Download or read book No Stable Too Small written by Lois Anne DeLong and published by . This book was released on 2006-01-01 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Here's a collection of humorous, down-to-earth plays that bring a fresh perspective to the Christmas story through such creative devices as imagining the thoughts and feelings of fringe characters (like an innkeeper or a servant to one of the magi) or by updating the story with contemporary settings and characters. No Stable Too Small offers a variety of practical material for any situation, ranging from shorter plays with small casts and lines that can be easily mastered by younger children to more elaborate pieces with sophisticated themes for older children and adults. And they're ideal for use with today's young people -- the dialogue reflects the way they really talk, yet never detracts from the biblical message. These flexible scenes offer a mix of speaking parts for all age groups, from preschool through adult, and are especially valuable for small congregations that lack the resources to mount large-scale productions. No sets are required, and only simple costumes and minimal props are needed. The plays can be performed by smaller churches with as few as 8-10 cast members, or parts can be easily divided to accommodate groups as large as 25-30. And with a running time of approximately 20-25 minutes each, it's easy to fit them within a Christmas Eve or Advent Sunday worship service. Some of the charming presentations include: * Love Finds a Way * It Wasn't the Hilton, You Know * Christmas Eve at Angel School * Because God Said So, That's Why * No Small Parts * "Unto Us a Child Is Born..". Next on Omar * Miracles? No Problem! ...and eight more! Lois Anne DeLong is currently a freelance writer and editor in Bay Shore, New York. She previously served 25 years in public relations, publishing, and marketing for the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. A graduate of New York University, DeLong is an active member of Brentwood Presbyterian Church in Brentwood, New York. Barbara Anne Antonucci was born and raised in Brentwood, New York, and is a lifelong member of Brentwood Presbyterian Church. A graduate of St. Joseph's College, Antonucci now resides in Monroe, North Carolina.

Download or read book Christmas Plays for Small Churches written by David Christine and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2016-09-28 with total page 150 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Who said small churches cannot produce quality, thought provoking Christmas programs? If you are looking for Christmas programs with a real Christian message that are designed for small stages, then this book is for you. These plays truly fit all size churches and are written in such a way as to minimize rehearsals and memorization. The book contains five plays: - "The Nativity" utilizes a liturgical format and focuses on worshiping Christ. This play works well even in churches which do not normally use formal liturgy. - "What Child is This?" is humorous yet has a strong evangelistic message. - "It's the Gift that Counts" presents an emotional presentation of the Gospel. The Christmas story is told utilizing both traditional and non-traditional Bible passages focusing on finding God's greatest gift to us. - "An Interview with Scrooge" is a hilarious play that will not only cause your audience to laugh out loud, it will challenge the audience to examine the difference between true Christianity and rote religion. - "The Christmas Surprise" is even funnier than "An Interview with Scrooge." The beauty of this play is that you cannot rehearse it. The pastor should go out of his way to advertise this play and when people ask, "who is in it and when is the rehearsal," he just replies by saying, "it's a surprise." This play seems to be random, but it has a very poignant message challenging the audience to answer God's call (be it for salvation or Christian service). In addition to the five plays, there is an interactive Church Christmas Decoration Service that can become a new Christmas tradition for those churches who do not celebrate Advent services. Also included is a chapter with helps and hints for small churches which include: - Stage Directions - Hints for Working in Small Churches - Hints for Working with Amateur Actors - Hints for Keeping the Play Moving, and - Keeping Christ in Christmas. "Remember the Reason for the Season" is not an add on cliche for these plays; Christ and the Gospel are the foundation these plays are built upon.

Download or read book One Rehearsal Christmas Plays written by Kendra Smiley and published by David C Cook. This book was released on 2004 with total page 100 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One Rehearsal Christmas Plays is the answer to gaining an extra hour or two, feeling less harried and focusing on Christ while directing the church Christmas program! With One Rehearsal Christmas Plays, your Sunday school department will encourage, entertain, and enlighten the congregation as they follow the "Footsteps to the Manager" or as they present a slightly altered version of "T'was the Night before Christmas." One Rehearsal Christmas Plays features these productions and ten others with a Scriptural message and minimal preparation! Completely Reproducible!

