Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago

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The 2025 Christmas Pageant at First Unitarian Church retells the familiar Nativity story as a joyful, participatory ritual rather than a scripted performance. Guided by two narrators, the congregation collectively enacts the story of Mary and Joseph's journey, Jesus' birth, the shepherds, angels, and wise people, with music from the Junior Singers and festive hymns woven throughout. Along the way, the story is interpreted through a Unitarian Universalist lens, emphasizing Jesus as an inspired human teacher and the Nativity as a timeless religious myth that holds essential spiritual truths about love, justice, inclusion, and human responsibility. Attendees of all ages participate in the pageant using simple masks and props, reinforcing the pageant's message: this is not a story to watch, but a story to enter together, imperfectly, joyfully, and with love.

ORDER OF SERVICE
00:00 🎵 Introduction: "We Will Go Out In The World" – music by David Owens
00:57 🎵 Prelude: "Here We Come A-Caroling" – words: anonymous (England, 19th century); music: traditional English melody (19th century); presented by the Junior Singers; David Owens, piano; Nikki Blackburn Fuller, assistant
02:04 Welcome & Announcements – Amanda Esko, Director of Religious Education
04:00 Lighting of the Chalice & Advent Wreath – Amanda Esko
06:28 Christmas Pageant 2025
09:52 🎵 Hymn: "O Come, All Ye Faithful" – words by John Francis Wade (English, 1711-1786); English translation by Frederick Oakeley (English, 1802-1880); music: John Francis Wade (English, 1711-1786) / John Reading (English, c. 1645-1692)
11:03 A Long, Long Time Ago / 🎵 "Money (That's What I Want)" by Janie Bradford (American, b. 1939) and Berry Gordy (American, b. 1929); recorded by The Beatles (1963) / Caesar Augustus – Rev. J Sylvan
15:16 🎵 Offertory Music: "Carol of the Bells" – music by Mykola Leontovych (Ukrainian, 1877-1921); Matt Esko, piano
16:19 Mary, Joseph, and the Innkeeper
20:21 🎵 "Send Forth a Song" – words and music by Mark Patterson (American, b. 1969); presented by the Junior Singers
22:52 Shepherds and Animals
26:27 🎵 Hymn: "The First Nowell" – words: traditional English carol; music: William Sandys' 'Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern' (1833); David Owens, piano
28:07 The Angels
31:16 🎵 Hymn: "Angels We Have Heard on High" – traditional French carol; adaptation by Earl Marlatt (American, 1892-1976); David Owens, piano
32:38 The Star
33:41 🎵 "Carol of the Bells" – music by Mykola Leontovych (Ukrainian, 1877-1921); English lyrics and arrangement by Peter J. Wilhousky (American, 1902-1978); presented by the Junior Singers
34:49 The Three Wise People
35:54 🎵 Hymn: "O Little Town of Bethlehem" – words by Phillips Brooks (American, 1835-1893); music by Lewis H. Redner (American, 1831-1908); David Owens, piano
36:53 Gifts for Jesus / Conclusion
38:43 🎵 Hymn: "Joy to The World" – words by Isaac Watts (English, 1674-1748); music attributed to George Frideric Handel (German-British, 1685-1759); arr. by Lowell Mason (American, 1792-1872); David Owens, piano
39:57 Closing Words – Amanda Esko
40:50 🎵 End Credits

Rev. J Sylvan, Senior Minister
Rev. Monica Dobbins, Assistant Minister
Amanda Esko, Director of Religious Education
David Owens, Director of Music
Stefanie Park, Administrator
Tristan Moore, Audiovisual Director

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