Scene one of an Earth religions play for a UU children's holiday service

[Arianna]

OK, all...I am working on  an intergenerational holiday service for my Unitarian Universalists religious education students to perform.  There are two more scenes to work on after this...but the followiing is what I got finished tonight.

Prelude: The Cleansing and the Clock

(Narrator Sweeping to tick tock/heart beat on drum.  Mother Earth begins chant, as holidays line up behind narrator and form circle around Mother Earth.  Chant done three times, as drum beat trickles away.  Scene one then begins.)

Mother Earth's Chant:

"With the passing of the year, through the darkness and the light, we cleanse our spirit with the turning of the wheel"

"With the passing of the year, through the darkness and the light, we cleanse our spirit with the turning of the wheel"

"With the passing of the year, through the darkness and the light, we cleanse our spirit with the turning of the wheel"

Scene One: The Turning of the Wheel

 

Narrator:

"See, some people like calendars, with little dates inside of little boxes.  Each of them set up as neat little cubes in neat little rows, as if life is laid out in a neat little straight line.

Not me.  Not ‘round here!

Life goes around and around, like a wheel...we start at one point and we all end up in the same place, over and over and over again.

The Wheel is my calendar. Yes, Yes, Yes!!!  You might need a pretty big wall to hang it on.  You can't keep it in your pocket, to flip out when checking with a friend, to see if you are available on a specific date.  It's a Calendar...but it is a circular calendar.  It is one of many circles that make up the circle of life.

Each year starts at some point in time and ends at another point in time.  But then, it starts anew...begins again, with a fresh start and completely new possibilities. Turning and turning.... seamless....... from one point to the next and back around again.

You see, I consider myself a bit of a time keeper.  I keep the time of the wheel of the year.

Keep your little white boxes and your neat little rows.  It's all a contradiction, boxes and circles...round pegs, square peg board.

So, this wheel of the year....it has holidays, you see.  A whole year's worth of pagan holidays...and the term Pagan comes from the Latin "Paganus", just in case you are taking notes!

Our wheel.........."

Winter Solstice turns around to the audience, quickly Interrupting the time keeper.

 

Winter Solstice:

"I am Winter Solstice, and I would love to share the history of a really neat Celtic Tradition that once........"

Time keeper interrupts her

 

Time Keeper:

 "Ok, yes, yes, yes...very nice...moving right along.....NEXT!!!"

 

Winter Solstice:

"But, I am WINTER SOLSTICE!!!!  This is MY time of the year...this is MY spoke in the wheel.....and...." 

 

                                                Narrator:

"Very good...very good, indeed...I can appreciate that.  I think our audience gets it.  So thanks...we'll get back you!"

 

Winter Solstice:

"Wait, Wait, Wait just a minute, there Buster!!!  Since this is my time of the year, I should be the first holiday....with the other holidays getting their moment of fame, after me!!!  We all revolve around our Great Mother Earth.  Each of us celebrates, in our own way, the light and the dark aspect of the year, and the role of the God as the wheel goes around..." 

Narrator:

"Yes, I understand that...but there are seven other holidays that we really must get to first, so I'm dreadfully sorry, but you need to step back so that we can move on.  Next holiday please....come on around and state your name, please...chop, chop!!

Winter Solstice:

"But...I am Winter Solstice!!!"

Winter Solstice sulks as she steps back into the circle and rotates so that Candlemas comes around to the front.

 

Candlemas

"I am Candlemas, also known as Imbolc.  I celebrate the first stirring of seeds deep within the womb of Mother Earth.  These seeds begin to grow with the coming of the Sun God after Winter Solstice is gone."

Winter Solstice interjects from the Wheel:

Winter Solstice:

"Hey. I will be back!"

Narrator:

"Yes, yes, moving on...

Ok, Candlemas... Candlemas sounds like a candle and reminds you of light, and Imbolc comes around February 2^nd.  Modern people look upon this as Groundhog Day.  Alright, thanks so much, we have a schedule to keep.  Sorry to rush you, but I need to hear from the next holiday."

Candlemas waves and begins to rotate with the Wheel.  Spring Equinox rotates to front and center.

Narrator:

"State your name please..."

Ostara:

"I am Ostara, also known as Spring Equinox.  My time is the celebration of hope and renewal.  Mother Earth begins to dance, as new life springs forth from the growing warmth of the Sun God."

Narrator:

"Spring Equinox happens around March the 20^th.  Flowers bloom in vibrant colors.  Modern folks often celebrate Easter, or other Spring festivals, around this time.  The coloring of eggs can be found in several religions.  Thanks a lot, next..."

