SCENE 2
(Lights up on Brad and Jenny. They are just hanging up the phones.)
BRAD: That was a surprise.
JENNY: Yeah. (Pause.) Brad, we really do need to
let your mom know whether or not we’re coming for Christmas. It’s
really not right to keep her hanging like this.
BRAD: Yeah, I know. I just hate to disappoint her again.
JENNY: That sounds like you’ve decided we’re absolutely not going.
BRAD: It’s just so far to go for just one day. And I’d
have to take off Christmas Eve for us to drive down there. I just
don’t know how Tom would react to that.
(Jenny nods, gets up and starts to leave as though resigning herself
to this decision. Then she stops and turns back.)
JENNY: Your boss is human. He will understand that you
would like to visit your family for Christmas. As a matter of fact,
he went on and on to me at the office party about what a great “find” you
were for the company, what a great manager you are. I think it might
be okay to ask him for a few days off so we could actually spend some time
with your mom and sister this year.
BRAD: Maybe you’re right. But why don’t we wait til spring
to go. If we go now, you know I’m going to get sucked into taking
part in whatever the church is doing for Christmas.
JENNY: It wouldn’t hurt you, you know. (Brad groans slightly.)
We were so active in church “in our younger years.”
BRAD: Yeah, I guess we were. But I think we’ve moved on
in life. Besides, we don’t have any time for adding anything to our
lives right now.
JENNY: I don’t know. I guess maybe I’m feeling my age—
BRAD: You’re 22!
JENNY: I know. But I guess I’ve been feeling like there
might be more important things than a good job, a nice house and a nice
car. And I think it’s time we both admit that family is important.
Let’s go see your mom. It’s not that far. And Kim, too.
Wouldn’t you like to see your sister?
BRAD: Oh, yeah, my big sis, the “Tormentor.” (seriously)
Yeah, I really would like to see her. (Sighs, giving in.) Okay.
I’ll talk to Tom tomorrow. Can I catch the last quarter of the Bears
game now?
JENNY: (Hugs him.) Absolutely.
(Brad uses remote, sound up on football game. Jenny walks to
back of stage, takes a deep breath, puts a hand to her stomach, looking
up. Lights down.)
CHOIR OR QUARTET: NOT THAT FAR FROM BETHLEHEM (by Lowell Alexander
et al., arr. Marty Hamby, Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, 1999).
SCENE 3
(Lights up on Dee’s kitchen. Brad and Jenny are seated at the
table. Dee serves plates of waffles to them.)
BRAD: Oh, Mom, waffles. (Inhales aroma. Jenny is
smiling and buttering.)
DEE: You lived here for 20 years. I ought to know what
your comfort foods are.
JENNY: Wow, the syrup is even warmed.
DEE: You two sound like it’s been way too long since you ate
waffles.
JENNY: A waffle iron is the one thing we didn’t get for a wedding
present.
(Kim enters, takes off jacket, throws car keys on table.)
KIM: ‘Morning everybody.
(Everyone says hi to Kim.)
KIM: (To Dee as she eyes waffles.) Mmm, you got an extra one
for me?
DEE: Always. (Hands Kim a plate and cup of coffee.
They all sit.)
KIM: I’m so glad you guys are home. And Mom says you’re
going to sing in the choir.
JENNY: Well, at least I am. We haven’t talked Brad into
it yet.
BRAD: I’m here to relax and enjoy. Someone has to be the
audience.
KIM: That’s the job of those of us who can’t carry a tune in
a bucket. If you’re not going to sing, at least you can help in other
ways.
BRAD: (suspiciously) Other ways like what?
KIM: Last I knew, you were pretty good with a hammer. I
know a couple of guys are getting together today to finish up the stable
for the nativity program. I thought you’d be the perfect person to
lend them a hand.
BRAD: (Waving his fork back and forth at Kim) Uh-uh.
I remember you sucked me into helping you build a snow fort once.
Then you wouldn’t let me in it. Instead, you used it as a base of
terror operations against me.
KIM: That was 15 years ago!
BRAD: I guess some things never change. I put up shelves
in your room for you. I built the float for your senior homecoming
parade. I installed new cabinets in your kitchen. I’ve paid
my dues, and I’m not letting you suck me into projects while I’m here.
