Leaping Off the Page
Christmas Edition
A collection of plays, stories, and poems
for use in church programs
By L. Ruth Carter
Copyright 2013 by L. Ruth Carter
License Notes
Thank you for downloading this ebook. It is the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied, and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. The material may not be performed in a public forum.
For information on how to purchase performance rights and printable documents, please visit the author’s website:
l-ruth-carter.com.
It’s not painful. I promise.
Thank you for your support.
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Table of Contents
Come and Worship
A Christmas Moment
Megan’s Moment
Christmas Truce
Christmas Bells
Christmas Salutations
Recitations for Children
About the Author
Purchasing Performance Rights
Also Available
Leaping Off the Page: Easter, Mother’s and Father’s Day Edition
Easter Sample
Mother’s Day Sample
Leaping Off the Page: Any Time of the Year Edition
Any Time Sample
Upcoming Projects
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Come and Worship
Christmas Eve Service with Advent Candles
This service uses the hymn, “Angels from the Realms of Glory” as its theme. Each of the five stanzas is represented by a candle. I have a person reading each stanza in its turn. These stanzas could also be sung—in which case you don’t need to sing the whole thing at the beginning as scripted.
Carol Sing (Any time a carol is suggested, it can be done by the choir, a soloist, or the congregation. Except for “Angels from the Realms of Glory”and “Agnus Dei”, I will not make specific suggestions.)
Call To Worship: Isaiah 9:2
Carol: Angels from the Realms of Glory
Welcome and Opening Prayer
CANDLE 1—ANGELS PROCLAIMING
Leader: Christmas. It means so many different things to people, doesn’t it? To those who believe, it is a wondrous time of celebrating the miracle of God becoming man. Yes, a time of celebration. But even with all our best intentions, we often get caught up in the busy-ness of the season. All the special programs, the shopping, the gift-wrapping, the visiting can sometimes distract us from focusing on Jesus Christ. One of the things that can help us keep that focus on Jesus is to light a candle for each Sunday of Advent. Tonight, we’re going to look at the candles using the carol, “Angels from the Realms of Glory”, as our theme. The first verse tells of how the angels, who sang at creation proclaimed the birth of the Saviour. Angels proclaiming.
Reader 1: Angels from the realms of glory / Wing your flight o’er all the earth; / Ye who sang creation’s story, / Now proclaim Messiah’s birth. / Come and worship, come and worship; / Worship Christ, the newborn King!
Reader 2: Luke 2:1-7
A carol that focuses on the angels
CANDLE 2—SHEPHERDS ABIDING
Leader: The second verse of the carol tells of the shepherds in the fields abiding. Ah, yes, abiding. Faithful in their responsibili¬ties, perhaps they were the only people wakeful enough to receive the message that night. Humble, hard-working folk, that’s all they were, but they were the ones who heard the message. Shepherds abiding.
Reader 3: Shepherds in the fields abiding, / Watching o’er your flocks by night; / God with man is now residing, / Yonder shines the infant Light. / Come and worship, come and worship; / Worship Christ, the newborn King!
Reader 4: Luke 2:8-18
A carol that focuses on the shepherds
CANDLE 3—WISE MEN SEEKING
Leader: Wise men. Scholars who spent their lives in study, now putting their books aside to seek the Saviour. Wise men seeking.
Reader 5: Wise Men, leave your contemplation, / Brighter visions beam afar; / Seek the great Desire of nations, / Ye have seen His natal star: / Come and worship, come and worship; / Worship Christ, the newborn King!
Reader 6: Matthew 2:1-11
A carol that focuses on the wise men
CANDLE 4—SAINTS WATCHING
Leader: Saints watching. That’s what the fourth verse is about. Saints watching and waiting for the return of the Saviour. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ during this season, we also wait expectantly for His return. Saints watching.
Reader 7: Saints before the altar bending, / Watching long in hope and fear, / Suddenly the Lord, descending, / In His temple shall appear: / Come and worship, come and worship; / Worship Christ, the newborn King!
