MY FIRST NATIVITY PLAY

I had been wondering what I would do for my Christmas Day blip and having taken a few photographs we went to church and I decided I would do something between coming home from church and going to our son and daughter-in-law for our Christmas lunch.

We had a lovely service with many well-known carols and then John, (but not Mr. HCB) who was leading the service said that he would like volunteers to play the various parts in the Nativity.  He played the part of Joseph and asked if anyone who had never played Mary to be Mary this morning.  Sadly I have never been in a Nativity play, so I volunteered and was accepted.

Stephen and Gary accepted the challenge to be shepherds and sitting just in front of Mr. HCB were three young men, Phil, who was in our young people’s group before he went to live and work in Oxford, Aaron, who was also in the group and is home from university in Bournemouth, and Joseph, whose parents live in Zimbabwe, is studying at university in Amsterdam, but staying with his aunt and uncle in Swindon for Christmas - so they were ready-made Wise Men and were quickly given the parts!

It felt very special to be part of this service on Christmas Day and Mr. HCB reminded me after the service that I had now played Mary, the mother of Jesus, at his birth and in the Passion Play on Good Friday I had played Mary as she watched her son suffer and die on the cross - see the extra photograph. What a wonderful and humbling privilege for me this year.

Mr. HCB and I wish you all a very happy and blessed Christmas. 

For to us a child is born, 
     to us a son is given, 
          and the government will be on his shoulders. 
And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, 
     Mighty God, 
          Everlasting Father, 
               Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6 NIV