KIM: That’s too bad. Dan is going to be very disappointed.
BRAD: Dan Jones?
KIM: Of course. What other Dan would I be talking about?
I asked him to stop by and pick you up.
DAN: (from offstage, knocking as on door) Hello!
KIM: As a matter of fact, I think that’s him now.
(Dan enters. Greetings exchanged all around. Brad stands
to shake his hand.)
DAN: Hey, Brad, thanks for helping us out. Leon’s meeting
us at the church.
(Brad glares at Kim, she smiles sweetly/innocently at him.)
BRAD: (Sarcastically) Sure, I’d be glad to help, Dan.
But I know both of these girls are absolute handy ma’ams. I think
we should get them to help, too.
JENNY: Oh, no. Kim and I have a lot of last-minute Christmas
shopping to do.
KIM: Tell you what. We’ll come by first thing in the morning
and do the final inspection. We are great inspectors.
DAN: Yeah, if we work all day, we should be done today.
Let’s get going.
BRAD: Let me get my jacket.
KIM, JENNY & DEE: (Waving and grinning) Bye!
(Brad and Dan leave. The women exchange looks and snickers.
Lights down)
SCENE 4
(Sound of power drill is cue for lights up. The three men are
working on the stable.)
LEON: Brad, it’s good to have you home. And thanks for
helping us out today.
BRAD: I wouldn’t miss it.
DAN: Let’s get this brace on here.
(They add a piece of wood to the stable. Between the next few
lines, they pretend to add a few screws and/or hammer a bit.)
LEON: So Brad, how is life in the big city?
BRAD: Great. We love it there. We both have
great jobs.
DAN: Are you actually living in the city?
BRAD: We started out living in a suburb, but a few months
ago we moved into a condo in the city. We both got really tired of
the commute.
(Little boy [Jake] enters. He hangs back, maybe peeking around
a bench or tree to watch the men work.)
LEON: Let’s see, you’ve been there, what, two years now?
BRAD: Two years plus a little, yeah.
LEON: No kids yet, huh?
BRAD; No. (Pause. Then he adds casually:) Actually,
we’ve decided not to have kids. We’re just both so busy and, well,
we both agree this isn’t a great world to bring kids up in.
LEON: Mmm. And have you found a good church there?
BRAD: We just really haven’t had time to look for a church.
DAN: Man. I have a hard time imagining you not involved
in a church.
BRAD: Yeah, I know. I was pretty involved as a kid and
a teenager, huh? I guess I’ve just kind of gravitated toward other
things in life.
(Leon has brought water bottles. He offers the others water and
the three stop work for a break.)
DAN: I guess we’ve taken slightly different paths in that regard.
The older I get, the more my faith is critical to my life.
LEON: You know, Brad, I’ve found that if you belong to the Lord,
he won’t let you get too far away from him before he does something to
get your attention, to draw you back to him. A “wake-up call,” so
to speak. You watch for him. He works in mysterious ways.
DAN: (Has noticed Jake.) Hey, we have an audience.
LEON: Hi. What’s your name?
(Little boy runs away.)
LEON (to Dan): I don’t recognize him, and I thought I knew everybody
in this town from 1 to 100. Do you know who he is?
DAN: I noticed a woman with a little boy at McDonald’s this morning.
I think that’s the same kid. She had a suitcase with her, so I thought
they were just getting breakfast waiting for the train.
LEON: Oh, well. Back to work.
(They get up as lights go down.)
CHOIR: WE ALL NEED JESUS. (by David T. Clydesdale & Steve
Wilkinson from the musical That’s the Good News, 2000, Word Music)
SCENE 5
(Faith enters with Jake. She is holding his hand and also carrying
a bag and a backpack. They approach the stable.)
FAITH: Look, Jake! This would be a great place to spend
the night. It’ll be like camping.
JAKE: I watched some men build this today.
FAITH: I bet they won’t mind if we stay here just for one night.
Look, it’s in front of God’s house, and I know He won’t mind. I wouldn’t
be surprised if He had those men build it just so we’d have a wonderful
place to sleep tonight. That would be just like God, wouldn’t it?