Reader 8: Matthew 24:30-31, 36, 44
A carol that focuses on expectancy
CANDLE 5—ALL PEOPLES WORSHIPPING
Leader: Angels proclaimed the birth of Jesus to the shepherds. The wise men sought Him from a faraway country. All those who love Him eagerly await His Second Coming. But there’s more. The angels worshipped Him. The shepherds worshipped Him. And so did the wise men. The Bible tells us that one day everybody will bow down and worship Him. The final candle is the Christ candle, and the final verse of the carol brings us to that point of worship. All people worshipping.
Reader 9: Though an infant now we view Him, / He shall fill His Father’s throne, / Gather all the nations to Him; / Every knee shall then bow down. / Come and worship, come and worship; / Worship Christ, the newborn King!
Reader 10: Revelation 5:9, 12-13
choir or Solo: Agnus Dei (Worthy is the Lamb)
Offering
Carol Sing
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A Christmas Moment
A One-Act Play
Theme: Faith, comfort, meaning of life, God’s care, miracles.
Time: Approximately 20 minutes.
Set: This is a small café. At least two small tables with chairs. Cant one table slightly to the right or left of center stage, towards the side closest to the exit. That is where the action will take place. The second table will be up left or up right of the downstage table, on the side farthest from the exit.
Music: Soft Christmas carols may be playing in the background.
Cast, Costumes, Props:
Marilyn:. A professional photographer. Dress should be festive for her job—red and green. Props are handbag, mail. Mail should include junk, a bill, two Santa Christmas cards, a family newsletter, and a card with the paraphrase of Psalm 30, as scripted.
Anna: Owner of the café. Older woman. Dressed plainly with apron and hairnet. Props are a tray holding a teacup, a small teapot, a plate with a muffin, and milk, sugar and napkins.
Sally: Teenaged waitress. Anna’s granddaughter. Simple uniform, but wearing a Santa hat or reindeer antlers. Winter coat and boots for later. Props are cutlery, a menu, second teacup, small teapot.
Scene: The room is empty.
Sally (Entering from the kitchen, looks around. Calls): Grandma! There’s nobody here. Should I start sweeping?
Anna (From off-stage): No, dear, I’ll do that. But you can wash the tables one last time.
Sally (Wipes a table. Sings a popular Christmas song, dancing, wiping the table to the beat. Just as she really gets into the fun of it, she stops abruptly and stares off into space.)
Anna (Enters with a broom. She picks up the song where Sally left off. When she sees Sally’s forlorn demeanor, she puts the broom down and goes to her): Honey?
Sally: Oh, Grandma! For a minute there I was happy. Really happy.
Anna: Yes. I was too.
r /> Sally: And then I remembered.
Anna: And you stopped being happy.
Sally: It wasn’t that. I felt guilty.
Anna: Guilty because you were happy?
Sally: Yes.
Anna: Your parents loved you. They would want you to be happy.
Sally: But it’s only been a year.
Anna: A long, hard year. It’s been hard for you, recovering from the accident.
Sally: And look! I was dancing!
Anna: And you felt guilty.
Sally: Yes. And I thought, maybe I shouldn’t go on the sleigh ride tonight.
Anna: Sally, the loss of your parents is a wide, gaping hole for you. For me, too. But remember—they wanted only the best for you. (Grins) For me, too, of course, but mostly for you. They loved you. You were their daughter. You were very special to them. More importantly, you are very special to God—to the God they loved with all their hearts.
Sally: I know all that, but…
Anna: Yes. But. Sometimes knowing isn’t feeling. Let knowing be enough for now. The feeling will come if you hold onto the knowing.
Sally: I guess I’d like a message—a personal message from God that everything will be all right.
Anna: I think you’ll get one. (Goes to the “window” and looks out) I thought I heard a car stopping. It looks like we’ve got a customer. (Hugs Sally) You’re special to God, you were special to your parents and (she picks up the broom and goes to the kitchen door) you are special—very special to me. Now, look after our customer! And enjoy the sleigh ride tonight!
Marilyn (enters from “outside”. Sally picks up a menu from the far table and crosses to her.)
Sally: Merry Christmas!
Marilyn: (A polite grunt): Yeah.
