The story of the big surprise
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Will you be telling the Christmas story at an all-age service this December? This idea offers a simple way to involve everyone in the story as you tell it.
On your marks
Christmas was God’s big surprise. Even though there had been tantalising clues all throughout the Old Testament, no one really expected the miracle of ‘God-with-us’ in the form of a helpless baby. The Christmas story is about God’s surprising gift to us: a gift that not only transforms the way we think about ourselves and our future, but also one that gives us a surprising insight into the very nature of the love of God for us.
Get set
No special props are need, but there is a suggested sound effect which occurs several times – namely, a sharp intake of breath and the phrase ‘It was a big surprise’. Before you start, you might like to rehearse this.
Go!
This retelling of the Christmas story can involve the whole church contributing sound effects and actions.
Story: Long ago the people of God were waiting…
Action: Looking at watches and looking around
Story: Waiting for God to come and rescue them
Action: Shading eyes with hands and looking to the skies
Story: But their country was occupied by Roman soldiers
Action: Marching on the spot
Story: And they wanted to be free
Action: Both hands in the air, longing for freedom
Story: But then the angel Gabriel came
Sound effect: Sharp intake of breath and ‘It was a big surprise’
Story: To an old man called Zechariah in the Temple
Action: Pretend to be walking with a walking stick
Story: The angel Gabriel said: ‘You and Elizabeth shall have a baby’
Sound effect: Sharp intake of breath and ‘It was a big surprise’
Story: ‘His name will be John and he will prepare the way for the King’
Action/words: Punching the air and cheers all around
Story: But Zechariah didn’t believe the angel and was from then on lost for words
Action/words: Hands raised in despair and mumbling sounds through closed lips
Story: Six months later the angel Gabriel appeared again
Sound effect: Sharp intake of breath and ‘It was a big surprise’
Story: To Mary in the village of Nazareth
Action/words: Puzzled looks and cries of ‘Where?’
Story: ‘You shall have a baby, who will be the King’
Sound effect: Sharp intake of breath and ‘It was a big surprise’
Story: ‘His name will be Jesus.’ Mary went to visit her cousin Elizabeth and… Elizabeth’s baby jumped inside her when Mary arrived
Sound effect: Sharp intake of breath and ‘It was a big surprise’
Story: Elizabeth had her baby and he was called John… and Zechariah now sang a song of praise to God
Action/words: Mime singing enthusiastically while also shouting ‘Hallelujah’
Story: John would prepare the way for Jesus. Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem
Sound effects: Clip-clop of a donkey’s hooves
Story: They had to travel, even though Mary was about to have a baby… The town was busy and the hotels were fully booked
Actions/words: Shaking of heads and chorus of ‘No room at the inn’
Story: They had to sleep in a cattle shed
Sound effects: Animal sounds
Story: And then the angel Gabriel came
Sound effect: Sharp intake of breath and ‘It was a big surprise’