JAKE: Yeah!
FAITH: It looks like it might rain a little, but we’ll be nice
and dry here.
(They enter the stable and Faith pulls a blanket out of her luggage
and spreads it out. She pulls out a teddy bear and gives it to Jake.)
FAITH: Come here. Whad’ya say we say our prayers and hit
the sack?
JAKE: Okay.
(They kneel side by side.)
FAITH: Dear God, thank you so much for making Jake feel better.
Thank you for the kind people at the hospital who helped make his fever
go down. God, thank you for making sure we had plenty of food to
eat today and now a great place to sleep tonight. In Jesus’ name
I pray, Amen.
JAKE: Amen.
FAITH: Okay, you snuggle down here and I’ll sing you to sleep.
(Jake lies down, hugging bear. Faith sings chorus of “He’s Been
Good” by David Baroni, Integrity Music 1999). As accompaniment continues
softly, she lies down by Jake and lights gradually go down. Music
ends. Long pause. Lights come up very gradually, signifying
the sun rising. When it is completely light, Kim, Dee and Jenny enter.)
JENNY: You know, I really think he enjoyed working on it no matter
how much he complained about it.
KIM: That’s just like Brad. He always gripes about the
work, but he always gets a lot of satisfaction in the things he builds.
I can’t wait to see how it turned out.
DEE: I know. Me, too.
(They approach the stable from the right. They don’t notice Faith
and Jake.)
KIM: Oh, look at the roof. That turned out really
nice.
(Faith and Jake begin to stir and sit up.)
JENNY: It did. The whole stable seems good and –
(They notice Faith and Jake.)
KIM: (In a halting voice at first) Hi.
FAITH: Hi.
(Kim, Dee and Jenny exchange looks when they realize Faith and Jake
have slept here. There is an embarrassed silence.)
KIM: I’m sorry. We didn’t mean to disturb you.
FAITH: (Beginning to gather up blanket.) No, no, that’s
okay. I hope we didn’t disturb anything by staying here. It
just seemed that God had provided this place for us to stay last night.
(She stops, looks at Kim and smiles.) Day by day, it’s just amazing
the way He provides, isn’t it?
JAKE: Mom, I have to go to the bathroom!
FAITH: Oh, Jake. You’ll have to wait a little bit until
I can get this stuff together.
(She begins to stuff blanket into bag.)
DEE: Well, this is our church (pointing). I’m sure the
secretary is already here and it would be fine for him to use the restroom.
If it’s okay with you, I’d be glad to show him where it is.
FAITH: (Looks unsure.) Well—
JAKE: Mom!
FAITH: Well, if you wouldn’t mind.
DEE: Not one bit.
FAITH: Jake, go with the nice lady, okay?
DEE: (As she takes Jake’s hand) My name is Dee, and this
is my daughter Kim and my daughter-in-law Jenny.
FAITH: I’m Faith, and you’ve met Jake.
(‘Hellos’ and ‘nice to meet yous’ are exchanged all around.)
DEE: (to Jake as they walk offstage) All the kids around
here call me Aunt Dee. You can too if you want to.
FAITH: Thank you so much. People in this town have been
so kind to us.
(She starts packing again. Kim moves over to left of stage to
help her. Jenny remains on the right watching.)
KIM: How long have you been here?
FAITH: Since day before yesterday. Actually, we were headed
for Chicago on the train. I’m scheduled to start a job training program
there the week after Christmas. But Jake started running a high fever
on the train, and we got off here to get help.
JENNY: That’s terrible.
FAITH: No, not really. The staff at your hospital were
wonderful. They took him in right away, and he responded really well
to the IV and just a lot of TLC from some wonderful nurses. But of
course, the bill was way more than I had. I gave them everything
I had.
(She smiles.)
Then a group of them passed the plate among themselves and insisted
we take it. We stayed in a motel that night, and we have money for
meals for a few days, but not enough to get us on to Chicago. But
I’m trusting God. He has a plan for us, and He will work things out.
(When they’ve got everything packed, Kim and Faith move to sit on hay
bale at front of stable. Jenny moves closer to them, but remains
standing.)
