Christmas Concerts are More Than Beautiful Music

By Tom Brantigan

By now, many of you are aware that Central's Christmas Concert, "Christmas Brass Tied up with Strings and Bows," is coming soon and that this year it will be done twice given the very large numbers of people who have traditionally attended this concert. This year, the Chancel Choir of Timonium Presbyterian Church will join our own Chancel Choir along with orchestra, a brass ensemble, Jay at the mighty Casavant pipe organ, our Children's Choir and, of course, you, our congregation, to celebrate the birth of Christ in a grand and splendid way.

Performances will take place on Friday, December 15th, at 7:00 pm and then again on Sunday, December 17th, at 4:00 pm.

If you have attended in the past, you know how wonderful and moving the concert is and you are probably smiling just thinking about it! If you have never attended, you need to. You hear beautiful music and get to sing all your favorite Christmas carols along with the orchestra, organ, and singers, all in a grand tradition that you will seldom find anywhere. But... think about the real opportunity that this occasion gives us. The concert is more than just familiar Christmas music. It is even more than just a worship service, though it certainly is that.

Central's Christmas Concert is an opportunity for each of you in our congregation to be an evangelist and to carry Christ's message well beyond our physical walls. This is the golden opportunity for you to invite your friends to share in the experience, hear the Story, and think about the meaning of God coming to us in the birth of a baby.

Here are a few suggestions:

First and foremost, this is a family affair and not something just for adults. Bring your kids, your parents, your grandparents - bring everyone you know! Enjoy a Norman Rockwell moment!

Invite your friends over for dinner and a concert or concert and a dinner and assure them that this will be a concert from which you guarantee they will leave smiling! Particularly, if you know people who do not attend church regularly, these are the people who need to touch their roots through the familiar music of Christmas. Be the one to bring someone back into the church.

You may know people who really need this, even if they don't realize it. The Christmas season is a time for great happiness, but also a time for severe loneliness for some. Share your joy and bring them to a warm, inviting, and soothing atmosphere.

If you are in college or high school, this is a great opportunity for a date! Introduce your friends to Central through some very exciting music. Then go out for coffee and dessert and talk about how active Central really is in the world. Invite them to be part of it.

This is the golden opportunity to share the message of Christ!

Now, given the crowds from previous years, we encourage you all to come early; but this year, we also encourage many of you to come on Friday night when we expect to have the most available space.

Yes, the Chancel Choir's annual Christmas concert is far more than beautiful music. The choir has done its part to learn the music; now do your part and complete the package!