By Ann Marie Stewart, Julie Rains Kangas & Eugene Robey

Come to the Manger

Christmas Pageant

One family rushes to their annual church Christmas pageant. The director/mother is frenzied, her oldest son Matthew is reluctant, his sassy sister is literally the “star” of the pageant, and the youngest is only interested in Santa. After wondering what the first Christmas was like, they are whisked back to Bethlehem. Matthew encounters the innkeeper’s daughter and warns her to make room for something special, encourages the three magi to press on with their gifts, and keeps the sleepy shepherd awake for the big moment. But when all the characters arrive at the manger and Matthew realizes he has nothing to give, his mother explains that perhaps his gift was the greatest of all: he brought others to the manger to worship the King.