Before you start the story have a chat about the things we do every day at home. If it is an intergenerational group ensure that a number of different ages explain their daily lives. Hopefully you will chat about things like emptying the dishwasher, washing clothes, vacuuming, making dinner, tidying up, walking the dog, playing games, going to work/school/uni, watching TV etc. Explain that today’s story is about a young woman who was having a very normal day, doing everyday things, but she lived in a town called Nazareth a long time ago in a country far away. The things she did every day might have been a bit different from what we do. Ask what kind of things she might have been doing? Chat about this together - she would have prepared food, washed and cleaned, helped in her family’s fields around the town, collected water from the well, and helped the other women look after their children. Our story begins on one of those normal days…

Mary lived in a town called Nazareth in Galilee.

She was engaged to be married to Joseph who was a carpenter, he made things out of wood.

God sent the angel Gabriel to Mary. The angel said to her, “The Lord has blessed you in a special way. He is with you.”

The angel said to her, “The Lord has blessed you in a special way. He is with you.”

Mary was very upset because of his words. She wondered what kind of Greeting this could be!

But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid. Mary. God is very pleased with you.”

“You will become pregnant and Give birth to a son. You must call him Jesus. He will be great and be called The Son of the Most High God.”

“How can this happen?” Mary asked the angel. “I am not even married!”

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit Will come to you. The Holy One that is born Will be called the Son of God.”

“Your relative Elizabeth will have a child. People thought she couldn’t have children. But she has been pregnant for six months now. That’s because what God says Will always come true.”

“I serve the Lord,” Mary answered “I serve the Lord,” Mary answered. “May it happen to me just as you said it would.” Then the angel left her.

Mary got ready and hurried to a town In the hill country.

Then she entered Zechariah’s house And greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, The baby inside her jumped.

Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she called out, “God has blessed you more than other women. And blessed is the child you will have! Why is God so kind to me? Why has the mother of my Lord come to me?

“As soon as I heard the sound of your voice The baby inside me Jumped for joy. You are a woman God has blessed You have believed that the Lord would keep his promises to you!”

Then Mary sang a song, Here is a little bit of the song, “My soul gives glory to the Lord, My Spirit delights in God my Saviour, he has taken note of me, Even though I am not Considered important!”

“From now on all people Will call me blessed. The mighty one has done great things For me. His name is holy.”

“He shows his mercy to those Who have respect for him, From parent to child Down through the years.”

Illustrated by Graeme Hewitson Bibleworld Books contain stories adapted from the Contemporary English Version of the Bible. Illustrated by Graeme Hewitson © 2018 The Scottish Bible Society Company number SC238687, Scottish Charity SC010767 All rights reserved. The Scottish Bible Society 7 Hampton Terrace, Edinburgh. EH12 5XU scottishbiblesociety.org