HADLEY — In the role of Joseph for the past few years, Avery Stone of Easthampton is accustomed to telling the story of Christ’s birth at a service inside the First Congregational Church of Hadley.
On a bright but brisk afternoon on Sunday, Dec. 6, Stone, 17, accompanied by his sister Sarah, 11, as Mary, and a small donkey, walked on the sidewalk in front of the building, as “O Little Town of Bethlehem” played, before ascending the church steps to sit in a makeshift creche.
“This is really weird for me. There are so many more animals than usual,” Stone said.
Besides the donkey, three baby lambs and a few goats, all provided by Parsons Farm, brought life to the production.
The Stone siblings were joined by several other families playing angels, shepherds and magi for the first outdoors, drive-by Christmas pageant at the church. Pastor Thomas Wilcox narrated the story, and Toni Wilcox brought the organ outside to play hymns.
Sarah Stone has been in previous productions, but has not had the chance to play Mary. “The different thing is we’re outside, and the fact that there’s so many animals,” Sarah said.
Lila West, a member of the church’s Board of Christian Education, said the COVID-19 pandemic forced the church to adapt, using family pods for the specific roles, and a willingness from parents to join their children in the production.
“We were really happy to bring this to the community in an authentic way,” West said.
Planning for the production had been underway since September, said Jean Baxter, the Sunday school coordinator. Baxter said it’s been critical to find new ways to do church events during the pandemic.
Hadley Media recorded the event, which will be broadcast on Charter Channel 191 and Hadley Media’s YouTube channel.
Spectators gathered on the lawn to watch or stayed warm in their cars, where they could see the pageant and hear it on their car radios. At the conclusion of each 20-minute performance, there were not only cheers, but honking horns. That appreciation was welcome for the performers, West said.
“It was amazing,” West said.
