing happened. [Crowd says “Awwwww.”] The choir began the closing hymn. |
| SONG 8: It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (just a few words – stop on “song of”) |
| 24. (Caroline) Suddenly the organist stopped playing. [Elbow hits keys] The people saw the old minister, standing by the altar holding up his hand for silence. [All look there] The congregation hushed [Crowd inhales together] and listened. [All crane ears] |
| 25. (Kinsey) Softly, but distinctly, [Group gradually show surprise and smiles] swinging through the air, the sound of the Christmas chimes began, high in the tower (Bells begin ringing change), becoming louder and louder. |
| (Westminster Bells play Impressions as YouthPraise sings) |
| 26. (Kinsey) [Steps forward] What made the bells ring? |
| (Music begins for In the Bleak) |
| 27. (Elizabeth) The people near the altar could only see a small girl [Anna does the actions] who had crept softly down the aisle when no one was looking, and had laid a little silver coin on the altar. |
| SONG: In the Bleak Midwinter; stanza 1 = YouthPraise; rest are Chancel Choir |
| Pastor speaks |
| SONG 9: (Congregation) Joy to the World – 1st and last stanzas |
| Benediction |
| Bells play We Wish You a Merry Christmas |
Version 1.3 111010
