For 39 years now, our church, Marion Avenue Baptist Church, has been hosting the Live Animal Christmas Play. This year, we held 6 showings over the course of 3 days and saw over 3,000 people attend with over 300 accepting Christ! Enjoy these photos as we take you on a little journey through the Christmas Play!
Our pastor and play director, Joseph Brown along with John Woodward and Caleb singing Angels We Have Heard On High to open the show.
Mr. Christmas, the narrator that threads the different story lines in the play together.
We had a civil war/plantation story line that led into the Christmas story.
Grandfather and Grandmother riding a sleigh to the Plantation's big Christmas party (during the song Joy To The World)
Guests at the party singing Joy To The World
After the party, Mrs. Harvard took the poor orphan boy into her home and told him the Christmas story (as he enjoyed milk and cookies).
The prophet speaks of the Messiah's coming and the angel choir sings Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel
An angel (Allison Bontrager) played the violin as she dropped down from the ceiling!
Mary asking God to help her accept whatever He wants for her future.
Mary's father and sisters talk about Mary's upcoming betrothal.
Mary's father gives her a rose and tells her the news of her betrothal.
Mary is uncertain but trying to trust God.
The angel appears to Mary and tells her she will bear the Christ child!
There were short scenes on the side stage that bridged the biblical scenes together.
Joseph stands up for his people in the marketplace, as Archilaus, son of King Herod,
demands money and possessions.
Mary tells Joseph the news and is fearful of what people will think. Joseph comforts her, as he shares what God told him in a dream.
Mary sings Be Born In Me, as she realizes what a blessing it is to be chosen to be the mother of the Messiah
Joseph and Mary, on their way to be taxed
The shepherds wondering when the long-awaited Messiah will come.
Manger scene (I love how the animals are the focus of this photo!)
Singing "Son of God" and worshipping the baby Jesus.
One of the most powerful and beautiful scenes of the entire play!
The newborn King! (and if you're wondering, all babies used in the play were real!)
Yes, we had a full-sized camel in our church auditorium!
The wisemen enter
They come upon Joseph and Mary fleeing to Egypt. Mary tells them her baby is the King they've been seeking. They bow down in worship and give gifts.
Amazed that the Savior of the world was there...with them.
Singing a duet - "Here With Us"
Archalaus captures Milkah (the innkeeper) and she tells of the couple who came for a room and gave birth to a child they called "The King of the Jews" in her stable.
Archalaus births a plan to ensure that this "King of the Jews" is killed...
Maximus (Archalaus' head soldier) and King Herod agree to Archalaus' plan.
Archalaus gives his soldiers the order to kill every male child in the land.
After a couple scenes/songs that bridged the time gap, we move forward 30+ years to Jesus' beating by the mob and trial before Pilate.
Jesus arises from the tomb victorious, carrying the keys of Hell and of death. This completes the story of Christmas...from the manger to the cross, bringing us salvation!
"In The First Light" - the choir grand finale. Mary sang the first verse, Joseph the second, and the whole choir sang the third and majestic choruses!
"Here the angels as they're singing on the morning of His birth! But how much greater will our song be when he comes...to rule...the earth!"
Caleb and I were so grateful to get to be a part of this play! Can you believe this big boy was a 2-month-old Baby Jesus last year in the play?!? Crazy, that the year has gone by so fast already!
We hope you enjoyed these photos...stay tuned, because the DVD version of this play will be available at our online store in the near future!
To purchase the DVD of last year's play, entitled "Christmas Peace", click
here!
