An Advent pageant that tells of the forthcoming birth of Christ beginning with stories and prophecies from the Old Testament (Isaiah, Miriam, Abraham), John the Baptist, and concluding with the Annunciation.
It can easily be performed with little rehearsal on the Sunday before Christmas (Advent 4) during the Liturgy of the Word. Complete rehearsals can take place in less than two hours and the cast can expand and contract as necessary, by using or not using some of the minor roles. By reserving all the speaking parts for older children who narrate and by having the congregation sing carols during scene changes, this is a very effective model. For this pageant, hymns are chosen from The Hymnal 1982.
Time length: 20 minutes
Age Level: All ages
Audiences: All ages
Pages: 7
Cast: 11 characters +/-:
John the Baptist
Residents of Judea and Jerusalem
Isaiah the Prophet
Miriam the Prophetess
Dancing Women
Abraham
The Camel (2 persons needed – fore and aft)
Mary
Gabriel
Narrators (4)
The Rev. Donnel O’Flynn is rector of St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church in Hamilton, New York.
