Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
While the Convener and Announcer speak, chord sets of hand bells and labels
matching their bell sets A, D, and E are available.
We Get Ready
Convener: Welcome to the 2009 Golden Agers Club Christmas Program at the
Congregational Church of Park Manor!
Announcer: Later on we will sing using the hand bells for our accompaniment. It
would probably be a good idea for us to practice a little first! When I
hold up the name of your bell set, ring the whole set of bells
together. Ring them with the song -- believe me we will be singing a
very familiar song. If the note is very long, keep ringing to fill up the
time. Let's ring the A chord – good, and the E chord – excellent, and
the D chord – splendid!
Now we will try to sing the Park Manor Bell Song. I ask you please,
do not reveal the true identity of this song. It is, I'm afraid, possible
that someone may be able to figure it out. But please, don't tell
anyone! This is like a wrapped Christmas present – a surprise! We
will open it later!
Now take a look. You see I've marked in the A, E, and D. chord
starts. That reminds me that we should practice stopping because
one of the problems with bells is that they will ring on too long unless
you stop them. The way to stop a bill sounding is to touch your
clothing in some way to stop it. Watch.
Now would the A group ring a little bit? Good – now stop! We are
ready to play and let's all sing, the Park Manor Bell Song.
Park Manor Bell Song (same melody as Silent Night)
Remember – do not reveal the identity of this song!
1._We ring bells. We like bells.
We hope you like them too.
Bells can ring with such hap-py cheer.
Ring them loud-ly 'cause Christ-mas is near.
It's a Park Ma-nor Christ-mas,
Are-n't you glad that you're here!
Now we are ready to start – with a familiar carol. But – watch out for
If Christ Were Born in Chicago 2009 Page 2 of 9
Mary stands, steps back from the bench, and waits until Joseph notices. He
stands and looks at her.
Mary: Joe, you know this isn't your baby I'm carrying. I told you that. Are you
planning to let your grandma think this is your baby?
Joseph: Don't you think when I teach him a trade, teach him to be a carpenter in
my shop, ... don't you think when I feed him at my table, ... don't you
think when I take him to synagogue, … don't you think when I pay
someone to teach him to read the Scriptures, don't you think when
he's bar mitzvah, a son of the commandments, don't you think when
he takes his place in the congregation as an adult man, ... don't you
think he's my baby, he's my son?
Mary: (almost crying) Oh Joe, I don't know why any of this is happening to me.
Why God set me in the midst of everyone pregnant with a child
whose father I can't name and whose future scares me to death.
Thank God I had you – and you believed me.
Joseph: That's not really the way it was for me. I didn't believe you when I heard
about the baby. I thought you cheated on me.
Mary: You did!
Joseph: Yeah, I cared about you too much to be public about it, but I meant to
leave you.
Mary: I didn't know that. I couldn't really blame you, but why didn't you?
Joseph: Well, I was just turning it over in my mind one way and another, how to
do it ... and one night, I just fell asleep thinking and thinking how to
get out of this, and then, you've got to believe me on this, Mary, I had
a dream.
Mary: It happened to you too? Joseph, I do believe you. What happened?
Joseph: It was pretty weird, but it was clear as a bell. I heard God say to me,
“Joseph, don't be afraid. Take Mary for your wife. She'll name the
baby Jesus, and he will be the savior.”
Mary takes Joseph's hand. They look wonderingly at each other in silence for a
moment. (while Music Joseph's Song plays)
Mary: I am so glad you told me, Joseph. Now I don't feel so alone. You do
understand.
Joseph: Yes, I do. After I had that dream, you know, Mary, I knew it wasn't just
you. God chose me too.
If Christ Were Born in Chicago 2009 Page 4 of 9
Mary: (brightening) I know. I know in that way at least I am blessed. Now when
actually was the last time you were home for the holidays?
Joseph drops his head but reaches out for Mary's hand. He looks up shyly at
her.
Joseph: Things are different now, Mary. I can't say just how, but I know they are
different. Let's keep looking – I'm just about broke, it's cold, and
we've got to find a place to stay. We can look for my family in the
morning.
Mary: We might have to look for – for a hospital, Joseph. This baby needs a
place to be born – soon.
We See the Problem
MUSIC: No Room at the Inn. During the music, Joseph pantomimes knocking,
twice, at imaginary doors where Convener and Announcer sternly
deny him entrance. Gestures should be very broad. Meanwhile,
Mary stands at a distance and pantomimes collapse when he returns
to her side and holds her up. They leave slowly, with Joseph
supporting Mary.
Exactly! That's the charity care the hospitals use to justify their tax
advantages!
Ardent Administrator: (angry) Now you just hold on, Whippersnapper. You can't
pop in here and push your opinions as facts!
Fearsome Activist: Take an aspirin, Doc. We're not talking about my opinions.
We're talking about what the Center for tax and budget
accountability, a well respected bi-partisan 501(c)3 research and
advocacy think tank!
Moderator: Moderate, moderate, everyone!
Plucky Politician, I'd like you to comment on how well the tax
advantages you and your colleagues enacted balance the charity
care provided to people like Ms. Mary and her fiancé.
Plucky Politician: (with lots of head motion tries to include everyone) well first of
all, let's set her fiancé aside. There is no family here. There is no
marriage. In addition, there is absolutely no evidence that the fiancé,
Mr. Joseph I think his name is, has any healthcare claims of his own
at this time. That's right, isn't it?
Legal Eagle: That's right.
Fearsome Activist: Wait a minute. In this spirit of the answer we just heard about
Ms. Mary's nationality, I would ask how you can know there are no
medical findings in the absence of a medical examination?
Moderator: I don't think we have time to follow that path right now, Fearsome
Activist. I want Plucky Politician to give us a clear answer on how
much our hospitals are benefiting from their tax advantages attached
to charity care.
Plucky Politician: Needless to say, because I'm sure everyone knows, there's
been a lot of discussion on this point. I'm glad to say that the
committee I serve on – The Transparency and Tax Breaks
Committee – plans in the very near future to schedule hearings on
this very point. I want to assure you that I will share the concern of
this panel with the committee at that time.
(While Plucky Politician says this Fearsome Activist and Ardent Administrator
react with skeptical expressions.)
Moderator: (bright, forced smile) We've reached the end of the time allotted for
this discussion. As is so often the case, we've accomplished nothing,
changed no minds, and set the stage for another LONG stretch of
If Christ Were Born in Chicago 2009 Page 7 of 9