Sally: Table for one?
Marilyn: Yes.
Sally: Over here. The crowd has pretty much left. And I do mean crowd.
Marilyn (Taking off her coat, she hangs it on one chair and sits in the other): Been busy, eh?
Sally (Singing—to the tune of “It’s the hap-happiest time of the year”): It's the biz-busiest time of the year.
Marilyn: It’s that all right.
Sally: Can I get you a drink?
Marilyn: A cup of hot tea would be nice. And a bran muffin.
Sally: Coming right up. (She exits.)
Marilyn: Perky little thing, dispensing all that Christmas cheer. (Pulls a bundle of mail from her handbag and sorts it) Junk, junk, bill. Phone. (Sighs) It’ll be a big one. Oh, good! Cards from the kids! Chuck’ll be so pleased. (Opens one. Santa Claus beams at her) Santa. (Opens the next. Another Santa) Santa, Santa. Always Santa. And why not? Santa. (A cry) Oh, Chuck! Why? (Takes a deep breath and expels it gustily as she unconsciously pushes at the mail. Some of the junk falls to the floor. She doesn’t notice. Says harder) Why? (Crumples one of the envelopes in her hand and almost whispers) Why?
Anna (Has entered with a tray holding the teapot, cup, muffin, milk and sugar): The great philosophical question of the ages.
Marilyn (Marilyn looks up, startled): What?
Anna: Here’s your order.
Marilyn: Oh, thanks.
Anna (Picks up the dropped mail): I think you dropped this.
Marilyn: What? Oh, yes. Junk mail. Just opening about a week’s worth of mail.
Anna (Holding up the flyers): Would you like me to file it for you?
Marilyn: Would you? Thanks.
Anna (Puts it in her apron pocket, steps to second table, and taking a rag from her pocket, she proceeds to wash an already clean table. Marilyn has opened another card. Anna nods at it): Nice to hear from old friends.
Marilyn: Yeah, sure. But do they have to write such long newsletters? (Pulls out a newsletter filled with typing.) I’m too busy to read them all!
Anna: Too bad we couldn’t have them nicely spread out through the year.
Marilyn: That would be nice. We’d be able to savour each one.
Anna: Do you write annual newsletters?
Marilyn (Wryly): You got me. Most years. (Falls silent.)
Anna: But not this year?
Marilyn: Not this year.
Anna: Nothing to say?
Marilyn: Not a thing.
Anna: That was a pretty heavy “why” you were asking when I came in.
Marilyn: I guess so.
Anna: Usually somebody who asks “why” like that has something to say.
Marilyn: Not me! (Holds up the newsletter, showing the printed side) Once I would have written something like this. What I’m doing. What my kids are doing. My goals. Where we went for summer vacation. The new home we just bought. A job promotion. My husband’s successes. (A rather long beat) All the same old same old that I found so fascinating and had to inflict on all my distant friends and relatives.
Anna: But not anymore?
Marilyn: Not anymore. (Turns the paper over, showing the white side) This is my life. (Looks at it a little closer.) No, this (points to a small speck on the page) this speck is my life.
Anna: I can’t see a speck.
Marilyn: Exactly! Why should I—what I do—what I want—make a difference?
Anna: You don’t think your life makes a difference?
Marilyn: It doesn’t. The universe existed quite nicely without me for millions of years.
Anna: Ah.
Marilyn: Cosmic reality will continue just as nicely without me when I’m gone.
Anna: You’re here now. That makes a difference.
Marilyn: Sure, I’m here. One life amongst billions. One heartbeat amongst…(Flings down the newsletter) Oh, how can I expect to have any kind of significance? Any impact? Or even any moment?
Anna: I don’t know. Excuse me. (Calling out) Sally! (Sally enters) Bring me a cuppa, will you, dear? (To Marilyn) Would you like a refill?
Marilyn: No, thanks. I’ve barely touched this. (Sally exits)
Anna: Refills are on the house. So you have no significance? No impact?
Marilyn: And no moment.
Anna: No moment? As in no import?
Marilyn: That’s right. Absolutely none. No moment.
