In November, the praise team responsible for the Christmas Eve service selected songs and began thinking about different “sounds, rhythms and feels” for the familiar carols that they had chosen. Rod, the leader, sent the musicians You Tube links to versions by Casting Crowns, Paul Baloche and Chris Tomlin. Everyone began practicing at home.
A traditional choir was scrapped in favour of a large group of back-up singers supporting the praise team. Andrea put out a call for vocalists and began separate rehearsals for the eighteen choristers who formed the choir.
We wanted drama, video and dance. Michael and Gary wrote a skit about two angels who wanted God to do something cataclysmic to the world, like a flood or a plague, only to be surprised by God’s decision to do something quiet and small for the world, like a baby in a manger with a message of love and grace. For a video, Michael went to the Skit Guys where he found “Mary and Joe”, a contemporary dramatization of the Christmas story. Nicole choreographed a dance for herself and the candle dancers for Barlowgirl’s compelling Christmas song, “Hallelujah (Light Has Come)”. I insisted on a traditional reading of Luke 2 with a brief message about Mary, the fifth flawed but faithful woman mentioned by name in Jesus’ genealogy.
Every praise team rehearsal was opened with prayer and Rod consistently asked God to make the rehearsals a time of worship, too. It felt that way every time that we practiced, even when we struggled with the challenges and the last-minute changes that are normal in full rehearsals. God knows every heart, and He surely knows that every person, including our sound and light guys, worshiped fully by working hard on this year’s Christmas Eve service.
The end product was a beautiful gift for Jesus the Christ, enjoyed by all. The magnificent tip of a massive iceberg of intense planning and hours of rehearsing.
Our only regret? We only got to do it once!
- Pastor Peter
A traditional choir was scrapped in favour of a large group of back-up singers supporting the praise team. Andrea put out a call for vocalists and began separate rehearsals for the eighteen choristers who formed the choir.
We wanted drama, video and dance. Michael and Gary wrote a skit about two angels who wanted God to do something cataclysmic to the world, like a flood or a plague, only to be surprised by God’s decision to do something quiet and small for the world, like a baby in a manger with a message of love and grace. For a video, Michael went to the Skit Guys where he found “Mary and Joe”, a contemporary dramatization of the Christmas story. Nicole choreographed a dance for herself and the candle dancers for Barlowgirl’s compelling Christmas song, “Hallelujah (Light Has Come)”. I insisted on a traditional reading of Luke 2 with a brief message about Mary, the fifth flawed but faithful woman mentioned by name in Jesus’ genealogy.
Every praise team rehearsal was opened with prayer and Rod consistently asked God to make the rehearsals a time of worship, too. It felt that way every time that we practiced, even when we struggled with the challenges and the last-minute changes that are normal in full rehearsals. God knows every heart, and He surely knows that every person, including our sound and light guys, worshiped fully by working hard on this year’s Christmas Eve service.
The end product was a beautiful gift for Jesus the Christ, enjoyed by all. The magnificent tip of a massive iceberg of intense planning and hours of rehearsing.
Our only regret? We only got to do it once!
- Pastor Peter
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