PASADENA--Two millennia ago, give or take a few years, Jesus was born, and angels announced the good news to shepherds nearby. God inspired Matthew and Luke to include the story in Scripture, and it has been part of the Christian story ever since. It is still news for many people.
The story is so simple that a child can understand it, and traditionally, children have participated in it through Nativity plays and musicals. Children rejoice in the good news that a Savior was born for us. By rehearsing the story themselves, they will not easily forget that God came to earth as a humble human to save us from our sins.
Children in the Pasadena congregations performed "Twas the Night Before," a musical drama about Jesus' birth, narrated through a poem set in the rhythm of a well-known Christmas poem. Two performances were given: Sunday, Dec. 12, in the New Life Fellowship in the Recital Hall, and Saturday, Dec. 19, in the Pasadena A.M. congregation in Ambassador Auditorium.
The play was written by Rachel Olson and copyrighted by the Contemporary Drama Service. The play was directed and costumed by Janet Morrison, member of the New Life Fellowship, with help from many others.
The star of the show was wrapped in swaddling cloths. Shown here are some of the
supporting cast--Abel Dizon as Gabriel, Betsy Hanson as Mary, Steven Morrison as Joseph,
Stephanie and Tiffany Perez as shepherds, Michelle Murphy and Carmel Dizon as narrators,
plus the choir. The congregations joined the children in singing the closing song, Joy to
the World. [Photos by Thomas C. Hanson and Ron Grove]
EDMONTON,
Alberta, Canada--Ross Jutsum, former chair of the Ambassador University Music Department,
appeared here in concert, Sunday evening, Dec. 19.
People's Pentecostal Church, pastored by Laurence Hueppelsheuser, and the Edmonton WCG jointly sponsored the evening. The three hundred plus in attendance enjoyed contemporary worship and traditional hymns celebrating Jesus' birth.
Dr. Jutsum travels full time for State of the Heart Music Ministries, serving congregations across denominational lines.
Members from both congregations expressed pleasure with the concert and the shared evening of worship.
Joe Kaldun, WCG member, said, "I love to see our congregations co-operating in love and unity!"
The Edmonton WCG congregation shares the People's Church building, meeting Saturday mornings and cooperating on a number of community outreach programs. Bob Millman.
The Westchester, Manhattan and Middletown, New York, churches collected more than 167 shoe boxes filled with toys, candy, hygiene products, school supplies and other small items for Operation Christmas Child.
Operation Christmas Child provides opportunities for people of all ages to be involved in a hands-on mission project that reaches needy children in more than 50 countries.
This project sends a message of hope to children in crisis areas of the world through gift-filled boxes, relief aid and Christian literature. The children are shown the greatest gift of all, the love of Jesus Christ. Susan Boedeker.
CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee--The Chattanooga and Murphy, North Carolina, Women's Ministry participated in Operation Christmas Child for the third consecutive year.
Operation Christmas Child is a project of Franklin Graham's Samaritan's Purse. Shoe boxes are wrapped, labeled with age and gender, and filled with appropriate clothing, school supplies, toys, candy and personal hygiene products.
The Women's Ministry also included notes identifying themselves and telling the recipient of God's gift of Jesus Christ.
The Women's Ministry collected donations from the church in October. On Nov. 13, the women met to hear Miracle in a Shoe Box, a book from Samaritan's Purse that tells the story of a shoe box. Afterward, the women assembled the boxes and followed with a sack lunch.
Gloria O'Neal, leader of the Women's Ministry, delivered 152 boxes to a collection terminal Nov. 21, where they were designated for Kosovo.
For more information about Samaritan's Purse, visit their website at www.samaritan.org Tammy Perez.
FORT WORTH, Texas--The three Fort Worth WCG congregations; Daybreak Fellowship, an interdenominational church in Euless, Texas; and the Dallas North congregation shared in the Operation Christmas Child project.
Wayne and Patsy Plumlee of Dallas North and Max and Oleta Devereaux of Fort Worth attended a Daybreak Fellowship service to dedicate and ask God's blessing on about 100 colorfully wrapped boxes, asking that each would reach their destination and that each child could hear about Jesus and his wonderful love. Oleta Devereaux.
CHRISTMAS CHILD PARTICIPANTS--
From left, Wayne and Patsy Plumlee and Oleta and Max Devereaux
PITTSFIELD, Massachusetts-- The Pittsfield congregation shared a Christmas service with the Immanuel Community Church of Pittsfield Dec. 26.
The service included praise music, a sermon titled Heaven Couldn't Keep Silent, an offering and communion. The celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ transcended all boundaries as believers met to worship our Lord together.
This service was the third interdenominational service the two congregations shared in 1999. This blending of voices in praise, the experience of different forms of worship and the common fellowship has enriched both congregations. Tom D'Ettore.
Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 2000