KIM: Wow, your faith is really strong. Your name really
suits you.
FAITH: It hasn’t always been that way. I didn’t even meet
the Lord until I was expecting Jake. I’m not married, and I was thinking
about having an abortion. I was really in turmoil, and I went to
a clinic to talk to someone about it. It turned out to be an anti-abortion
clinic. A counselor there introduced me to Jesus, and things have
never been the same for me. I was given a beautiful son, and He’s
provided every step of the way.
JENNY: (With a lump in her throat and a choke in her voice)
What an unbelievable story.
(Kim and Faith both look at Jenny.)
KIM: Jenny, are you okay?
JENNY: (coughing) Just something in my throat. Do
you have a tissue?
KIM: Sure.
(She pulls out a pack and gives them to Jenny, who moves to bench.)
KIM: Don’t you have any family? It looks like you and Jake
are all alone.
FAITH: Well, when I decided to keep my son, my parents kicked
me out. I really don’t have any earthly family. But Jake and
I have been living in Memphis and doing well. Then I got this opportunity
in Chicago, and that’s where we were headed.
KIM: It seems to me the opportunity you have right now is to
spend Christmas with us.
FAITH: Oh, no, we couldn’t intrude on your family like that.
KIM: You wouldn’t be. We have the same heavenly father,
so you’re part of our family, too. Besides, my mother would never
let someone leave knowing they’re in need. You just plan on staying,
at least through Christmas. Then we’ll see about helping you and
Jake get on your way. We don’t have any little children in our family
right now. It’ll be nice to have Jake around on Christmas Day.
(Jenny stands from the bench and turns her back to Kim and Faith as
she wipes her eye. Kim notices this as Dee reenters alone.)
FAITH: Where’s Jake?
DEE: The secretary had brought fresh donuts and coffee for the
staff. I left Jake getting to know Pastor Bob while I came back for
you. You look like you could use a little breakfast, too. And
then we’ll talk about you coming home with us for Christmas.
KIM: What did I tell you?
FAITH: Thank you—all of you.
DEE: (Picking up a bag) Come on. Pastor Bob is anxious
to meet you. (They start walking away.) When I left, he and
Jake were having a deep theological discussion about Noah.
FAITH: Why am I not surprised?
(Kim goes to Jenny. They sit on bench.)
KIM: Jenny, what’s wrong? Are you okay?
JENNY: Oh, Kim. I’ve got to tell you something. I’ve
got to tell somebody. I found out two weeks ago that I’m pregnant.
KIM: Oh, Jenny, that’s wonderful! (She hugs Jenny.)
That’s wonderful news!
JENNY: I’m so glad you think so. But you know how Brad
feels. I’m so scared to tell him. And then here is this girl
with her little boy. Listening to her story, it just felt like a
tornado stirring up inside me. How can she be so calm when she has
nothing, when her future and her child’s future is so uncertain?
KIM: Jenny, I know this wasn’t what you and Brad had planned.
But God has a way of changing our plans sometimes, and it can feel very
scary. I think Faith has learned that she can trust God even through
the scary times. Just trust Him. (Pause.) And tell
Brad. Okay?
JENNY: I know. I’ve got to find a way to do that soon.
KIM: Jenny, would you like to pray about this?
JENNY: That would be great. Thanks, Kim.
(They hug, then bow heads together. Lights dim. Soft solo
instrument [we used a baritone recorder] plays a verse of “He’s Been Good,”
then SAT trio sings a verse, then soft solo instrument tag.
Lights down.)
SCENE 6:
(Comic relief. Music starts and choir enters again as though
for rehearsal. Soloist is the last to enter, obviously moping and
carrying a box with fruitcake inside.)
CHOIR MEMBER: What’s wrong, Jim? You look really down.
(Choir sings and acts out Fruitcake, by Kirk Talley & Geron Davis,
Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, 1999.)
SCENE 7
(Lights up on scene at Dee’s house where Dee, Kim, Brad, Jenny, Faith
and Jake are opening presents. Brad and Jake are playing with a model
car on the floor.)
FAITH: (Lifting a sweater out of box) Oh, it’s beautiful.
Thank you.
