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Zechariah Echo Pantomime

December 4, 2017 by Sybil Macbeth Leave a Comment

One of my favorite intergenerational Christian Formation tools is the echo pantomime. Echo pantomimes tell a story with words and movement. They are a playful, full-bodied way to learn a Bible story and to build community. Here’s how the form works:
1.Choose a leader–an adult or a child who can read.
2. The leader reads a line of the script and performs the indicated action at the same time.
3. The group echoes the leader’s words and gestures.
4. The leader says the next line with the action; the group copies the words and actions again.
5. The back and forth between leader and group continues until the story is complete.

Echo pantomimes can be used with a large group of people or even with a small family. Adults seem to enjoy the movement and playfulness  as much as children. The Zechariah story below can be repeated over and over during Advent. With lots of repetition a group can eventually do it together without a leader, almost as a dance.

Below is the Luke 1 Echo Pantomime of Zechariah’s encounter with the angel Gabriel. It was first published in The Season of the Nativity: Confessions and Practices of an Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany Extremist (2014)  You can download a .pdf or .jpg version of this Zechariah Voice and Body piece.

.pdf    or .jpg

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Filed Under: Praying in Color Tagged With: Advent, Echo Pantomime, Luke 1, The Season of the Nativity-- Confessions and Practices of an Advent-Christmas and Epiphany Extremist, Zechariah

Zechariah Advent

December 24, 2010 by Sybil Macbeth Leave a Comment

Today is the last day of my Zechariah Advent. When the angel of the Lord announces Elizabeth’s pregnancy to Zechariah, old Zechariah questions the ludicrous possibility. His disbelief earns him nine months of muteness (Luke 1:11-22). My voice, unlike Zechariah’s, did not vanish completely. Just the volume of my speaking voice and my singing voice disappeared.

The Ear, Nose and Throat doc found no scary symptoms from a pathological perspective.  There are no nodes, growths or tumors. But while the doctor asked me to sing and say “E’s” with a 3/8″ diameter stainless steel probe spelunking in my throat, he commented about the behavior of my vocal chords. “Your vocal chords are supposed to touch lightly when you speak and sing. Yours smash and gnash against each other.” It makes sense to me. I tend to exert more energy then necessary or helpful most of the time. I clench my fists and grind my teeth. I had a ballet teacher who called me Godzilla: “You attack every step. Lighten up. Dynamics, dear, dynamics.” My middle school tennis coach accused me of trying to kill every ball.

After decades of vocal abuse, my Godzilla, killer approach to speaking has taken its toll. I now have an appointment for some vocal therapy officially called “Vocal Hygiene.” The title makes me feel dirty, like I’ve forgotten to floss or gargle with enough Listerine®.

Unlike Zechariah (unless a miracle occurs), I won’t have my entire voice back by tomorrow’s Nativity. I’ll miss singing carols at tonight’s Christmas Eve service.  But that’s okay. When my tired voice was really shot about three weeks ago I was more careful about when and how I spoke. As the strength of my voice returns I have some unpleasant observations. I’m quicker to speak and I am louder. I’m snappier with my family and friends. Vocal abuse and verbal abuse seem to go hand in hand. I hope the therapy will teach me to lighten up and speak with gentleness. I hope it will make me more attentive to both my speaking and my speech.

P.S. Thanks for your prayers.

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Filed Under: Praying in Color Tagged With: Elizabeth, Luke 1, vocal hygiene, vocal therapy, Zechariah

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