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If Christ Were Born in Chicago 2009

Page 1 of 9While the Convener and Announcer speak, chord sets of hand bells and labelsmatching their bell sets A, D, and E are available.

We Get Ready

Convener: Welcome to the 2009 Golden Agers Club Christmas Program at theCongregational Church of Park Manor!Announcer: Later on we will sing using the hand bells for our accompaniment. Itwould probably be a good idea for us to practice a little first! When Ihold up the name of your bell set, ring the whole set of bellstogether. Ring them with the song -- believe me we will be singing avery familiar song. If the note is very long, keep ringing to fill up thetime. Let's ring the A chord – good, and the E chord – excellent, andthe D chord – splendid!Now we will try to sing the Park Manor Bell Song. I ask you please,do not reveal the true identity of this song. It is, I'm afraid, possiblethat someone may be able to figure it out. But please, don't tellanyone! This is like a wrapped Christmas present – a surprise! Wewill open it later!Now take a look. You see I've marked in the A, E, and D. chordstarts. That reminds me that we should practice stopping becauseone of the problems with bells is that they will ring on too long unlessyou stop them. The way to stop a bill sounding is to touch your clothing in some way to stop it. Watch.Now would the A group ring a little bit? Good – now stop! We areready to play and let's all sing, the Park Manor Bell Song.

Park Manor Bell Song

(same melody as Silent Night)Remember – do not reveal the identity of this song!1._We ring bells. We like bells.We hope you like them too.Bells can ring with such hap-py cheer.Ring them loud-ly 'cause Christ-mas is near.It's a Park Ma-nor Christ-mas,Are-n't you glad that you're here!Now we are ready to start – with a familiar carol. But – watch out for

If Christ Were Born in Chicago 2009

Page 2 of 9a change in the second verse.

Sing: O Little Town of Bethlehem

1._O lit-tle town of Bethle-hem, how still we see thee lie!A-bove thy deep and dream-less sleep the si-lent stars go by.Yet in thy dark streets shin-eth the ev-er-last-ing Light;The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee to-night.2._A-round our trou-bled ci-ty, we look and won-der whythere is no work for will-ing arms and tears fill griev-ing eyes.We wait with anx-ious long-ing for peace and hap-pi-ness,The dark night wakes, will glo-ry break, and Christ-mas come once more?

Joseph and Mary Remember

Music: Mary's Song

Joseph and Mary enter. If costumed, they are dressed in marginally adequate winter outdoor clothing. Mary may or may not look very pregnant. Both look a little confused, and they are clearly very tired.There is a bench, perhaps a bus stop, where they sit down to rest afew minutes.

Mary: Joe, you said Chicago is your hometown. You said we had to be there for Christmas. Do you actually know where you're going?Joseph: Well it sure is different from what I remember. I thought I'd just see mygrandma's house ... and she'd be all happy to see us and stuff …and the baby …Mary: Yes, you said she always wanted you to come back for the holidays.Weren't you here last year? It can't have changed that much, can it?Joseph: Well, it's been longer than one year ... yeah, quite a lot longer than oneyear ... but now I'm going to be a father ... and I know my grandmawill want to have all the family here – here in Chicago.Mary: Joe, does she know about the baby?Joseph: (mumbling) not exactly, you know.Mary: (anxious) I couldn't hear that. What did you say?Joseph: (a little angry) I said she doesn't exactly know, okay? But I know she'sgoing to love it because she loves me. Just like she's going to loveyou... because she loves me.

If Christ Were Born in Chicago 2009

Page 3 of 9Mary stands, steps back from the bench, and waits until Joseph notices. Hestands and looks at her.Mary: Joe, you know this isn't your baby I'm carrying. I told you that. Are youplanning to let your grandma think this is your baby?Joseph: Don't you think when I teach him a trade, teach him to be a carpenter inmy shop, ... don't you think when I feed him at my table, ... don't youthink when I take him to synagogue, … don't you think when I paysomeone to teach him to read the Scriptures, don't you think whenhe's bar mitzvah, a son of the commandments, don't you think whenhe takes his place in the congregation as an adult man, ... don't youthink he's my baby, he's my son?Mary: (almost crying) Oh Joe, I don't know why any of this is happening to me.Why God set me in the midst of everyone pregnant with a childwhose father I can't name and whose future scares me to death.Thank God I had you – and you believed me.Joseph: That's not really the way it was for me. I didn't believe you when I heardabout the baby. I thought you cheated on me.Mary: You did!Joseph: Yeah, I cared about you too much to be public about it, but I meant toleave you.Mary: I didn't know that. I couldn't really blame you, but why didn't you?Joseph: Well, I was just turning it over in my mind one way and another, how todo it ... and one night, I just fell asleep thinking and thinking how toget out of this, and then, you've got to believe me on this, Mary, I hada dream.Mary: It happened to you too? Joseph, I do believe you. What happened?Joseph: It was pretty weird, but it was clear as a bell. I heard God say to me,“Joseph, don't be afraid. Take Mary for your wife. She'll name thebaby Jesus, and he will be the savior.”Mary takes Joseph's hand. They look wonderingly at each other in silence for amoment. (while

Music

Joseph's Song

plays)Mary: I am so glad you told me, Joseph. Now I don't feel so alone. You dounderstand.Joseph: Yes, I do. After I had that dream, you know, Mary, I knew it wasn't justyou. God chose me too.