Anna: What do you do?
Marilyn: That’s what I mean! Nothing important! And even if I did do something deep and meaningful, what difference would it make?
Anna: You mean in the scope of a vast universe?
Marilyn: You got it. I’m a photographer. (Snorts) A photographer! A recorder of moments.
Anna: Maybe your pictures of moments will last beyond your moment.
Marilyn: Maybe. But how many pictures are there of sunsets and seascapes? Of racing horses and smiling brides?
Anna: All of these are important to somebody.
Marilyn: How many photographs capture a child’s wonder? (Falters) An old man’s hope?
Anna: Not enough. (Sally brings the tea to Anna) Thank you, dear. Why don’t you get ready to go now? I can finish cleaning up. Would you lock the kitchen door?
Sally (Gives Anna a quick hug): Sure thing. And thanks, Grandma!
Anna: Enjoy the party. (Sally exits) She’s got a do with her church youth group tonight she’s been looking forward to.
Marilyn: Sweet kid.
Anna: The best. So you take pictures of moments. I think everyone should have a chance to appreciate beauty. And to express it. You’re blessed to have an art to do that.
Marilyn (Snorts): My attempts at art are no better than anybody else’s. These, too, shall fade away.
Anna: Do they have to be better if they give pleasure to someone?
Marilyn: I’m a bit of a perfectionist. They’ve got to please me!
Anna: You have family? A husband, children?
Marilyn: (Nods) The kids are all grown up and gone. They don’t need me anymore.
Anna: They will always need you, no matter how accomplished, how successful they are.
Marilyn (Not willing to concede): Well, I guess…
Anna: What about your husband?
Marilyn: C
huck? Chuck is…he’s my best friend. And business partner (Picks up the Santa Christmas card) The perennial Santa Claus.
Anna: Santa Claus?
Marilyn: Yeah. We’ve been doing it for years. The mall management hires us to do the Santa photography. Chuck dresses up in his Santa suit and does the ho, ho, ho thing while I take pictures of the kids sitting on his lap. The crass commercialism of Christmas.
Anna: They must be good pictures if they keep asking you back.
Marilyn: Naw. Lots of photographers can do just as well—(wry grin) or better. No, that’s not why they keep bringing us back. It’s Santa Claus.
Anna: Chuck?
Marilyn: Yes, Chuck. He becomes Santa Claus, you see. In his heart. The children love him. He draws them to him—because he loves them.
Anna: That’s a special gift.
Marilyn: Yeah, it makes me fall in love with him all over again. To Chuck, each child is an individual, special. They sit on his lap and for that brief moment they are the only ones in his world. (Eyes glistening as she feels again the magic) The pictures shine.
Anna: And you say your life has no moment?
Marilyn: None!
Anna: And Chuck? Does his life have no moment?
Marilyn: I didn’t want him to do Santa this year. (Getting lost in her thoughts, speaking more to herself than to Anna) The chemo has been so hard on him.
Anna: Oh, my dear!
Marilyn (Looking back at Anna): He was all set to start radiation therapy when the doctors told him he’d have to stay away from children for a couple of days after each treatment. They said the radiation in his body would be too strong for kids, especially the small ones.
Anna: Yes, I’ve heard that can be a problem.
Marilyn: The doctors said, “Wait for the kids.”
Anna: But Christmas won’t wait.
Marilyn: No. He had to be there for the kids.
Anna: What did the doctors say?
Marilyn: They didn’t like it. They’ve got him booked to start just after Christmas, but they don’t like the delay. I don’t either. It might be too late. Too late for Chuck.
Anna (Gently): But not too late for Santa Claus?
Marilyn: That’s what Chuck said! Not too late for the children, he said. (A whisper) And never too late for a miracle.
Anna: No, it’s never too late for that.
Marilyn: I wish I could believe that.
Anna: You can’t?
Marilyn: How can I?
Anna: Because maybe that’s sometimes all we’ve got.
Marilyn: What, miracles?
Anna: No. Hope.
Marilyn: Hope. Hah. What good’s that when all you can see is pain, suffering and… (stops abruptly)