HOW-TO PROGRAMMING GUIDE A Note to Pastors & Directors

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1 HOW-TO PROGRAMMING GUIDE A Note to Pastors & Directors Thank you so much for allowing to partner with you in bringing some creativity to your congregation. Our goal is to provide resources that tell the stories of scripture in fresh ways, while also making things a little easier on pastors, performers and volunteers. Which is why we re so incredibly excited to present The Call of Christmas. An important note: What we are about to share in regards to these materials and the implementation of them are not THE ONLY ways, but a FEW ways. We know each church is different. We all have different strengths, different limitations and different preferences. Understanding that, we wanted to put a guide together that would give you a range of options to best set you up for success this Christmas season. This pack allows you to create the service or services that best suit your church. Put all these elements together for a one-night, single performance event. Or even use them each Sunday during Advent. Create another scenario that leverages this content, your people and your facilities and turn it into one of the coolest things ever done in the history of anything, ever...or close to it. You know what we mean. Whatever combination you land on, our hope is that it results in an amazing and life-changing experience for your congregation. So let s look a little closer at the specific elements we ve included.

2 What s included in the pack? Includes 5 videos... Zechariah Mary Joseph The Shepherds Call of Christmas Anthem You also get... Sermon Notes Countdown Video Motions Pack Stills Pack Sermon Slides Artwork for your church programs and promotion Promotional materials What else is included? The pack includes 5 scripts: Zechariah Mary Joseph The Shepherds Call of Christmas Anthem

3 What are some options for how I can use The Call of Christmas? Option A (Weekly): This option allows you to use the content provided to start an The Call of Christmas weekly teaching series. This option would start the Sunday after Thanksgiving. If you opt for this, we would advise you to use the following order for the videos, scripts, and sermons: Week 1: Zechariah: A Call To Prepare Opening Song: Angels From The Realm Of Glory Read: Luke 1:1-25 Watch/Perform: Zechariah Traditional Song Idea: O Come, O Come Emmanuel Sermon Idea: Zechariah: A Call To Prepare Sermon Notes Week 2: Mary: A Call To Provide Opening Song: Gentle Mary Laid Her Child Read: Matthew Luke 1:26-38 Watch/Perform: Mary Traditional Song Idea: Gabriel s Message Sermon Idea: Mary: A Call To Provide Sermon Notes Week 3: Joseph: A Call To Protect Opening Song: O Little Town Of Bethlehem Read: Matthew 1:18-25 Watch/Perform: Jospeh Traditional Song Idea: Away In A Manger Sermon Idea: Joseph: A Call To Protect Sermon Notes Week 4: The Shepherds: A Call To Praise Opening Song: Come, All Ye Shepherds Read: Luke 2:1-20 Watch/Perform: The Shepherds Traditional Song Idea: The First Noel Sermon Idea: The Shepherds: A Call To Praise Sermon Notes Christmas Morning: The Call of Christmas Anthem Opening Song: O Come All Ye Faithful Read: Isaiah 9:6-7

4 Watch/Perform: The Call Of Christmas Anthem Traditional Song Idea: Joy To The World Sermon Idea: The Call Of Christmas Sermon Notes Option B (Single Event): This option allows you to use The Call of Christmas as a Christmas pageant, play, or even as your entire Christmas service. If you opt for this, use the outline below as an example for how to structure the event. Obviously, you can go as big or as little with these as you need within the context of your service, but we feel like these give a good jumping off point. Pre-service: Use Instrumental versions of Christmas Hymns to get people ready Use the provided The Call of Christmas promotional material in your church and community to promote your event. Before the service begins, use the The Call of Christmas Motion Logo and Countdown video on auditorium screens. Opening Song(s): A lot of churches have Christmas Hymns or Carols that they enjoy each year, here are some that you might want to include: O Come, All Ye Faithful, Joy To The World! The Lord Is Come, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, O Little Town of Bethlehem, The First Noel, O Holy Night, What Child Is This, Silent Night Read: Luke 1:1-25 Watch/Perform: Zechariah Song: O Come, O Come Emmanuel Read: Luke 1:26-38 Watch/Perform: Mary Song: Gabriel s Message Read: Matthew 1:18-25 Watch/Perform: Joseph Song: Away In A Manger Read: Luke 2:1-20

5 Watch/Perform: Shepherds Song: Come, All Ye Shepherds Read: Isaiah 9:6-7 Watch/Perform: The Call Of Christmas Anthem Song: The First Noel Option C: What if we want to get crazy and really mix it up? Consider splicing in some testimonies from your own church that speak to the themes discussed in each performance. Have the children s choir sing a few of the songs. If you opt for the single event performance, change the pace up by utilizing smaller mini- sermons at the beginning and end. Tips for using the scripts for live stage performances. 1. Music can add an extra level of depth and emotion to the scenes. Rehearse and perform the scenes to the original musical score that is included with The Call of Christmas. 2. If you are using The Call of Christmas scripts for a one-night event, then in terms of the actual performances and staging you can get as creative as you want, but something that has worked great for us in the past is using two spotlights and alternating between Stage Left and Stage Right. Just alternate the two between vignettes of each performance. Center stage would be reserved for the final vignette. EXAMPLE: Zechariah would be performed Stage Left. Mary would take place on Stage Right. Joseph would take place on Stage Left, etc. 3. If you are performing this as a play on a smaller stage and aren't able to set up multiple scenes across the stage, it's a good idea to rehearse your transitions for resetting the stage. Because once each scene is over, you'll need to reset the stage for the next scene. Do this as quickly and as quietly as possible. Require your stagehands to dress in black or give them similar costumes as the actors. 4. Think about your transitions. Music is a great way to transition between scenes, whether it be instrumental or a hymn. There are song recommendations in the Option B outline above.

6 5. Eliminate the stage altogether. Have a progressive play through the hallways of your church. Choose one hallway and have people travel from room to room with a guide and watch each scene. A candlelight prayer/worship service could be had at the last room or in your worship center. There are many possibilities for each of these scenes if you think outside of the box and don't limit yourself to just the space on your stage. Any last thoughts? Yep. Remember: this is the story of Christ s Birth. This is our chance to share how history was changed for all eternity when Christ entered the world. This story can and should be told all year! And again, all of these elements are just components to help you do what YOU think suits your church best. As a ministry, we strive to be a kingdom resource and that s especially true here; we want to give you the elements to help expand the kingdom of God in your corner of the world. After all, who has a better feel for that than you?