Submitted by
M. Johnson

Age Group
7-11

Aim
Carol Service linking the Christmas Story to the terrible events of Sept. 11th 2001

Faith Group
Christian

Time of Year
Advent

Other Details
To be held in Church as a joint school/parish service

Script
O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL (organ)

During Advent, we are asked, many times, to come and prepare ourselves to celebrate in a prayerful way, the anniversary of Christ’s Birth.

His Birth-Day, was a very important day for our world.

This year, the 11^th of September became a very important day to our world.
People were going about their business - going to work, going to school.
Their peace, their world and ours - was turned upside down.

The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem turned everything upside down for people who lived then.

O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM (organ)

When the Twin Towers in New York were destroyed, on the 11^th of September, nobody knew how many people died. It took time to count the number.

At the time of Jesus’ birth, the Roman Emperor counted the number of people in his empire.

A reading from the Gospel according to Luke: (Luke 2:1-7)
At this time, the Roman Emperor ordered that the whole Roman Empire should be counted.
Everyone had to be registered in the town where his family came from.
So Joseph set out from Nazareth in the north to go to his hometown of Bethlehem in the south, so that he could register there with his fiancée Mary, who was pregnant.
While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to have her baby.
It was a boy, her first.
She wrapped him in a blanket, and laid him in a manger, the animals’ feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the house.

ONCE IN ROYAL DAVID’S CITY (organ in church, guitar outside)
(During this carol, children to travel out of church and congregate around the roundabout singing.) Mary and Joseph to travel to inn and stable.

AWAY IN A MANGER

SILENT NIGHT

In New York, on the 11^th of September, people travelled from all around to the disaster site, to see for themselves, and to give a helping hand, if possible.
On the night of Jesus’ birth, shepherds travelled to Bethlehem to see for themselves, and to help Mary, Joseph, if needed.

ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH (organ)
(Angels to gather around shepherds in field)

A reading from the Gospel according to Luke: (Luke 2:8-20)
In the countryside around Bethlehem, shepherds were taking it in turns to look after their sheep at night.
Suddenly, God’s angel appeared to them in a blaze of light.
They were very frightened.
But the angel said, ‘Don’t be afraid. I’m bringing you good news, which will bring joy to the whole world. Tonight a baby has been born in Bethlehem. He is God’s Chosen One, and he will save the world. This is how you will know him: you’ll find a baby wrapped in a blanket, lying in a manger of hay.’ Suddenly the sky was filled with angels.
They were praising God and singing: ‘Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth.’
When the angels had disappeared, the shepherds turned to each other and said, ‘Let’s go up to Bethlehem, and find out what God has told us about.’ So they hurried to the town, and there they found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And they told everyone what God had told them about the baby.

(Shepherds to travel to the stable; angels to gather around scene)

MARY’S BOY CHILD (guitar)

The Shepherds were very privileged to learn of the birth of Jesus. The Wise Kings learned of his birth and travelled from far away, to see for themselves.

Our Prime Minister, and other world leaders, travelled to America to bring help to the people of New York.

(guitar)
(Three wise men to point to star in distance)

A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew: (Matt 2:1-2,5-6,9-11)
needs splitting up as this is v1-12
After Jesus had been born in Bethlehem, some wise men came from the East to King Herod in Jerusalem.
They asked, ‘Where is the new-born King of the Jews? We saw his star rising in the East, and we want to honour him.’
King Herod was angry at this talk of a new King. He ordered the scholars to find out where God’s Chosen One was to be born.
They told him: ‘In Bethlehem. That is what the prophets said.’
So Herod called the Wise Men, and sent them on to Bethlehem to find the baby.
He said, ‘Come back and tell me, so that I can honour him too.’
The Wise Men set out.
The star they had seen in the East continued to guide them to the very place where the baby was. There they knelt down before Mary and her baby, and opened up the presents they had brought, gold, and perfumes from the East - frankincense and myrrh.

WE THREE KINGS (organ)
(Kings to travel to Stable and present their gifts…- scene is complete)

The Wise Men brought very precious gifts to Jesus from their own lands: gold because Jesus is King, frankincense because Jesus is God and myrrh, because Jesus is man.
The three Wise Men show us that Jesus came for everyone in all parts of the world.

Jesus came to earth to share in our human life.
This Christmas, we remember that Jesus taught us how we should live the life he shares with us. Many of Jesus’ teachings are brought together in the Sermon on the Mount, in St. Matthew’s Gospel.

BEATITUDES (guitar)

We think especially of children at Christmas, children who have looked forward to the holiday, to the celebration, to the presents. But first, we too must pay our visit to the child in the Manger, in the stable in Bethlehem.

THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY (guitar)
(Children involved in this part of the celebration)

On the 11^th of September, everybody did their best to help one another.
Nothing except our best is good enough for God our Father. May we always do our best for Him

O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL (organ)