Media Reviews

We had a blast with last year’s Christmas pageant and plans are already well underway for next year’s. We were able to pull together “Tell the Good News” in four 45 minute “rehearsals” on Sunday mornings which were used to create simple sets (we had the kids make drawings then photographed them and projected them on a screen for the backdrop), simple costumes, and practice.  Everyone had a great time and, as a result, we already have 5 more kids than last year signed up to participate this year!

Tell the Good News!

This is a very short simple Nativity pageant that includes traditional Christmas carols and several suggestions
to make it even simpler!

Preparation: minimal

Cast/Characters: 4 adults plus children for angels, shepherds and sheep

• John (a young man) angels (any number)
• Mary (a young woman, she looks pregnant) shepherds (any number)
• Elizabeth (an older woman, she looks pregnant) sheep (any number – no speaking parts)
• Joseph

Scenes: 5 (3pp)

Main Props: Costumes, Nativity scene

Staging: If possible, darken the area where the pageant will take place. Two simple spotlights – one on the narrator,
John, and the other on the action, will help set the transition between scenes. If this is not possible, a curtain could be
drawn, or John could simply step forward to speak, and step aside when not speaking, to provide transition.

Scene 1
(John enters, stands in a spotlight.)
John: Hello, my name is John, and I come from the Bible. Some called me the Baptist, some called me the
Baptizer, some called me a prophet. King Herod called me some nasty names that I can’t repeat
here. But my friends just called me John.
Oh yeah, and some people thought I was the Messiah, too – you know, God’s chosen one. But I
wasn’t. I came to tell people about him.
I came to tell people to turn their lives around. I invited them to wash away all the bad things they
had done, and get ready to change their lives. I knew that when Jesus began his ministry, great
things would happen. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Long, long, long ago – way before my time – things were not good for many people. They wondered
if maybe God had forgotten them. But God hadn’t forgotten, and God sent many prophets
– young, old, men, women – to tell the people that they were not forgotten.
Then one day, God decided to do something different. God decided to come to earth, and live as
a human being.
An angel came to a young girl called Mary, and told her that she would have a baby, God’s Messiah.
Mary was pretty confused by all of this, but she said yes. And then she went off to visit my
mother, who was also going to have a baby (me!). People thought my mother was too old to have
a baby, and that Mary was too young. But nothing is impossible with God!

Scene 2
(John’s spotlight fades; light comes up on Elizabeth, seated; Mary enters.)
Mary: Elizabeth!
Elizabeth: Oh, Mary! How good to see you! (They embrace. Elizabeth puts her hand to her abdomen.) I think
my baby is glad you are here, too! (The two women sit down.)
Mary: Oh, Elizabeth – something amazing has happened.
Elizabeth: I know!