If you grew up in church you may have memories of Christmas Pageants where church kids dressed up as Mary and Joseph to tell the story of Christ’s birth. As the 1950s and ‘60s model of Sunday School began to change and decline in churches of all denominations, many gave up their annual Christmas pageants for other kinds of events. Sometimes it’s good to give up the old traditions, but sometimes it’s an experience of throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
What was good about the pageants? They provided a way for children to sing, play and create community in a focused and yet creative way. Children are born musicians and story tellers but this joy is being lost in our culture along with a sense of belonging to a faith community.
What is good to see go about the old pageants? After a while the same way of doing things loses the attention energy and passion of the most committed adult, let alone a wary child. Learning can be fun, and playing together is important for emotional and spiritual well being.
The United Methodist Churches of Clearlake and Middletown are pleased to announce that each community will be starting a children and youth choir in October. The Clearlake Choir will rehearse on Tuesdays from 3:45-5 p.m. beginning Oct. 4 and continuing through Dec. 6. The Middletown Choir will rehearse on Thursdays from 3:45-5 p.m. beginning Oct. 6 and continuing through Dec. 8.
Neither choir will meet the week of Thanksgiving and both will have their Christmas performance the morning of Sunday, Dec. 11.
The choir is free and is open to Kindergarten through 12th grade students. Preregistration is requested so we have enough copies of the music available. To receive a registration form for either community choir please email PastorShannon@earthlink.net or leave a message at 994-2134 for the Clearlake Choir or 987-3379 for the Middletown Choir.
