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The M3 - Monday Morning Mail for the Fourth Sunday in Advent
Children's Pageant
Yesterday the children in Sunday School retold the true story of Christmas, using mobile phones as a resource. The main characters were present: Mary, Joseph, the angels and shepherds. A point early on in the retelling of the story was that the Wisemen came sometime after Jesus' birth. It was noted that Google confirmed this. Next, the Stable Scene was investigated on Google, punning first on the meanings of "stable." Next, the word "manger" was investigated. Eventually, the New Kid in the scene says that babies don't get put with cattle in a manger. The kids consult Google again, prompting the objection of one of the shepherds who says, "Let's go to the real authority, the Bible. Here I have a Bible from our Sunday classroom, and I know the Christmas story is at the beginning of one of the gospels, let’s try Luke... yes, here it is. From here the verse twenty verses of Luke were read:
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.