Christmas “Showtime” Approaching Fast

Nov 3, 2005 8:00 AM

It’s early November, and all over America the thoughts of church media directors and other planners are turning to what is often the church’s biggest outreach event of the year, the Christmas show.

At this point, of course, any church whose Christmas pageant or production plans aren’t very far along should probably think about waiting until next year. But the country abounds in holiday programs that have been staged for years, have gained tremendous popular followings, and occupy the energies of hundreds of people for months leading up to the Christmas season.

At First Baptist Raytown in Raytown, Mo., this year’s “Heart of America Christmas Pageant” will be the 26th edition. Last year’s show drew more than 23,000 people over 10 performances and resulted in more than 2,500 professions of faith, says church communications specialist Jennifer Anthony. More than 700 volunteers are involved in presenting the 90-minute drama.

Planning for the big event is underway by early summer. “Volunteer recruitment and auditions occur in late August through mid-September, and rehearsals take place most heavily in October, November, and early December,” Anthony says.

Similarly, large and popular events are staged at many other churches, ranging from modest community affairs to highly professional staged events in the sanctuaries of mega-churches. The Christmas program is not always a dramatic production. At Southland Christian Church, for example, this year’s “Gloria” performances will feature the church choir, orchestra, praise band, and a long list of guest soloists.

The concert approach is a departure, says Associate Technical Services Director Clifton Grimm. “We did a full-scale staged production for years, but the focus of those events was becoming blurred, and rather than just continuing to plug along and do something we've always done, we are trying some new things.”

Another change Grimm cites is moving the event earlier in December in an effort to avoid infringing on people's time with their families.

“The holidays just get so hectic that we felt like it was good for us to move the events a bit further from the actual Christmas weekend," Grimm says.

At the huge Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, pageant planners are warning potential ticket buyers that the show includes strobe lights, fog, loud noises, and other special events. But those FX are typical of what has been, in recent years, a highly publicized and strongly attended event. This year’s program has about a dozen scheduled performances.

Some other Christmas entertainment events, while much more modest, are also strongly traditional. Perhaps the best known of these traditions is the “Living Christmas Tree.” In this staging, choir members perform on risers in an array designed to look like — you've got it — a Christmas tree.

It may be traditional and popular, but at least one prominent church media consultant has had enough. Anthony Coppedge of Church Media Consulting recently sounded off about these productions in his blog. “I mean, how hard is it to stack up a bunch of choir members, surround them with dangerous levels of electricity, and have them sing a medley of songs?” he asks.

“We end up watching as little lights follow the same three chase patterns around and around, up and down the choir-shaped-like-a-pointy-Christmas-tree. And no amount of moving lights and fog can overcome this inherently goofy and uninspiring scenario. Where's the originality? Where's the inventiveness? Where's the entertainment value? Where's the relevance?”

Whether it’s a modest choral performance, a children’s re-enactment of the Nativity, or a polished professional show, Christmas productions have become a central part of the season at churches across America.