For Unto Us A Child Is Born

Once again, people from this great Valley combine their talents, time and love to present a wonderful Community Christmas Concert. Around 60 singers, 25 orchestra members, 7 actors, a narrator, 2 sound technicians with 4 - 5 helpers, a decorator, a flower man, a music composer, pianists, a writer, a director and many, many more combine forces to create a show that retells the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. The story is thousands of years old and we have each heard it countless times, yet when we hear it again, we love it more! For some reason, we remember better who we are and what kind of people we should be. We want to be kinder, more loving and feel more peace in our souls.

The choir sang so beautifully! Each song was sung with such tenderness and love. The orchestra never sounded better! Each year, the concert seems to be better. This year, actors were added who played the roles of Isaiah (Earl), Elisabeth (Joyce Ann Draper) and Zacharias (Sterling Draper), Mary (Holly Shuppy) and Joseph (Braxton Farmer), a shepherd (Taylor Larsen) and a wiseman (Jim Curtis). Oh my...each character was so believeable! I felt like I was really listening to one of Isaiah's prophecies! Zacharias was totally shocked and surprised at the news the Angel Gabriel had for him and Elisabath...kind and generous and thrilled to be the mother of the forerunner to the Messiah.


When Holly as Mary entered and greeted Elisabeth, I truly felt I had witnessed two dear friends exchanging their love and support for each other. Mary was so beautiful and obedient...such a pure vessell! Never had I understood the words of "Lo, How A Rose E're Blooming," better than I did that night. Then when Joseph spoke of his incredibly mixed emotions over the situation, I felt relief that the Gabriel would visit him and assure him that what he was doing was right. Joseph and Mary were perfect!


Once the couple arrived at the stable, the choir sang "Away in A Manger" with the utmost reverence. The harmonies of the clarinets and fluists were amazing and the strings were absolutely beautiful! I thought my heart would burst open when the shepherd boy told of his experience on the hillside and of the visit of the angels and his trip to the stable to visit the newborn king. Never have I ever witnessed such a believelable wiseman as Jim Curtis! The testimony he shared thc at the new baby was truly the King of the Jews was touching and bore straight into my heart.
The concluding song by the orchestra and choir was nothing short of amazing! "Oh, Come All Ye Faithful" never sounded better!
As I said previously, people in this community join their talents to produce this wonderful concert and it is for this very reason I love living here. When love, talent and generosity are combined, the end product is exactly what the Savior, Jesus Christ, came to this world to teach us!