In nearly a dozen Southern California Conference churches it was standing room only for annual holiday programs held before Christmas—and that was just the choirs. In most churches scheduling seasonal events, members and community residents filled church sanctuaries, coming to hear Christmas music performed by choirs and guest artists. Some events also featured video, narration, drama and pageantry.

Glendale Spanish

The Glendale Spanish church chorus presented morning and event performances of a concert, “Que Cielo y Tierra Canten” (Let Heaven and Earth Sing). A 45-voice choir with featured soloists presented vibrant Christmas songs that the group had also recorded a week earlier. The CD was introduced to the evening audience and sales were brisk at the end of the concert. According to chorus member Rossana Beltran, “Our chorus was primarily the church choir with some members joining in from nearby Adventist churches.” Carlos Manzo directed.

Flyers distributed in the community and among friends, co-workers and relatives drew an audience that filled the church. According to Beltran, funds from CD sales will assist in funding the group’s ministry, which will include an Easter concert.

Northridge

Highlights from Handel’s “Messiah” were performed in the Northridge and White Memorial churches, with both drawing large, appreciative audiences. The Northridge church production was performed on two successive evenings, the first at the Valley Crossroads church, followed by a final, Saturday evening presentation at the host church. According to producer Mavis B. Cordero, “We started rehearsing with our 12-voice Northridge church choir in June. After 12 rehearsals, we had a 25-piece orchestra and a 66-voice choir from area churches and the community. Some musicians came to perform from as far away as Temecula.” Paul Schwantes conducted.

In addition to members from area Adventist churches, 13 performers signed on from local Christian and Jewish congregations. “We are delighted with the community response and involvement in the music groups,” said Cordero, “since that is what we are here for, to reach out to the community and invite them.” The offering and funds raised prior to the event will help toward costs of the church’s planned Easter concert.

White Memorial

An estimated 750 persons attended the “Messiah” performance at the White Memorial church, which featured young adult soloists and orchestra members and a multi-generational choir. Soloists came to the event from Oakwood College, Morgan State and La Sierra universities. Lloyd Mallory, Jr., associate professor of music at Oakwood College and a doctoral candidate at U.C.L.A., was guest conductor.

One individual helping with the production noted, “An assortment of ages, backgrounds and cultures enjoyed Handel’s magnificent musical composition. While reviewing monitors from backstage, I witnessed people drawn to tears as they relished the soloists bring notes on the page to life. Truly this was an inspirational highpoint of this yuletide season.”

As the audience rose at the performance’s conclusion for the traditional, “Hallelujah Chorus,” members of the signing group, “Hands of Praise,” positioned themselves at the front, performing the beloved chorus. A procession of young women lent dramatic impact to the concluding moments, coming down the aisles waving metallic flags. According to producer Franklyn Broomfield, the next major production will be in May 2005 when Dr. Mallory performs his doctoral recital with a double chorus and a 60-piece orchestra at U.C.L.A. Young adults will be featured in that production as well.

Long Beach

Long Beach church youth co-directors Toese Salelesi and David Im mounted an ambitious dramatic presentation with scenes of Christmas through the centuries. Scenes depicting Christmas in medieval times as well as an orphanage scene based on Dickens’ Christmas Carol and the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s were included.

“This was the second time we performed ‘A Time for Christmas,’” said Salelesi, “and we had more people come than the first time. We were afraid we would run out of food for the reception afterward!”