Grace Bible Church Today: Grace Bible Church Sunday School Christmas Play

God sent us Riya to take charge of some special events this year.

I first introduced her as the mystery speaker at the church's anniversary service. Next she was responsible for coordinating the seminar on social action. (By the way, we're still working on getting together an action group to follow through on that).

Since our Sunday School Superintendent Indu Eisenberg was over-burdened with her responsibilities at her workplace, I encouraged Riya to direct the kids in preparing their annual presentation of the message of the Incarnation. Riya converted Barbara Robinson's story The Best Christmas Pageant into a drama script and trained our kids to present the gospel afresh.

Principal Farida Abraham, a friend from my time at St John's Church, Bangalore, offered the auditorium of the La Martiniere Girls' College for our performance. I didn't want to take it because the stage alone is so big thatour entire church could be seated on it and still have the space for the performers to enact the drama. But when our Bible study group heard about it, they said to go for it.

The Sunday School put up their play on Sunday, December 13, 2009. With all the practice that they had put in, the kids were relaxed enough to take charge of ushering people before they went backstage to get ready

Farida allowed us the use of the hall for practices, and got her 140 girls in boarding to attend. Indu got about 30 kids from the boarding of the City International School to come. And then our members and their guests were enough to give the hall a full house look.

Roshini led the congregational singing, accompanied by

Jürgen Eisenberg on the keyboard, Bunny Phillips on the drum pad, and Anisha Calendar on the guitar.

The play revolved around a family of bratty kids who terrorized everyone. One year when they heard that there would be special treats for taking part in the Christmas play, the lot of them turned up and hijacked the play.

As the obnoxious brats got involved, it was obvious that they had been transformed by the story of Jesus’ birth. They brought a sense of personal commitment to Jesus as they played their roles.

Our Sunday School kids included songs and choreography.

At the end, Farida gave away the gifts our Sunday School kids are given for their faithfulness in Sunday School through the year. Afterwards, there was cake and coffee for everyone present for the event.