Church shows meaning of Christmas

The Plains Christian Missionary & Alliance Church fed and entertained community members and had the chance to show the real meaning of Christmas, said Kathy Logan, a church member and primary organizer of the "Christmas Dessert" Friday evening.

About 150 people, mostly members of the church, had free pie and cookies, watched several Christmas skits, and listened to music for about two hours.

"It was definitely a success," said Logan, who was pleased with the turnout and had to make room for more tables when more people than expected showed up.

The plays and music were put on my members of the Alliance Church and ranged from solo dramas, solo singing, to a 14-person choir, which was led by Tom Bushlen, the Plains School music teacher. A group of youth showed the more traditional birth of Jesus in a manger, although they added a cardboard box to the mix, and a more modern adaptation of the birth by Jennifer Albertson of Plains, who, as Mary, mother of Jesus, was calling her mother from a telephone booth about she and Joseph having trouble finding a place to stay after their vehicle broke down.

The drama, which went only a few minutes, was called "In Thy Dark Streets," said Logan.

The church's youth group put on three of the eight skits. One included a soldier in the Middle East who came across kids playing with a soccer ball made from trash. The soldier gave the kids a real soccer ball.

Heidi Mack and her 14-year-old daughter Bethany gave the crowd a flute duet, and Adam Jacobs, 13, and his brother Joel, 10, performed two solo piano pieces.

Logan said they put on the event to show people the true meaning of the birth of Jesus and what Christmas stands for.

The church gave out pies, cakes, cookies, coffee, and hot chocolate.