Room in the Story

On Sunday morning the pastor walked up front, wearing her alb, purple stole, and a simple halo made of gold garland.  She greeted us by saying, “See, anyone can be an angel!”  She was inviting all to take part in the “Unrehearsed Christmas Pageant” that will take place at the  Christmas Eve morning service.  I love the idea of an “unrehearsed” Christmas pageant.  It means we just show up, with our bathrobes, makeshift tunics, and garland halos ~ because there’s room in the story for each of us.

Over the years I’ve had several experiences that remind me the Christmas story really isn’t picture perfect, well rehearsed until everyone got their parts just right.  Rather, it’s a story about real people, showing up for life, needing reassurance, and trusting the hand of God.

   At a December meeting of the Women’s group, each attendee was to bring a white elephant gift, and then by a random process we chose gifts.  That year my gift hardly seemed like a white elephant gift.  Janice was an artist, and one of her mediums was clay that she used to create figures.  I chose her gift – Mary holding the baby Jesus, Joseph at her side with his arm around her.  There’s such warmth and humanness in these figures.  How did this come to be a “white elephant?”  Joseph had a broken back so she couldn’t sell this particular set.  Well, don’t most of us have some part that is broken, figuratively or literally?  Yes, there’s room in the story for our brokenness.

Another year we told the Christmas story by taking photos of the children in costume out at a farm.  We had sheep, and ponies, and a real barn for the manger scene.  The photos are then turned into slides which are shown at church while the children and/or congregation sings carols.  It’s a great way to tell the whole story with just a few children and they get to experience the pokiness of straw, the smell of sheep and related piles to step over, or in as may be the case, and hold a baby doll wrapped in blankets while actually in a barn.   After the photo session, my daughters came home and dug through our collection of costumes to find the necessary pieces to dress as shepherds.  The story was becoming their story.  And then, to make it really their story, they put on their roller skates.  Shepherds on roller skates!  Yes, there’s room in the story for children to bring their world into the world of the Christmas story.

At a different church we had an almost life-size manger in the front of the church where the children gathered each Sunday in Advent.  On Christmas Eve, after the candlelight service, a young boy, 3 or 4 years old, asked his parents if he could go to the manger to see the baby Jesus.  They found their way there, he looked for a few moments, and then leaned into the manger to give a kiss to this precious gift of love that we just sang about and lit candles to celebrate.  Yes, there’s room in the story for our youngest to offer love and kisses as if He were, or rather, because He is, real.

 And I recall the many times that circumstances have felt overwhelming, I’ve been unsure of how to proceed, and then I’m gifted with the memory of Mary, of Joseph, of shepherds, and many others who were simply told, “Be not afraid.”  And in that memory I feel the brush of angels’ wings, and hear the whisper myself, “Be not afraid.”

I’m wondering where you find room in this story of birth and love and life?  Who invites you to enter fully in this story, with brokenness, or a garland halo, or roller skates, or the simple gesture of a kiss?

Living right in the middle of the story,  Cathleen