AWAY IN A MANGER: What One of the Animals Saw (by Mr. J)
THEME: Baby Jesus in the manger as viewed by one of the animals.
PROMPT: Manger or manger scene with just the animals. Music and lyrics for accompanyment below.
MESSAGE: Begin the children's message by singing the 1st verse of "Away In A Manger."
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head. (put hands to side of head like resting)
The stars in the sky looked down where he lay, (hold hands upward towards the sky)
the little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay. (stiffle a yawn and then hands to side of head sleep
like)
We all know this song about the baby Jesus in the manager in Bethlehem because there was no room in the inn. Mary laid the new baby in a manger and wrapped him in swaddling clothes to keep him warm. But do you ever think about what a manger really is? Well it is a feed box for animals who eat hay. Not a very fancy baby bed.
I want you children to put on your immaginations hats now and pretend you are back in Bible times in Bethlehem. Imagine you are sitting there in the stable with the animals and the baby Jesus. There are a couple of cows (moo like a cow), a couple of sheep (bleat like a sheep), and probably a donkey (bray like a donkey).
Next I want you to image I am one of those cows, let's say my name is Fred. (Your choice of a name. For this script I will use the names Fred and Ethel). There I am that Christmas Eve, walking over to the manger to get something to eat, when I suddenly see a strange item in my manger.
(Walk towards manager and put head down, do a double take with head and then call to your partner cow). "Ethel! There's a baby in my dinner! What in the world is a baby doing in my dinner? I can't eat hay if there's a baby in my food." "I have had sticks in my hay, a few creepy, crawly bugs, a flower or two, but never a baby in my dinner!" "How am I supposed to eat?"
(put head down towards manger and sniff) "He sure smells nice like a baby." . . . . "You know what Ethel, he's not crying. In fact I think the baby is smiling at me. . . . . How in the world did he get here?"
"What's that Ethel," (look up towards the sky) "you are right, the sky has beautiful bright stars all shining down on this manger. I have never seen such a bright star shining towards the ground like this. This baby must be something special. I wonder, do you think he might be a future king?"
Sing the final verse of Away In A Manger
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay (hands to chest, palms inward)
close by me forever, and love me, I pray; (move to praying hands)
bless all the dear children in thy tender care, (hands towards children or touch 1-2 on the head)
and fit us for heaven to live with thee there. (arms upraised towards the heavens)
May end with "well that ends my story, but why am I so thirsty for a big glass of cold milk?"
THEME: Baby Jesus in the manger as viewed by one of the animals.
PROMPT: Manger or manger scene with just the animals. Music and lyrics for accompanyment below.
MESSAGE: Begin the children's message by singing the 1st verse of "Away In A Manger."
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head. (put hands to side of head like resting)
The stars in the sky looked down where he lay, (hold hands upward towards the sky)
the little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay. (stiffle a yawn and then hands to side of head sleep
like)
We all know this song about the baby Jesus in the manager in Bethlehem because there was no room in the inn. Mary laid the new baby in a manger and wrapped him in swaddling clothes to keep him warm. But do you ever think about what a manger really is? Well it is a feed box for animals who eat hay. Not a very fancy baby bed.
I want you children to put on your immaginations hats now and pretend you are back in Bible times in Bethlehem. Imagine you are sitting there in the stable with the animals and the baby Jesus. There are a couple of cows (moo like a cow), a couple of sheep (bleat like a sheep), and probably a donkey (bray like a donkey).
Next I want you to image I am one of those cows, let's say my name is Fred. (Your choice of a name. For this script I will use the names Fred and Ethel). There I am that Christmas Eve, walking over to the manger to get something to eat, when I suddenly see a strange item in my manger.
(Walk towards manager and put head down, do a double take with head and then call to your partner cow). "Ethel! There's a baby in my dinner! What in the world is a baby doing in my dinner? I can't eat hay if there's a baby in my food." "I have had sticks in my hay, a few creepy, crawly bugs, a flower or two, but never a baby in my dinner!" "How am I supposed to eat?"
(put head down towards manger and sniff) "He sure smells nice like a baby." . . . . "You know what Ethel, he's not crying. In fact I think the baby is smiling at me. . . . . How in the world did he get here?"
"What's that Ethel," (look up towards the sky) "you are right, the sky has beautiful bright stars all shining down on this manger. I have never seen such a bright star shining towards the ground like this. This baby must be something special. I wonder, do you think he might be a future king?"
Sing the final verse of Away In A Manger
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay (hands to chest, palms inward)
close by me forever, and love me, I pray; (move to praying hands)
bless all the dear children in thy tender care, (hands towards children or touch 1-2 on the head)
and fit us for heaven to live with thee there. (arms upraised towards the heavens)
May end with "well that ends my story, but why am I so thirsty for a big glass of cold milk?"