Christmas Tradition

CHILDREN’S WORDS SPEAK TO GROUP ABOUT CHRIST

Saturday, December 21, 2013

The costumes drew the eye, but not because they were Oscar-winning or even elaborate.

They were just simple sheaths transforming children to angels and shepherds for the annual children’s Christmas program last Sunday at First Presbyterian Church in Springdale.

But the long, fl owing sleeves of the white angels’ gowns just called for action. Children playing the role flapped and circled their arms, watching to see what would happen. And more than one child appearing as a shepherd turned their heads back and forth, trying to hit their faces with the veils of their hats. David Luker even took his off and tucked the veil under, making himself a combat helmet.

Lily Montgomery, only 2, crawled from step to step and in and out between the older children’s legs. She knocked her halo askew as she crawled, then stood and righted it.

Some children carried scripts to repeat their parts. Mary Shaw, the church’s director of Christian education, fed the ones who didn’t their lines as she held themicrophone for them. She also pronounced words like “Caesar,” “Nazareth” and “registered” for the young readers.

But 5-year-old nonreader Carrington Cartwright didn’t need the help. She loudly said her line from memory: “While they were there, time came for her todeliver her baby.” Then Carrington bobbed her cute, blonde curls and grinned as big as she was proud at her family sitting in the pews.

The children’s Christmas program is a tradition at First Presbyterian, said Suzanne Cartwright, the mother of three performers and an elder leading the children and youth education committee.

“The congregation loves seeing the children’s excitement,” said the Rev. Stewart Smith, church pastor.

But the children carried a more important responsibility Sunday than just playing their parts. They told the Christmas story through their lines. And learned it for themselves along the way.

“Children at this young age learn experientially,” Smith said. “Participating in a pageant, dressing up in costumes and acting out the story helps them understand the reason we celebrate Christmas.

“It is important for children to learn the real story of why we celebrate Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ,” Smith continued. “They are fully involved in the secular traditions of Christmas, and they are excited about the arrival of Santa Claus. But they will realize the myth of Santa Claus as they get older.

“We can begin teaching them the truth of Immanuel, that God is with us. We can begin teaching that all of the grand celebration they are seeing and experiencing is all celebrating God becomingone of us.”

The work for the elementary-age and younger children began Saturday, the day before the performance.

As Cartwright assigned speaking parts, her son Baylor and Benjamin Wheeler sat together on the top step of the chancel, surrounded by bright poinsettias, discussing candy.

“There’s candy corn, and then, there’s candy cane,” Baylor related. “I’m going to give it to Benjamin.”

“Yeah,” agreed Benjamin. “He likes me.”

Abby McDonald unpacked her doll and clothes and began playing as she waited for her part.

First came a lineup of tall versus short on the top step versus the bottom step. The children practiced walking from a front pew to their spots on the stage.

“Are we ready to practice?” Cartwright asked the kids. “Yea,” responded Baylor as he pumped his fist in victory, then stomped to his place.

During a run-through of the lines, Shaw and Cartwright off ered advice:

“It’s not a race. Slow down. Speak slowly and clearly.”

“Close your mouths. Use your listening ears.”

The next morning during the Sunday school time, each young actor chose his role - either an angel or a shepherd dressed in brown or gold. (Or butter yellow, with a halo made of iron, Benjamin insisted.) The Christmas sweaters and dresses their mothers had chosen for church soon were hidden under the costumes.

Costumes were tied on when they were too big. Halos were put over hairbows. Grandparents took pictures. Cries sounded out for forgotten scripts. And the voices grew louder as the costumes were donned and the performance time loomed.

A group of boys ran in circles through the two doors in the room. In a whisper, Carrington confided to her friend Maya Gibson after hearing only 10 days were left until Christmas Day: “We should change the number of days before Christmas.” She twirled her simple halo around her wrist as she commented.

Up on the practice stage, nervousness set in. Sadie Buckspoke her lines very softly. Ella Ramsey burst into tears, then clung to Shaw.

“Remember, everyone sitting out there in that audience loves you,” Shaw told the children. “Everyone who came to see you loves you.”

Time allowed for ornament-making or playing before the performance. Abby hula-hooped as an angel. Baylor led the way in knocking down a fort made of bricks. Ella had a heart-toheart talk about stage fright with her uncle Dustin McDonald. And, at the last minute, a very-shy fourth-grader, Brooks Cartwright, decided to join the cast as a shepherd.

When asked if he wantedto color an ornament, Baylor replied, “I’d rather play baseball.”

“I’d rather eat butter,” Benjamin added.

Then came the last call for the bathroom and promises of separation for misbehavior in line.

The the children entered the sanctuary as the congregation sang “Oh, Come All Ye Faithful.”

Finally on stage, Baylor read from his script, practicing his lines. Carrington waved. Ella Bubniak swayed. Maya, wearing a tiara and a halo, yawned.

Back in the Narthex after the performance, the costumes came off, and the halos were collected. The children grabbed their worship bags. And one hummed the Gloria chorus of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.”

The children lined up to join their parents sitting in the sanctuary. As the kids began to weave designs with Christmas-colored pipe cleaners, Cartwright, Shaw and other mothers folded the costumes, stacked them in boxes and took them to be packed away for another Christmas.

“The children’s excitement is a reminder to all of us (adults) to have a similar level of anticipation and excitment as we welcome the Christ child once again into our hearts,” Smith said.

Religion, Pages 9 on 12/21/2013