By Patricia Souder

SYNOPSIS: As she returns from getting water, Stella stops to ask her neighbor, Mira, if she’s heard what the shepherds are saying. Mira’s petty preconceptions provide a humorous look at how easy it is to block relationships and insights, but her tirade on caring eventually helps both women confront the impact of what the shepherds are saying. As they do, they discover: “If it is true . . . and we don’t believe it . . . We’ll be missing the truth! And more importantly . . . We’ll be missing the Messiah!”

SETTING: A table in front of Mira’s village home in Bethlehem.

CHARACTERS:
STELLA: A villager who heard the shepherds talking about the birth of the Messiah.

MIRA: A petty, petulant neighbor whom Stella visits as she carries her water home.

Note: Although both characters are fictional, they reflect the general attitude toward shepherds at the time of Christ’s birth. Stella’s and Mira’s struggles to know what to believe offer fresh insights into the dilemma the people of Bethlehem . . . and our world . . . face in knowing what to believe.

PERFORMANCE TIME: 7 minutes.

PERFORMANCE NOTES:

Characters perform lines together when marked with a star.
Italics in the dialogue indicate words that should be emphasized.

TOPICS: Advent.Christmas. Preconceived prejudices.

PERFORMANCE POSSIBILITIES: Worship services. Advent and Christmas programs. Small groups. Women’s groups.

BIBLE REFERENCES: Luke 2:8-20

PROPS: Two earthenware jugs, a stool, a small table, bread dough.

Script Preview of Missing the Messiah

Price: $3.00