Christmas Freeze Frames

Materials
Costumes and props related to the story (optional)

Activity
Tell the group they are going to act out and photograph "freeze frames" of the important parts of the Christmas story. Ask them to "Try to imagine how the Christmas story happened 2000 years ago when Christ was born." (You can provide Bible costumes and props for greater realism, but they are not required.)

Choose a number of Bible scenes as freeze frames. Assign one scene to each group. The participants must come up with appropriate poses, facial expressions and hand gestures for each freeze frame.

Shepherds
* Scene 1: The shepherds hear the angels tell of Christ's birth (example: Participants should show fear, awe, excitement, etc).
* Scene 2: The shepherds believe the angels' proclamation
* Scene 3: The shepherds discover the Christ child
* Scene 4: The shepherds return to their homes and fields, glorifying and praising God

Wisemen
* Scene 1: Following the star
* Scene 2: Before Herod
* Scene 3: Finding Jesus
* Scene 4: Returning Home

You can also use events involving Mary, Joseph, In the temple with Simeon, Elizabeth, etc.

During the skits take a picture of each scene (Digital camera's work great). Put the pictures in a slide show or powerpoint file on your computer and you have a Christmas keepsake, as well as, a gift for all the participants.

Variation
Create a video news report of the story. Have one person be the reporter in the newsroom (at a table), then go to a reporter in the field who interviews the various participants in each scene (animals included).]

Discussion
Use follow up questions for the different scenes to facilitate some lively discussion:
• What did it feel like to be a shepherd? Angel? A character in the manger scene?
• Why did the angels appear to the shepherds and not someone else?
• Why did the shepherds drop everything to go find out about some baby?
• What does this "baby" mean to them?
• What does this "baby" mean to us?