Video (The Universe
and our place in it)
Princess
Leia (Or other Science fiction character)
Wonder
At the tiny
Wonder at the vastness of the universe,
And within it,
On the edge of the milky-way galaxy,
Orbiting the sun star,
A beautiful blue green planet,
Teaming with life forms,
Turning, changing, evolving.
When you, children of planet Earth, look to
the stars do you wonder?
Why am I here?
How do we make meaning in all this?
You are not alone,
For thousands of years the people of your
planet have gazed in wonder at these very same stars. This is their story, and
it is also your story.
(Open
large important looking book)
Image: The Elders
In a land of tribal wars. In a time of
hardship and conflict, some people saw that there could be a better way. People
called them the prophets They looked forward to a new time when things would be
different. They told tales of one who was to come. Perhaps a king, or a prince.
A great and mighty leader. One who would change things.
Song:
Prepare ye the way of the Lord: (Men’s group?)
Imagine now,
An Ancient village in a hot and dusty land,
On the edge of the Roman Empire,
An ordinary place called Nazereth,
Nothing important had happened here.
Image: Mary
Here there lived an ordinary young woman,
Mary, and her husband, Joseph.
(Choose
children to be Mary, Joseph and angel Gabriel.)
Song:
The angel Gabriel from Heaven came. 187
(Mary
and angel to act out the scene.)
Image: Donkey
Wow, an angel. And she was having a baby!
Was Mary’s child to be the one of whom the
prophet’s spoke?
Now, orders came from the Romans that Mary
and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem, a long and difficult journey. They only
had a little donkey.
Song:
Little Donkey
When they arrived in Bethlehem, there was
nowhere for them to stay.
The
Song of the Inkeepers (From Nursery rhyme Nativity)
Image: Stable
The only place they could find was a
stable. So it was in that stable, a makeshift shelter for wandering travellers,
that Mary’s baby was born.
Child enters carrying baby Jesus.
Who
would think that what was needed? 222
Image: Stable
Not a king, or a prince or a military
leader. What kind of answer was this to the cries of your planet. A baby in a
manger?
Tardis sound effects
Enter
The Doctor
Doctor: Knoch Knock
All:
Who’s there?
Doctor: Doctor
All:
Doctor Who?
Doctor: You just said it!
Princess Leia: Yes, that’s in here too. The
oldest joke in the universe!
Doctor: Never mind that! This is vitally
important. Something here and now must be of tremendous importance to the whole
universe. You see the paths of time and space are pointing to something.
However I look at it, it turns out the same. This moment, this place. 1st
Century Palestine, the edge of the Roman empire, Bethlehem, an old animal
shelter. Hardly seems an important time and place. Maybe my instruments are
playing up.
Princess Leia: I’ve just been sharing one
of the ancient tales of the Earth people. According to their story this is indeed
an important time and place.
Doctor: Is it? (To congregation) Can you tell me what important thing has happened
here?
Doctor:
Ah…so the hopes and fears of all the years are met
here tonight… I think that’s a cue for a song.
Oh
Little Town of Bethlehem 213
Image: Bedouin
shepherd
Doctor:
So if the birth of this child is so important for
planet Earth, did anyone notice?
Leia:
Some people did. Shall I carry on with the story?
Doctor:
Oh yes please. I love stories.
Leia:
There were shepherds (invite shepherds to come) on
a hillside looking after their sheep. Suddenly the sky was filled with light
and the sky was filled with angels.
Doctor:
Not the weeping angels? They’re really scary!
Leia:
No, the good ones, God’s messengers.
Doctor:
Oh good, carry on.
Leia:
invite angels) They said to the shepherds, “We bring
tidings of great joy, A child is born in Bethlehem. He will bring peace to the
whole Earth”
So the shepherds left their sheep and
hurried down to Bethlehem.
Nursery
rhyme Nativity: Shepherds song
Leia: And way in the East Altrologers were looking to the skies. (Invite
wisemen). They were looking for a sign.
Doctor:
Ah, this is where I come in! A great light in the
sky moving to show them where to go. That’s a job for me. I can create a great
light in the sky with the TARDIS energy beam and lead them to the stable.
They’re never going to find it otherwise.
Chris
de Berg: A Spaceman came travelling (Film clip)
Image: Star Trek
Enter
Mr. Spock:
Leia:
Ah Mr. Spock from the star ship Enterprise. The
Doctor said this was a meeting point in time and space. (To Spock) What are you
up to these days?
Spock:
Oh you know, the usual, exploring strange new
worlds, seeking out new life and civilisations and boldly going where no-one
has gone before.
Leia:
Nice. What do you make of this story from planet
Earth then?
Spock:
It is
illogical. The creator of all becoming a little baby? I find you people of
Earth very illogical. Every year you tell this story. You bring a tree into
your house and attach shiny things to it. You eat a large bird and give your
uncle new slippers. Highly illogical. Perhaps one of these Earth people clan
explain it to us.
Images from Glimpses
of Glory powerpoint
Earth
Person (Mandy?): Reflections on John 1: 14 by David
Cornick from Glimpses of Glory.
://www.methodist.org.uk/prayer-and-worship/powerpoint-for-worship
Children return to their seats during the
hymn
Oh
Come All ye faithful (During which the offering is taken)
Image: Star
Earth
person: Offering prayer
Loving God,
At the first Christmas you offered yourself
to us,
A tiny vulnerable baby.
In the vastness of our universe,
You spoke a gentle word of love.
As we offer these tokens,
We offer now ourselves,
We offer ourselves to the service of our
world,
That the light of your love,
May fill our hearts, our homes, our land,
our world, and even our universe.
Amen.
Princess
Leia: This journey is not yet over. The people of
this world are still searching. Just like the wise men, there are stars to
guide your way. Look out for them. Find out what happens next at our Star Trek
Epiphany star Trek service and party on 5th January.
Until then let us wish each other well as
is our custom:-
Leia:
May the Force be with you.
Spock:
Live long and prosper
All:
(Led by the Earth person) May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God and the Fellowship of
the Holy Spirit be with us all evermore, Amen
(Hymn numbers from the Methodist Hymn book, Singing the faith)
(Hymn numbers from the Methodist Hymn book, Singing the faith)
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