By Brian Blackwell, Marketing Director
To say December is a busy month for Southern Baptist churches around the state is an understatement.
Fireworks displays, live nativities, singing Christmas trees, candlelight services and musicals are a few of the long-standing traditions of Louisiana Baptist congregations.
And behind each note sung and each Christmas tree branch decorated are months of planning by organizers.
“Those who volunteer believe they’re doing something of lasting value and they’re willing to get involved,” said Alan Shoumaker, minister of music and worship at Jefferson Baptist Church in Baton Rouge. “It’s an opportunity for the church members to connect and invite their friends. They feel like they’ve invested in something that’s beyond themselves.”
For 16 years Jefferson Baptist has presented what Shoumaker said is known as a Baton Rouge Christmas tradition – the Twin Living Christmas Trees. As soon as the last performance ends, leadership starts brainstorming for next year’s event, though preparations are in full gear by August.
About 350 people are involved in the production, including an adult and children’s choir, cast, greeters and parking crew. Shoumaker said such preparation is needed to produce an event that includes a choir standing on platforms that form two trees, elaborate costumes, computerized lights and a parade of wooden soldiers.
“We have more secular music in the first half but after an intermission is when the real celebration begins,” Shoumaker said. “The second half focuses on sharing the story of Christ’s birth. It’s about sharing the greatest story ever told.”
For those 50 to 100 who make a decision for Christ, members from Jefferson Baptist will visit their homes and share more about the church and their relationship with Christ.
“It’s a far-reaching impact, one that goes beyond just a performance,” Shoumaker said.
Macedonia Baptist, Effie
A 30-minute fireworks display lit up the sky in the community of Effie, as Macedonia Baptist used this as one tool to reach the area during the Christmas season.
Scheduled as part of its children’s program and cantata on Dec. 16, the church has executed a fireworks display for at least 10 years, said Pastor Michael Wilkinson. Between three and four members coordinate the fireworks show, which undergoes planning in September.
And children from the church’s Awana program served in roles of the characters alongside live animals during a drive-thru nativity on Dec. 19.
“This is a way of giving back to the community,” Wilkinson said. “Christmas is all about giving and the Lord gave to us Jesus.
“When a church gives back to the community and reach out, that puts a good taste in others’ mouths here,” he said. “The main thrust is we want to get the gospel out. We don’t want them to be entertained but hear the true message of the season.”
Trinity Baptist, Lake Charles
Carol Hester, worship ministry assistant at Trinity Baptist, describes the church’s annual Christmas pageant as a generational event for some.
“We have veterans who have participated each of the past 26 years we’ve had this pageant,” Hester said. “That helps out from a production standpoint, since they are familiar with where everything is each year.”
Planning for the annual Christmas pageant – called “Peace, Hope and Joy to the World” this year – begins in the summer, Hester said. The event featured drama, LED lighting and music from around the world by the choir and orchestra.
The choir rehearsed for more than 10 hours, in addition to learning 11 new songs during their own free time. Organizers also delegated assignments for the cast, production staff, orchestra, costume crew and even the volunteers who greeted guests attending one of its three performances, which were held Dec. 8 and 9.
Hester said while they always strive to present a quality program, their goal is to present a message of hope that can only be found in Christ.
“The spiritual aspect is definitely something we stress,” Hester said. “Many times people come to our church because of the program.”
First Baptist, Minden
More than 210 members of the congregation participated in its “Christmas Is Jesus” choir and orchestra program. Preparations started in October, with a promotional campaign the including newspaper, radio and local TV station ads. The orchestra and adult and children’s choir practiced every Wednesday and Sunday to prepare for the program, which had 600 people in attendance for the music and narration event.
Music secretary Amber Romero said the program allowed the congregation to reach out to its community. In the end, Romero said, the program achieved its purpose – spreading Christ’s love to those in attendance.
“We always have a great turn out each year and everyone that comes leaves feeling blessed,” Romero said. “We know that it is nothing that we do but that the Holy Spirit touches the hearts of the people that come.”
Airline Baptist, Bossier City
Thespians took to the stage for three performances earlier in the month of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” The dinner theatre, performed by 30 members of Airline Baptist in Bossier City, was adapted from a popular book about a couple struggling to produce a Christmas pageant with a cast of delinquent children.
About 300 people from the Shreveport-Bossier City metropolitan area attended the performances, which underwent preparation in September. Preparations included the cast learning their lines, building the stage, making costumes and mailing out promotional material.
After the performances concluded volunteers followed up with those who indicated they were not members of an area church.
“Those who attended hopefully learned that this story was about accepting people who aren’t like us and that God can use anybody if that person just lets Him,” said music minister Bruce Edwards. “For those who came to see the dinner theatre we hope they took away that the Christmas story is about love and giving love.”