Download or read book Easy Church Holiday Plays 3 Christmas Plays and 1 Easter Play Written Written for Small and Medium Sized Churches written by Joshua Powell and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2018-09-26 with total page 102 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Three Christmas Plays and One Easter Play perfect for the small to medium sized congregation. Each only requires about fifteen performers with options to plug in more. The plays incorporate humor, drama, and the Christmas programs are set to include music if desired. "Bethlehem's Inn" tells of a young inn keeper in ancient Bethlehem who is eager to make a fortune and move. His plans to expand his inn and move are rocked when he denies a room to two very special guests. "We Got Dat" is a modern story of a storekeeper who forces his employees to work on Christmas Eve. When he discovers an employee has been facing hardships at home he reconsiders the meaning of Christmas. "The Best Christmas Play Ever" focuses on a pastor trying to put on the best Christmas play his church has ever had but can't come up with any good ideas. Finally "Jerusalem News Channel" is a humorous telling of what the events around the death and resurrection of Jesus would have been like if the modern news media had been there to cover it.

Download or read book Christmas Plays for Churches written by Lydia Sweet and published by . This book was released on 2020-10-29 with total page 122 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A collection of 15 fun, Christmas-themed, Christian plays and sketches for use in church or Christian kids clubs and youth groups. Whether you have fifty ten year-olds, or three teenagers to accommodate, there should be a play for you in this collection. The message is kept clear and simple, so that everyone, even the parent who has never been to church in their life, can take home at least one easy message, which we hope could be a life-changing one.

Download or read book No Time for Christmas written by Valerie Howard and published by . This book was released on 2014-09-08 with total page 26 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: PJ and his friends are learning that Christmas can be busy. But what happens when they get too busy to celebrate the real reason for the season? Find out in this fun, easy-to-produce play for any size church!Approx. 25 minutes running time.

Download or read book Christmas Plays for Small Churches written by David W Christine and published by Independently Published. This book was released on 2022-08-08 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Who said small churches cannot produce quality, thought provoking Christmas programs? If you are looking for Christmas programs with a real Christian message that is designed for all stages, then this book is for you. These plays can be produced on large or small stages and are designed to make rehearsals and memorization easy. This book contains five Christmas plays and a bonus Christmas Eve Candlelight Service play: - "The Case of the Unlikely Birth" (3-4 actors) - A classic Sherlock Holmes story seeking to discover the secret of the virgin birth of the Messiah. - "What is the Reason for the Season?" (6 actors) Poor Nick feels slighted because he was born on Christmas Day. It's his birthday, but everyone else gets presents. His attitude changes when he learns the reason we celebrate Christmas. - "It's the Thought that Counts, Isn't It?" (4-5 actors) - Set as a radio drama, so there is no memorization of lines, this play centers on a mother who is upset because she did not get what she wanted for Christmas. She learns that often, God also does not get what He wants either. - "Christmas Eve Blackout" (4 actors) - This play centers around a typical family who discovers a different aspect of the Christmas story. -"The Great Late Morning Show" (3 actors) - This is a funny play that pulls audience members into the action. Through this play, the audience learns that real meaning of Christmas is personal and meant for anyone. -Bonus Play: "A Christmas Eve Candlelight Service" (2 actors) - This is a contemporary musical which draws the audience to Christ as the light of the world. In the end, the audience is encouraged to shine the Light of Jesus to a lost and dying world.

