Three trees stand on a hill and dream – of holding riches, carrying kings & queens on the high seas, and standing tall on a hill pointing to God. This story is often told in that order, at Easter, but Bek Brown adapted the story skillfully to build up to the nativity scene, with Kirsty Walker’s stage direction.
They crafted a wonderful storytelling occasion, through acting and song. The tree who wanted to point to the sky realises that dream holding the messiah who is crucified then rises from death, and the tree who wants to carry kings on high seas realises that dream when the messiah stills the storm on the lake of Galilee standing on its beams.
As we sang well loved Christmas carols of angels and shepherds and Mary’s child, the third tree realises its dream of carrying great riches – as a manger holding this precious baby, God come among us as a human being.
There was humour as the woodcutters’ saws tickled the knees of the trees; poignancy as the first tree held the arms of Jesus; and, I hope, joy at the telling of this story again, as we invited the light of Christ to transform our lives and our world once more.
We also unveiled the banner the children have made through Advent:
