Alabama churches use Christmas events as opportunities to point people to Jesus

For many churches, Christmas is a season for nativity scenes, musicals and advent celebrations.
   
Traditional celebrations remain strong with some churches even performing cantatas several nights a week to give church and community members an opportunity to attend. Other churches, however, are becoming more intentionally evangelistic with their presentations. But all seek a way to share the root of Christmas’ meaning — Christ’s birth.
   
For Agape Baptist Church, Scottsboro, in Tennessee River Baptist Association a Christmas musical doesn’t mean the traditional candlelit cantata. It means building a cruise ship and sewing costumes for the “Cricket County Christmas Cruise.” This is the first time this drama will be presented during Agape Baptist’s annual Christmas dinner theater, according to the church’s Web Site.
   
Randy Sharpe, Agape minister of music, described the production as a “whole-church project.” Rehearsals began in August and more than 100 church members are participating by singing, serving, acting, cooking, building the boat deck sets or providing technical support.
   
The dinner theater is a “great way to reach the unchurched,” Sharpe said. “It’s a non-threatening invitation to church.” The dinner theater sets sail Dec. 6–8.
   
Jeff Mann, Tennessee River Association director of missions, attended last year’s dinner theater shortly after moving to the area. Describing the event as “very rewarding, very excellent and very well-done,” he added, “My little girl still talks about it.”
   
Sharpe said although this year’s production hasn’t yet begun, he is already looking forward to next year when the dinner theater will be held in Agape’s new sanctuary. The six-year-old church currently meets in a shopping center and averages about 250 in worship.
   
In Birmingham Baptist Association, NorthPark Baptist Church, Trussville, is seeking to reach the unchurched as well as the reality TV generation. “A Reality Christmas” shows what can happen to an ordinary family man when he gets too wrapped up in his job and the television. Through a series of  dreams straight from reality television, he comes to discover what’s truly real and important at Christmastime. Set for Dec. 10–11, the original drama written by a church member includes more than 300 singers, from children to adults, and is choreographed by Walt Disney choreographer Chris McPherson.
   
“Singing Christmas trees” continue to be popular around the state. Moundville Baptist Church, Moundville, in Hale Baptist Association will continue its long-standing tradition Dec. 9–11. Led by David Williams, Moundville Baptist’s music director, the singing Christmas tree has been presented at least 20 of his 27 years there.
   
Hale Association Director of Missions Denny Goodwin called the presentation “a great event for our area.”
   
The tree has become an important tradition, noted Pastor Scott Stevens. “It is a celebration of the season and who Christ is. We want the community to see that we truly celebrate Jesus.” 
   
He added that the event has become an excellent outreach tool and many who wouldn’t normally attend church will attend the presentation. In his four years as pastor, Stevens has seen families join the church because of the living Christmas tree event. 
   
As one walks by Cropwell Baptist Church in St. Clair Baptist Association the sounds of cows mooing, donkeys braying and vendors hawking their wares in the open marketplace of Bethlehem fill the air. The church is praying for more than 1,000 families to travel “Back to Bethlehem,” which is the first major Christmas project at the church for Andy Hadley, Cropwell’s minister of music and worship. It is “bigger than we ever imagined,” he said.
   
More than 100 costumed actors will bring Bethlehem to Cropwell Dec. 10–11. About 75 costumes were sewn and more than a dozen roofed structures were built for the event. It includes a 25-minute tour of Bethlehem dramatizing the night of Jesus’ birth, a video presentation by Pastor Greg Corbin and snacks. 
   
South Alabama offers its own taste of Bethlehem at Bethel Baptist Church, Robertsdale, in Baldwin Baptist Association. For the third year, the church presents its annual “Bethlehem Walk,” a live, dramatized nativity. Church member Kaydra Taylor, who coordinates the event with her husband, Buddy, said, “The event keeps growing and we hope to keep adding more to it each year.”
   
Christmas will be indoors and outdoors at Union Hill Baptist Church, Oneonta, in Friendship Baptist Association as it hosts its 11th annual “Christmas in the Country.” 
   
Pastor Bill Barnett called the holiday event a “gift to the community” that is considered by many to be the kickoff of the holiday season. “For some of us, it’s just not Christmas yet until we’ve done ‘Christmas in the Country,’” he explained.
   
Since its inception, the event has included  white-light decorations, symbolizing Jesus as the light of the world, and a live nativity guests may walk or drive through.
   
Barnett said as the church has grown, the Christmas event has evolved and become larger, estimating that about 200 church members are involved in the Dec. 9–10 production. It has expanded to include games, prizes, puppetry and a musical drama, held indoors.
   
The production has also become an evangelistic tool, Barnett said. “Every year we’ve done ‘Christmas in the Country’ someone has been saved.”