Download or read book Christmas Plays and Biblical Skits written by Barbara Tenney and published by WestBow Press. This book was released on 2017-05-01 with total page 161 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Will Maudine ever stop being so bossy? Should Aunt Vera get a hearing aid for Christmas? Does Richard really miss his pink flamingo? Can John say anything other than uh-huh and huh-uh? Find the answers to these questions when you join Aunt Vera and her friends as they prepare for their Christmas pageants. Follow them as they find themselves in various situations involving lighthearted rivalry, mystery, and good-natured humor.

Download or read book A Beastly Christmas written by John O Eby and published by CSS Publishing. This book was released on 2005-06-10 with total page 36 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Centering around the theme of the familiar song "The Friendly Beasts," this intriguing program depicts what the animals who witnessed Jesus' birth might really have been thinking -- if they had human minds. There's humorous interplay among camels, sheep, cows, and the donkey that carried the pregnant Mary as they share their unique perspective on the nativity. This complete presentation allows many different parts of the congregation to participate; speaking roles can be performed in a readers' theater format by adults or youth, young children can portray the humans at the manger in a silent tableau, and musical selections allow the choir to be involved, as well. This adaptable drama can be used not only in church settings, but also in schools or for children's programs. As an added feature, customers with PowerPoint and broadband capability may obtain access to a downloadable PowerPoint presentation to accompany the drama at (http: //www.csspub.com/BeastlyChristmas/). A companion coloring book for young children, based on the imagery in the PowerPoint file, is also available in packages of five. John O. Eby has been an ordained pastor for four decades, serving several Baptist congregations in California. He is currently the pastor of First Baptist Church in Porterville, California. A graduate of the University of LaVerne and American Baptist Seminary of the West, Eby is the author of more than 30 skits and plays. Natividad Briones is a member of the worship team at First Baptist Church in Porterville, California. A veteran of the U.S. Navy and merchant marine, Briones began drawing caricatures of fellow sailors. He subsequently did freelance cartooning, and he had prepared composite sketches for the Los Angeles Police Department and the Tulare County Sheriff's Department.

Download or read book Signs of Christmas written by and published by Lillenas Publishing Company. This book was released on 2004-03-23 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book They Worshiped Him written by Gail K. Keffer and published by CSS Publishing. This book was released on 2001 with total page 23 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In today's "hurry-up" world, it seems we rarely take the time to think of other people and "walk a mile in the other man's shoes." If we did, what would we see? They Worshiped Him revisits the nativity story from the perspective of the people who were actually there. In this dramatic retelling, we glimpse the innermost thoughts and feelings of some of the very common people whose lives were forever changed by a most extraordinary event. What did the shepherds feel? What did others think of them? Were they perceived as "eccentric"? And what about the wise men who followed the star? Did they have an entire entourage, or did people treat them like three dottering old men? And what about Mary and Joseph; how did this unusual pregnancy affect them? They Worshiped Him answers many of these questions while reminding us of the biblical characters' humanity. The singing of favorite seasonal carols is woven into the drama, encouraging audience participation. And it's an adaptable work that can be staged as elaborately or simply as you wish. While there are speaking parts for 12 angels, 5 animals, 6 shepherds, 3 magi, the innkeeper, Mary, Joseph, and a narrator, roles can easily be combined for use with any size congregation. Staging instructions are included. Far too many plays being marketed to churches today are not well written, place unreasonable requirements on the space and talent available in the average local church, and contain biblically inaccurate statements and characterizations. Gail Keffer's play They Worshiped Him doesn't present any of those problems. It is written in a flexible manner that makes it easy to adapt to a worship service, dinner theater, or a feature-length play for an annual Christmas production. It also does a magnificent job of presenting a biblically accurate version of the nativity story that can be heard, understood, and remembered by all of God's children.... We used this play two years ago, and people are still talking about it. One comment I heard was that the play "made Mary seem like a real person and not a stained-glass Madonna who's out of touch with the realities people like us face." Kari Turner McClellan Senior Pastor, First Presbyterian Church Levittown, Pennsylvania Gail K. Keffer is a graduate of Slippery Rock University (B.S. and M.Ed.). An active member of Clen-Moore Presbyterian Church in New Castle, Pennsylvania, Keffer is a former schoolteacher who has run a needlework design business and is currently the proprietor of The Amish Peddler, a business specializing in the sale of fine Amish-made furniture.

