Christmas Church Plays

Select a Religious Christmas Play

Selecting the right play for the church is the first order of business when figuring out the program. Is the play going to be a separate service unto itself? Will it be performed at the beginning of the service or perhaps during the sermon? Knowing the answers to those questions can help make selection easier.

Choose a play that not only reflects the church’s values but is geared towards the audience, too. A play that is part of the children’s Christmas Eve service should be easy for kids to understand, while teenage youth groups may connect more with a contemporary story that links back to the Biblical story. General congregational audiences appreciate a play that everyone can find meaning in.

Free Christmas skits are available online; however, carefully review the message and quality before the church performs them. Plays, musicals and skits about the Christmas story, both Biblical and modern, can also be purchased from various Christian booksellers and publishers. Consider the following resources for finding Christmas church plays:

• NativityPlay.com
• Contemporary Drama Service
• Christianbook.com
• Pioneer Drama Service, Inc.
• Parable

An extensive listing of resources for free and plays-for-purchase is online at Audrey’s Christmas Page: Skits, Plays, Puppet Plays, Musicals and Costumes.

Christmas Church Plays: Volunteers

Churches that put on Christmas plays need a lot of congregational help in producing the play, even if it is only a short skit for the sermon. Gather volunteers for the following positions:

• Actors
• Costuming
• Lighting
• Direction
• Props
• Childcare (for an adult production)
• Child supervision (for a youth production where children will be behind-the-scenes)
• Musical director (piano player, choir director, soloist, or even just someone to hit “play” on a CD-player)

To find volunteers, make an announcement a few weeks before rehearsals begin. Print information in the church newsletter, weekly bulletin and send an email out to the congregation. If known congregants have special talents, actively recruit them for the play production.

Have at least one meeting with volunteers before beginning rehearsal. Set a firm date for line memorization and costumes to be completed. Performing the play on Christmas morning will come quickly enough, so plan several dress rehearsals for proper preparation.

Taking on a Christmas church play is a big job, but it will result in a unique holiday experience for the entire congregation. Innovative ideas like a holiday play will make everyone excited to spread the Good News.