This poem was written to be a carol - but in the restrictions necessitated by coronavirus this might serve as a last minute change for a Christmas service church All-Age activity for safety reasons.
First: Give everyone in church/ chapel a number between 1 and 4.
Explain that you are going to tell the story of the shepherds in verse and at the end of each verse you will call out ‘One - two - three - four
As you call each number those who have been given the number (and who are able) stand up, turn round and sit down.
To make this work, the verse needs to be read very rhythmically - so here we go...
An angel told shepherds with great, great joy
Messiah’s come to earth as a baby boy.
You’ll find him in a stable now
Borrowing the manger of an innkeeper’s cow.
Narrator calls - One,two,three,four
Then suddenly an angel crowd
Appeared in the night and sang out loud:
‘Glory to God’ and ‘Peace on earth’,
‘We’re celebrating Jesus’ birth’.
Narrator calls - One,two,three,four
He has come to earth to save us all
And he’s truly lying in a stable stall.
Narrator calls - One,two,three,four
He came to earth for you and me
Though we finally nailed him to a tree.
But then he rose up from the grave
That we from sin could all be saved.
Narrator calls - One,two,three,four
So that is why the angels sang
To shepherds who to Bethlehem ran.
