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‘Paper Bag Pageant’ to encore at Holy Innocents on Dec. 13

By Staff | Dec 10, 2009

The Virgin Mary (Haily Lambert) holds Baby Jesus (Ryan Guest) during the 2008 “Paper Bag Pageant” at Lahaina’s Holy Innocents Church.

LAHAINA — An innovative “paper bag” Christmas Pageant will highlight the 10 a.m. Sunday service on Dec. 13 at Lahaina’s Holy Innocents Church.

For that Sunday only, there will be one Lessons & Carols service at 10 a.m. Special choral effects will be provided by the visiting Honors Choir of Sacred Hearts School.

“Every member of the audience has a role to play,” explained Father Bill Albinger, newly appointed rector of the historic Episcopal church on Front Street. 

Paper bags will be given out at the door, audience members will don costumes during the Lessons and Carols, and then, in turn and upon proper cue by the narrator, every person will silently join the manger scene assembling before the altar. 

“And it’s so affirming of the joyous spirit of this season when all the people in the pews come forward to help us reenact the birth scene of the Christ Child. It’s been a real chicken-skin moment, as well as a great photo op, for all of us,” he said.

The idea was borrowed from St. John’s-Kula two years ago by Pageant Director Penny Wakida. This year marks the third year in a row that it has been a Holy Innocents happening.

Assistants Jane Cambouris and Diane Delos Reyes will also be on hand to help transform the church’s traditional pageant into a family affair tableau.

The one-hour Christmas pageant service is open to all. The service will be followed by refreshments on the church lawn.