Spring Equinox smiles and rotates with the circle, so that Beltaine rotates to front and center.

 

Beltaine

"Hey there, time keeper...I am Beltaine, and I celebrate the joining of the God and Goddess.  I am known as a fire festival, and I represent nature's fertility.  I help to create a feeling of joviality and joyfulness.  I am found in Maypole dances as colorful ribbons twine and flowered wreaths fall.  Weddings are my specialty."

Narrator:

"Ah yes...Maypole Dancing in the Merry Month of May!"  People in modern times will recognize this as Mayday.  Beltaine falls on the first of May.  I love Beltaine!  Thank you so much for stopping by! "

Beltaine Blows a kiss to the crowd, waves, and rotates with the circle.  Summer Solstice rotates to front and center.  Summer Solstice is lazy sounding and laid back.

 

Narrator:

"And who might you be???"

Summer Solstice:

"Hey there, everyone....Summer Solstice here.  I also go by "Litha", in certain circles.   I am the longest day of the year, and I sit exactly opposite of Winter Solstice on the Wheel of the year.  I am a celebration of Mother Earth's incredible Bounty and nourishment.  Everything is planted, and now is a time of rest. 

The Sun God sits high in my skies.  These are moments of relaxation.  I teach patience.  I teach that "in all of the things in life and spirit...you can not rush or hurry".  I teach that all things will come to fruitfulness when they are ready."

Narrator:

Right...and you begin around the 21^st or 22^nd of June, am I correct?"

Summer Solstice:

"Yeah, yeah...something like that.  I don't like to do the math...it's too much like work, and the only thing I want to work on is my tan!"

Narrator:

"Well ok, then...moving right along...."

Summer Solstice Yawns, moves with the circle, as Lammas/Lughnasadh rotates to front and center.

 

Lammas

Now you come to my time of year.  I am Lammas (Pronounced: Laa-mus), also known as Lughnasadh.  (Pronounced: Loo-Na-sah).  I am the shift in the air at the end of summer.  I am the feeling that you get when you know that Autumn is on it's way.  All around you, plants are drying and going to seed..  I represent transformation.  I am the seed time, when everyone begins to prepare for the inevitability of winter.

Grain is a sacred symbol of my festival, and it is often baked into tasty breads, which symbolize the spiritual conscience of Mother Earth as provider of nourishment."

Narrator:

And Lammas is usually celebrated on August the first.  Thank you...That was very informative!"

Lammas smiles and nods, then rotates with the circle, as Mabon comes to front and center.

 

Narrator:

"And now, we come to..."

Mabon

‘Mabon is the name, and perfect balance is my game!  I am also known as the "autumn Equinox".  I sit opposite of Spring Equinox, AKA Ostara, whom you heard from, earlier.  In my time, light and dark; day and night...all is equal.  I am a festival of thanks for blessings received.  People celebrate the harvests that top their tables.  I take place around September 21^st, give or take a few days.

For some reason, Americans moved this celebration to November for their Thanksgiving.  However, there are others who got their harvest thanksgiving festival a little more accurate by celebrating around the second week in October.  You may have heard of them...but then, maybe not...you don't look like you get out much!  They are called Canadians. " (Big cheesy grin)

Narrator:

[sarcastic] "Hehe...you're funny.  [Rolls eyes]   Next!!!!"

Mabon chuckles and rotates with the wheel, as Samhain rotates to front and center.

 

Samhain:

[Pause for effect]

 

"We are all in this world.  We are in this world, day in and day out...the wheel turning and turning.  But there is another world...another wheel.  That is where I come in.  I am Samhain. [Pronounced Sow-en] 

I am celebrated on October 31^st, the same day of the cultural holiday of Halloween...when children dress up and get candy and treats from neighbors and relatives. 

I am a fun mysterious time; however, I can also be a somber event.  I am a celebration of life and death.  I am a remembrance festival; where ancestors are honored for the wisdom they still give, even after they have moved on.  I am also a reminder that the dark cold of winter is fast approaching."

 

Narrator:

"Thank you!"

Samhain:

You're welcome!"

Samhain salutes the audience and rotates with the circle so that Winter Solstice comes back to the front

 

Winter Solstice

"Finally...I told you I would be back!!!!  Now, where was I?????"

Narrator:

Now hold on a minute...We will get back to you, I promise...but, there are a few things that we have to get to first."

Winter Solstice:

"Geez.....you are pushing your luck here.  Don't you realize how much snow I can drop on you if I want to???"

End of Scene One