This symbol indicates track numbers on the Performance/Accompaniment tracks. There are multiple rehearsal points in each song. Selecting a given track number will start the accompaniment track at the corresponding musical selection indicated in the choral book.
and join your voices with the angels in heaven and the saints of all the
ages in worship and adoration of this Savior Who is Christ the Lord.”
Narration cont.: This Christmas let us come and worship this Jesus, high and lifted up—
Who left heaven’s glories to come to earth and die on a cross for our sins. Come you faithful,
you believers,
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SONG 1 MUSICAL INTRO/ANGEL CAROL MEDLEY
————————————————— SCENE 1 —————————————————
[Scene opens to Kacey on stage right sitting in a chair facing stage right. She is on the phone, but occasionally leans forward to talk to a taxi driver who can either be played by a person sitting in a chair in front of her or he can be referenced as if he is just off stage out of view. When Steven begins to talk, he is also on a mobile phone, and he is standing stage left, facing stage left and away from Kacey]
Kacey (to offstage) I’m sorry, but could you please turn down that music? I’m on the phone. (on phone) Sorry the Christmas music in this taxi is very . . . (realizing she is being rude) uh, festive and loud. (Pause) I have to cover some ridiculous Christmas concert tonight at the Carson Center . . . my editor’s orders. What? I can’t hear you. You’re breaking up . . .
Steven (holding mobile phone) I said are you coming home for Christmas or not? You still haven’t given me a straight answer.
Kacey (holding mobile phone) Ugh, is this the only thing we can talk about anymore? Why are you so obsessed with this?
Steven I have told you multiple times, Kacey, Mom really needs you home this Christmas.
Kacey What does that even mean? “She needs me home.” You realize you’re just guilting me into this, right?
Steven Honestly, you should feel guilty about not visiting your widow mother for two years.
Kacey You always exaggerate, Steven. And of course you have to throw out the widow thing to make me sound even more terrible!
(May be done Reader’s Theatre Style)
Five characters, in order of appearance:
Kacey–young adult female newspaper journalist
Steven–Kacey’s young adult brother
Editor–middle-aged newspaper editor over Kacey
Mother–mother of Kacey and Steven
Kenneth–recently saved young adult male
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Steven A month ago you told me you couldn’t come to Thanksgiving—but that you would try to make it home for Christmas. And I told mom!
[Door slam] [Kacey standing up as if exiting a taxi]
Kacey Why in the world did you do that? I always say that just to be nice.
Steven Wow, Kacey! Nice is definitely not a word I could use to describe you.
Kacey This is exactly why I don’t like coming home.
Steven Look, Kacey . . . can you at least—
Kacey No—you know what. At this point you couldn’t pay me to stomach another Christmas at home.
Steven Kacey . . .
Kacey I have to go. The concert is starting. Just tell her I can’t come. (Hang up phone.)
SONG 2 OUR MESSIAH’S BIRTH
————————————————— SCENE 2 —————————————————
[Scene opens with the Editor walking in stage right with Kacey following. As the two begin to talk they both take seats stage right]
Editor Hey! Hey come in here, Kacey!
Kacey Hey, sorry I’m late. The traffic was terrible!
Editor It always is. Take a seat. Look, Kacey—I don’t want to take too much of your time, so I’ll cut right to chase. I read your review of “Our Messiah’s Birth.”
Kacey I told you that show was going to be a snooze-fest.
Editor It wasn’t a show. It was a concert—a traditional Christmas Concert featuring some of the most renowned instrumentalists of our time.
Kacey And I pointed that out, and I did it in a witty and ironic way.
Editor You say witty and ironic. The readers said cynical and cheeky.
Kacey Huh! You don’t want to know how many complaints we’ve already got.
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OUR MESSIAH’S BIRTH
Narrator 1 When you think of Christmas, you likely think of the beautiful music of this most festive time of year. The familiar carols and songs bring back fond memories of past holidays. But the truths found in the Christmas hymns are shocking, world-changing, and life-giving because they proclaim the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Narrator 2 For centuries, music instructed believers in the core doctrines of the faith and spread the story of the Gospel to the lost world. One of the oldest Christmas hymns originated in the County of Wexford in medieval Ireland some time around the twelfth century. Although the modern tune was added much later, these lyrics were used to teach new converts the simple, yet amazingly profound story of Christ’s nativity. Illiteracy barred most people from a basic knowledge of the Word of God, and in Ireland people were still converting from ancient Paganism.
Narrator 1 Imagine a time when superstition reigned. Imagine a people steeped in darkness, worshipping cruel and disinterested gods, and imagine their wonder when they heard of a loving God who sent a child to be born of a virgin in a far away place.
Narrator 2 Imagine the thrill of hope when they heard that this child came to give them eternal life! Imagine hearing His story for the first time in a song.
WEXFORD CAROL
Narrator 1 On a Christmas Day in the mid-nineteenth century, church bell tow-ers would ring out the melody of familiar carols announcing the arrival of Christmas and reminding the faithful to attend worship services. Though the words of these carols are not sung, everyone knows them.
Narrator 2 It was on Christmas Day in 1863 during the chiming of the bells that the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote that old American hymn, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. What you may not know about this familiar carol is that it was composed under the bleakest of circumstances.
Narrator 1 In the summer of 1863, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow lost his beloved wife, Fanny, in a tragic fire, and he was severely wounded trying desperately to rescue her from the flames. Then as he was still recovering, his son ran away to join the the Union Army—for the Civil War was raging in America. As winter approached, Henry’s son went missing; and after weeks of searching, he found him near death. Henry entered that Christmas season with a heavy heart.
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Narrator 2 Many know the sadness holidays can bring when we have lost a loved one or suffered a tragedy. But as Henry wrestled with these feelings, he heard the bells chiming; and the music brought to mind the words of those familiar, quaint carols— words of hope, of peace, of love, and of power. And in the depths of his suffering, they inspired him to pen the words—“God is not dead nor doth he sleep. The wrong shall fail, the right prevail with peace on earth good will to men.”
I HEARD THE BELLS
Narrator 2 (Luke 2:8-14) “8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
Narrator 1 A recurring theme in Christmas hymns is the angelic proclamation of the Messiah’s birth, and perhaps the best-known of these hymns is Hark! the Herald Angels Sing. The song has become so popular, so common-place that you can hear it ringing in shopping malls and on radios every December. But the first word of the song, “hark,” is not so common-place. In fact it is rarely used today. It means “to listen, take heed, stop and pay attention!” Let us pray that the lost world will hark and hear these words of Good News—
Narrator 2 “Hail the Heaven born Prince of Peace, Hail the Sun of Righteousness. Light and life to all He brings; risen with healing in His wings; Mild He lays His glory by, born that man no more may die, born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth. Hark! the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn King!”
HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING
Narrator 1 Secular Christmas songs celebrate the quaint aspects of the Christmas season: warm feelings, making memories with family and friends, traditions and wintry weather—but the true meaning of the season is left out completely.
Narrator 2 Christians are often frustrated by the commercialization and secularization of Christmas. Why would the world want to minimize or altogether remove