Download or read book Every Knee Shall Bow written by Diane L Gibson and published by CSS Publishing. This book was released on 1999-07 with total page 28 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The scene for this Christmas play and worship service is a familiar one: a nativity display in a town square. As different individuals or families approach the manger scene, they hear the voice of God speaking his words of truth, encouragement, and hope to their own unique needs and circumstances. When the members of your congregation hear God's message to these individuals, they will hear God speaking to them as well. The service includes the congregational singing of familiar Christmas carols. Diane L. Gibson is a graduate of Concordia Teachers College, River Forest, Illinois. In addition to her teaching position in a Lutheran elementary school, she has been a Sunday school superintendent and the director of both children's and adult choirs. She is the author of three other published Christmas plays.

Download or read book Breakdown on Bethlehem Street A Christmas Play written by Frank Ramirez and published by CSS Publishing Company. This book was released on 2012-09-01 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Imagine that it's Christmas Eve and you're on your way to the store before the annual candlelight service. Suddenly you find yourself transported back in time to the night of the birth of the Messiah! The places you're used to seeing are all gone; the usual trappings of modern society don't work. And, to top it off, you're placed in a situation where you have to help a young couple deal with having a baby -- with no hospital! Yikes! This imaginative chancel drama for Advent or Christmas will make the members of your congregation think about the night of Jesus' birth in a new way. A variety of ages can be used in the production from young children to older adults. The dialogue can be easily modified with local references. Suggested readings and music are included for use between scenes for additional congregational involvement. Frank Ramirez is the pastor of Everett Church of the Brethren in Everett, Pennsylvania. A graduate of the University of LaVerne and Bethany Theological Seminary, Ramirez is the author of numerous books, articles, and short stories. Frank has been a long-time writer for CSS' online subscription "StoryShare." His CSS titles include "Gabriel's Horn, The Christmas Star," "The Bee Attitudes," "Partners in Healing," " He Took a Towel," "Coming Home," "Lectionary Worship Aids "series, " "and "A Call to Worship."

Download or read book The Christmas Stranger written by Charles Byrd and published by . This book was released on 1992 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Christmas play with a surprise ending! The church youth group and adult leaders prepare to practice for a Christmas program. They anticipate a visit by the church's new custodian, who will clean and lock up the building. A visitor arrives, who all believe to be the custodian. The visitor begins to help with the rehearsal. With his help, the real meaning of Christmas is clearly revealed to all. The stranger leaves. To the surprise of the cast (but not the audience) the "real" custodian finally arrives. The cast ponders: "Who was that visitor?" This simple play is easily adaptable for any size group. No special props are rquired other than a lectern and a Bible. Charles Byrd, Hershey, Pennsylvania, is a United Methodist minister who has served as pastor, teacher, counselor, and staff member of the The United Methodist Publishing House. He is a graduate of Wake Forest University and Duke Divinity School.

Download or read book A Very Mixed Up Christmas Pageant written by Gwynne Watkins and published by . This book was released on 2019-11-06 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What happens when kids show up to perform a traditional Christmas Pageant?in their Halloween costumes?! That's what happens in this contemporary spin on a traditional nativity play. It's up their youth director to improvise her way through the story of Jesus' birth in a hilarious and heartfelt way that connects biblical figures with modern day superheroes, villains, and more. In the end, everyone learns that perhaps being a little bit "mixed-up" is something we can all rejoice in.

Download or read book The Best Christmas Programs for All Ages written by and published by . This book was released on 2011-07 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is full of resources to meet your church's needs for worship services and programs this holiday season.

Download or read book Christmas Programs for the Church written by and published by Standard Publishing Company. This book was released on 1998-07-01 with total page 64 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: