Christmas Miracles: A Baby in the Manger and Other Plays

By Elisient Maeve Vernon

A live baby is found in the manger in a small church. This play tells how this baby brings about a miraculous change in the lives of many people.

This is just one of six “elastic” Christmas plays, each climaxing in a miraculous display of love, healing, understanding, and forgiveness. Small churches that do not have the ameniti

• Language: English
• Publisher: Book Vine Press
• Release date: Nov 13, 2019
• ISBN: 9781950955961

Elisient Maeve Vernon

Elisient Maeve Morgan was born June 10, 1935, in a parsonage in St. Ann, Jamaica, where her father was the pastor. After graduation from High School in Kingston, Jamaica, Elisient moved with her parents to the Canal Zone, Panama, Central America. In 1954, she got married to Rev. Samuel H. Vernon and together they ministered in Panama, Jamaica, Trinidad, British Columbia and Miami, Florida. Elisient studied Library Science while she was in Jamaica; and later on when she lived in Canada, she did courses in Child Psychology and Writing for Children. She was Children’s Librarian and Teacher/Librarian in Jamaica; Children’s Librarian in Trinidad; Part-time Children’s Librarian in B.C., Canada; Registrar for Adult Education in Miami, Florida and lastly Editor at Caribbean Christian Publications until she retired. She always had a flair for writing poetry and plays. Since retirement, she has published three children’s books: Ava’s Bad day; More Ava Stories; Coconut Fun; and a book of Christmas plays: Christmas Miracles: A Baby in the Manger and other plays.

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Copyright © 2019 by Elisient Maeve Vernon.

ISBN Ebook 978-1-950955-96-1

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Printed in the United States of America.

Book Vine Press

2516 Highland Dr.

Palatine, IL 60067

Contents

Acknowledgment 3

Introduction 7

A Baby in the Manger 11

Celebrate Christmas 65

Love Came Down At Christmas: 131

Christmas is for Giving and Forgiving 172

He Did Not Come 222

Sorry, No Time to Celebrate 236

Acknowledgment

Rev. Samuel H. Vernon, my dear husband of sixty- five years, beloved pastor in all the churches that we have served; my three wonderful children—Frank, Barbara, and Mark, who were part of the casts in these plays; the following churches—Beautiful Zion Baptist Church (Bocas del Toro, Republic of Panamá), Lottery Baptist Church (Jamaica), Princes Town Baptist Church (Trinidad), St. Ann’s Bay Baptist Church (Jamaica), Mackenzie Baptist Church (Canada), and Parkway Baptist Church (Miami)—who brought my plays to life. I could not have done it without you.

Introduction

Maeve’s elastic plays suit small churches that do not have the amenities that large churches have. The plays can be stretched to accommodate bigger casts or shrunken to fit fewer casts depending on the particular need of a church. Certain scenes can be omitted to shorten a play. Scenes can also be added without spoiling a play.

Christmas Miracles includes six plays, each climaxing in a miraculous display of love, healing, understanding, and forgiveness.

A Baby in the Manger—Finding a baby in the manger impacted both pastor and members of a congregation in a very positive way. Malice, anger, gossiping, and bad attitudes, as well as family problems were affecting the spiritual atmosphere of a church. The baby in the manger brings about a miraculous change in the lives of everyone. Celebrate Christmas—Cherub, a curious angelic being arrives on earth to experience time. He travels through time from the birth of Jesus to His ascension. Cherub views the deeds of mortals as they celebrate Christmas. In Christmas 2014, he goes to the home of a Christian family and is disappointed at the way they celebrate Christmas. Leaving that depressing time, Cherub goes on to Christmas 2015, where he finds that a change has taken place for the better.

This play is about remembering what celebrating Christmas is all about, and Who should be the central figure and motive for our plans. If it is Christ’s birthday, then all activities should be in His honor. He should enjoy His birthday, and He should like His gifts.

Love Came Down at Christmas—When God sent His Son, Jesus, it was an act of love. When Jesus died for our sins, it was an act of love. We cannot separate the two. So when this time of the year comes round, we celebrate first by expressing our love for Christ, and second by sharing our love with family and friends.

In this play, a foreign student is invited to spend the Christmas holidays with a Christian family; Lisa, a rebellious young woman, repents of the way she had been behaving. The loving atmosphere in this Christian family becomes a witness to those who enter their home.

Christmas is for Giving and Forgiving—A story of pain and loneliness, of growing up and responsibility, of love and sacrifice, of giving and forgiving; a story of the meaning of Christmas. (Based on a story I read in Readers Digest many years ago.)

Mary Green was adopted. When she was a little girl, her mother left her in the orphanage, promising to return for her. She never did. Mary grew up lonely and hurt, angry and bitter. Although she found happiness in her new home and a new life in Jesus Christ, still the seed of an unforgiving spirit remained until one Christmas.

He Did Not Come—A playlet to include a representative from all departments in the church.

Can you imagine the void there would be in this poor world of ours if Christ had not come? In this short play, the audience gets a glimpse of what life would be like for most of us if Christ had not come.

The play opens with two women discussing the need to rekindle a passion for God’s mission. And what better time to emphasize this than during the Christmas season! The time when we celebrate Christ’s coming into this world. The pastor enters and overhears the last part of the discussion. He falls asleep, thinking about the influence Christ’s coming has had upon society, and dreams that Jesus did not come.

The Dream: Two children cannot find the church; a woman with a sick baby cannot find the hospital; two paupers cannot find the Salvation Army and the shelter for the poor; a widow mourns the loss of her husband; a church member brings the pastor disturbing news; a prophetess talks to God about the hopeless condition of the people.

The pastor awakes from his dream and is very relieved that it was only a dream because Jesus did come.

Sorry, No Time to Celebrate—A skit for a Sunday school class.

Mrs. Bowen, an adult Sunday school class teacher, calls up members of her Sunday school class to remind them about practice for the Christmas program. Each one has an excuse—no time. So Mrs. Bowen decides to go solo. Well, Lord, it seems as though I will be the only from the adult class at Your birthday celebration this year. But at the program, she has a surprise.

(Use as many members of the Sunday school class who can take part.)

A Baby in the Manger

SYNOPSIS

This is a Christmas play showing the effects that a baby in a manger has upon problems in a local church.

The baby in the manger was a baby taken from a supermarket by a small child as a Christmas present for her mother. Afraid of the consequences, Fred, the child’s father (who was already on the run from the law), takes the baby to a church and leaves him in the manger of a crèche that was set up for the season.

Malice, anger, gossiping, and bad attitudes, as well as family problems were affecting the spiritual atmosphere of the church. The pastor had become careless and ineffective in his preaching. Finding the baby in the manger impacted both pastor and members in a very positive way. The baby brings about a miraculous change in the lives of everyone.

The baby in the manger at the church reminds the pastor and people of the baby in a manger sent to earth long ago—the baby Jesus. He who came to bring about reconciliation between God and man and between man and his fellow men.

In the final scenes, Fred comes to see that the Baby in the manger, Jesus Christ, can set him free from the bondage of sin. He confesses that he put the baby in the manger and that he has been running from the law. He finds out in the end that he was running away from nothing, that the man he thought he had killed in a drunken brawl had really died from a heart attack.

This play, though humorous in parts, has a great deal of spiritual content and will bring out the message in an entertaining way.

CAST

Fred—a frightened-looking man running from the law with his wife and child

Molly—Fred’s wife

Anna—Fred’s child of about five or six years old

Pastor

Deacon

Sister Mac—Custodian

Norma—young adult or youth

Jenny—young adult or youth

Cindy—another young adult or youth

Lily—Deacon’s wife

Policeman

PRELUDE

(A short scene takes place in front of stage or curtain if there is any. No furniture needed. Props to indicate outdoors may be used e.g. trees, logs, stones. It is nighttime, so a dim light is needed.)

(Fred, Molly, and their young daughter, Anna, are spending the night under the stars for they have no home. Fred lies on his back on the ground, a piece of straw in his mouth. He seems to be worried about something for he sighs frequently. Molly is trying to mend a garment in the dim light. She sits on a log or a stone. Anna, about five or six years old, crouches beside Molly sucking her finger.)

fred. Molly, if things were different…you know what I mean…If we could afford a real Christmas this year…what would you want for a gift?

molly. Fred, it is such a long time since we could afford anything that…that…I haven’t even thought about it.

fred. But you must know what you wish for most of all! Every woman has a secret wish.

molly. If you really must know, my secret wish is another baby. Anna is lonely. Look how she is always sucking her finger and hanging around bored. If I had a little baby, I wouldn’t need anything else. But I know that is just wishful thinking in our situation.

fred. I’ve always wanted a big family, but it is impossible at this time. A baby means staying in one place, finding a steady job, living a normal life. (Sighs).

molly. Yes, I know. Don’t talk about it. Plenty big ears around (furtively glances at Anna). Anyway, I wasn’t complaining, just wishing.

anna. Mama, why can’t we get a baby? And why don’t we live in a house? Why are we always going somewhere else?

molly. Hush, child! There are some things children just don’t understand. Take your blanket and go to sleep.

(Anna takes a blanket which is rolled up in a corner and goes off stage.)

molly. Anna is getting so big now…and asking so many questions. Fred, we can’t go on like this.

fred, sitting up and speaking angrily. Nell, what do you want me to do? Go to jail? Don’t you think I am fed up of running too? Molly, you can’t say that I didn’t warn you from the beginning to go your way, and I would go mine. By now, you would have married another husband, and you and the child would have been well provided for…

molly. You know I could not leave you, Fred. For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer. Those were the vows I made, and whatever happens, we must stick together.

fred. (Sadly.) But the child, Molly…what will become of her? She needs a chance…soon she will have to go to school.

molly. We will worry about that when the time comes. Get up. Let us go to sleep.

(They take up their bundles and go back stage.)

(The next day…)

(Same scene, but there is more light to indicate day.)

(Anna enters slowly carrying a large basket. Every now and then, she looks in the basket and smiles. The basket appears heavy, and she puts it down and rests awhile. Then she picks it up again and continues toward the center of the stage.)

anna. (Excitedly.) Ma…Mama!

molly, entering quickly. What’s the matter Anna? (Sees the basket.) What have you got there?

anna. It is a Christmas present for you, Mama. Happy Christmas!

molly, taking the basket, a puzzled look on her face. She looks inside and exclaims. Lord have mercy! Child, where did you get this baby? Anna! (She takes the baby out of the basket.) Anna, where did you