The Life of Christ in Living Pictures—

                      A Presentation by the Body of Christ Called Immnauel

            It is only August, but we are about to move from planning to preparation as we anticipate the 2002 presentation of The Life of Christ in Living Pictures. The first presentation of The Life of Christ in Living Pictures occurred on December 14^th, 15^th, and 16^th of 1984, and this year will be the nineteenth time we have offered this gift to our community during the Christmas season.

            The significance of The Life of Christ in Living Pictures for the life of Immanuel Baptist Church cannot be minimized. Many of us have experienced life-changing encounters with our Crucified and Risen Lord as we have participated in this portrayal of his life. There are many children and young people who cannot imagine Christmas without their participation in this story of the life of Christ. Some of them were the infant Jesus, but all of those who were born into the life of Immanuel have been part of this ministry at Christmas. In the Spring of 1993, as I was considering your invitation to serve as your minister, the presence of The Life of Christ in Living Pictures as one of the foundational ministries of Immanuel made the prospect of being your minister hopeful and exciting. During the past nine years, I have always been amazed by the potential of this ministry to strengthen us as a body and to be an effective witness for Christ in our community.

            Once a year, through the preparation and presentation of The Life of Christ in Living Pictures, our congregation experiences first hand the Pauline imagery of the church as the body of Christ. We are confronted time and time again with how essential each member of the body is. When the first note sounds for the beginning of the presentation this December, the choir and cast will be on stage. They will bring to life in music and drama the story of God’s love revealed in the gift of his only son, Jesus. For an hour and a half or more, these members of our congregation will be in the spotlight. Yet, this presentation would not take place without the commitment and sacrifice of countless others who will not be seen that night or whose presence will hardly be noticed.

            Our body begins to move into action in the early Fall. The beautiful costumes worn by members of the choir and cast will be crafted long before the first week in December. During the second week of November, a trailer will appear on the parking lot, and a work crew will descend upon our sanctuary removing pews, constructing a stage, hoisting curtains, hanging lights, and erecting platforms and towers. In a matter of hours, this crew will transform our sanctuary for the presentation. Their work will be done weeks before the first presentation.

            As rehearsals begin, the choir and cast will bring to life a script through music and drama that was completed in the summer months. There will be hours and hours of hard work and direction with many people making significant, but unseen, contributions. And while the rehearsals are underway, another group will be fulfilling ticket requests. They will be making sure that the sanctuary is filled each night as they get the tickets out to people.

            On the nights of the presentation, many members of our congregation will come together in significant ways. Yes, during the presentation, the choir and cast will be in the spotlight, but I cannot imagine the presentation getting started without the contributions of scores of people who will be barely noticed or not seen at all. Hours before the presentation, members of our congregation will be out on the parking lot preparing for the scores of cars that will bring hundreds of guests to the presentation. They will be the first to greet the people to whom we will offer our Christmas gift. At least an hour before the presentation begins, members of our congregation will be putting make-up on the faces of the cast and choir. I can’t imagine the story beginning without the lights coming up. All the beautiful costumes would be useless without lighting. We wouldn’t want to sit in the darkness and hear only voices singing. I can’t imagine the choir without the musicians. The orchestra will help to set the mood and to interpret the music. And it wouldn’t be Living Pictures at all without the people behind the scrim. These members behind the scrim hope they are never seen or heard by the people witnessing the story of Christ. Far from the stage and the presentation, there will be people caring for children, ushering people to their seats, and cleaning up the building for the next presentation after everyone leaves. Beyond all of this, there are the people who gave faithfully the moneys that make Living Pictures possible, and there are those who pray faithfully that the Spirit will inspire our presentation so God is honored and glorified.

            The Life of Christ in Living Pictures is a presentation by the body of Christ called Immanuel. It will not take place without the body working together. May we understand together how this ministry depends upon us all. Let us find our place of service and respond joyfully to the opportunity to bring this gift to life. For you see, when it is all said and done, all of our effort only has meaning if someone discovers the Christ we sought to portray. Christ is our head, and all we do is meaningless, if we are not seeking to be obedient to him first.

            I encourage you to find your place in this presentation this year. I assure you that whether you are seen or not we will not forget that your contribution was essential. I believe you will be blessed as you become part of this body, as we seek to offer the gift of Jesus Christ to our community at Christmas. It is only August, but the body is already at work.