JENNY: (Lifting gift out of box, laughing) A waffle iron.
Thank you, Dee.
BRAD: Mmmm, yeah, thanks, Mom.
DEE: You’re welcome. It’s just so nice to have you here
for Christmas. All of you. It’s just wonderful to have a full
house.
KIM: (aside to Faith) I think Santa might bring at least
one present for Jake to open tomorrow morning. I’m afraid Ol’ St.
Nick ignores us adults who open presents on Christmas Eve because we like
to sleep in on Christmas Day.
FAITH: Thank you.
DEE: I guess we better get this mess cleaned up and get ready
for the Nativity program. Faith, yours and Jake’s costumes are hanging
in the laundry room. We should thank you for stepping in to help
us out. Who knew our Mary would come down with the flu yesterday?
KIM: God, maybe. (To Jake) Ready to become a shepherd,
Jake?
JAKE: Yeah!
(Kim takes him by the hand, ad libbing as they leave, “All right!
Let’s go get that costume on,” etc. All leave except Brad and Jenny.)
BRAD: Shouldn’t you be getting ready?
JENNY: I have one more present for you. I wanted to wait
til we were alone to give it to you.
(They sit together on loveseat. She gives him a box. He
opens it and pulls out a T-shirt. He is looking at the back and only
the audience can see that it says “World’s Greatest Dad” on the front.)
BRAD: A T-shirt?
JENNY: Turn it around.
(He does.)
BRAD: “World’s Greatest Dad”? Jenny, what are you trying
to tell me?
JENNY: I think you know. I’ve been trying to tell you for
a couple of weeks.
BRAD: (leaning back and putting hands on forehead.) Wow.
(He leans forward and takes Jenny’s hand.) Jenny, we agreed
we weren’t going to do this. How did this happen?
JENNY: You, me, the doctor, everyone is wondering that.
BRAD: This T-shirt tells me you want to go through with it.
JENNY: “Go through with it”?
BRAD: (haltingly) I mean…have it…the baby.
(Jenny looks distraught, but doesn’t respond. Brad stands and
begins pacing.)
BRAD: I mean, we talked about all of this. I thought we
agreed we wouldn’t bring children into this god-forsaken world. Look
at Faith and Jake. It’s so sad. What has that kid got to look
forward to? Don’t you think he would have been better off if he had
never been born?
JENNY: No, I don’t think so.
BRAD: (Seems not to have noticed that Jenny answered.)
Even if we decided to have kids, this is a terrible time. I mean,
we are on the brink of war! And the economy stinks. We’re doing
okay right now, but what will happen if you have to give up your job for
months, if not years? Do you have any idea how expensive diapers
are? Not to mention day care, clothes, school supplies, college!
(Brad stops pacing, facing away from where Jenny is sitting.
She stands and goes to him, touching his shoulder.)
JENNY: I know we talked about all this, Brad. I guess because
it’s Christmas I’ve been thinking about things I don’t think we considered
before.
BRAD: (turning to her) Like what?
JENNY: Well, like the fact that I don’t think our world is any worse
than the world that God brought His own Son into. Except they weren’t
on the brink of war. It was worse for them because they had foreign
soldiers on every street corner. And like the fact that God sent
Jesus to be born to a poor homeless couple. Apparently God didn’t
think Pampers or college were all that necessary for bringing up a child.
At least our child would have a roof over his head. Or her head.
That’s more than Jesus had when he was born.
(Brad looks away, deep in troubled thought.)
JENNY: Brad, I’m sorry. I know this was probably a terrible
time to tell you. I finally decided there wasn’t a good time and
I just had to do it.
BRAD: (gently) Well, I don’t think we’re going to decide anything
here and now. We’ll talk more later, maybe even after we get back
home. I guess you better go get ready or you’ll miss this program
after you made me listen to the songs for nine straight hours.
(Long hug, then Jenny exits.)
BRAD: Oh, God. Why can’t life ever be easy? A baby.
(He picks up a picture of himself and Kim as children and looks at
it a long time. He picks up the T-shirt, pondering.)
BRAD: Nine months from now I could be a father. I could
have a son…or a daughter. (looking up) Oh, God.
(Lights down.)
SCENE 8
(Choir is in costume and around stable. Faith is Mary.
Jake is a shepherd. Brad and Kim are watching from the bench along
with a few other spectators.)
CHOIR: CAROL MEDLEY (We sang Celebrate Medley from the musical
That’s the Good News by Clydesdale & Moore, Word Music 2000)
PASTOR BOB: (to audience) I want to thank you all
for coming to our Christmas Eve Nativity Program this year. I hope
you’ve enjoyed meeting all of the characters who were present the night
Jesus was born. You know, God used different ways to get the attention
of each of these. He sent Gabriel to tell Mary what was about to
happen. Joseph had a dream. A heavenly host of angels made
the birth announcement to the shepherds. For the wise men, there
was a star. God gave each of them just what was needed to draw them
all to this extraordinary event.
But He didn’t make it easy for them. Each person had to sacrifice,
struggle and persevere to be there. Mary and Joseph had to struggle
to make this trip at such an inconvenient time--although I’m not sure there’s
ever a convenient time to pay your taxes. Mary and Joseph suffered
such hardship when they couldn’t find a place for Jesus to be born.
The shepherds had to drop what they were doing, risk their livelihood
by leaving the sheep to seek out the newborn savior. The wise men
didn’t even really know where they were going and had no guarantee they
would ever find the infant king. Their trip covered a great distance
and may have taken years.
But I think they would all agree that to find the Christ no struggle
was too hard, no sacrifice was too great, no distance was too far.
Besides, there was one more person there that night who had sacrificed
more and traveled farther than anyone else to be there: Jesus himself.
What did he sacrifice? How far did he travel? Scripture answers
those questions in Phil 2:6-8:
6 [Jesus], being in very nature God, did not consider equality with
God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being
made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became
obedient to death-- even death on a cross!
What did Jesus sacrifice? He left behind life with his Father
in Heaven with all its splendor. He came all the way to here (gesturing
to stable) not only to be born as a helpless baby, but to grow to be a
man, the perfect man who was able—and willing—to pay the price for your
sin on the cross.
It’s my prayer tonight that just as Jesus decided it wasn’t too far
to come for you that you’ll decide that whatever the cost, the struggle
or distance that it’s not too much, it’s not too hard, it’s not too far
to come to Jesus tonight.
QUARTET OR CHOIR: “HE STILL CAME” (by Donna Douglas & Pam Thum,
arr. O.D. Hall Jr., Word Music 1990). At the “Holy, Holy, Holy” section,
quartet turns to face manger. Wise men and shepherds kneel in worship.
PASTOR BOB PRAYS.
PASTOR BOB: (to people at the bench) Thank you for coming.
Good night.
(Choir starts to break up. Choir gradually exit and line up to
re-enter for finale.)
( Pastor Bob is talking to choir members and audience members when
Brad approaches.)
PASTOR BOB: Hey, Brad! It’s great to have you home.
Thanks for coming tonight!
BRAD: Thanks. It was a great program. Pastor Bob,
I know it’s Christmas Eve and you probably don’t have any time right now.
We’re supposed to head back home the day after Christmas, but—well, I really
need to talk. If you had some time the day after Christmas, I’d be
willing to stay an extra day—
(Jenny walks up while Brad is saying this.)
PASTOR BOB: Sounds important. Look, I need to speak to
some of the guests here tonight, but I can meet you back at my office in
about 10 minutes.
BRAD: That would be awesome. (Looks at Jenny.) Maybe
we’ll both meet you there.
(Brad and Jenny exit, holding hands.)
PASTOR ADDRESSES CONGREGATION, GIVES INVITATION, EXPLAINS RESPONSE
CARDS.
PASTOR GIVES FINAL COMMENTS, INVITATION TO FELLOWSHIP TIME. CHOIR RE-ENTERS
AND SINGS REPRISE OF “THAT’S THE GOOD NEWS.
.................................................
Copyright Ruth and Wright Eavenson, all rights reserved.
This script may be used with payment, provided that no charge is made for
admission to the performance. In return for free use, the authors would
like to be told of any performance. They may be contacted at InaRuthE@aol.com