Plains churches celebrate with Christmas choir
The choir performs at the Community Christmas Choir Concert and sing-along Saturday at the Plains Bible Chapel. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
Pastor Rich Culbretson gives a Christmas message prior to the concert. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
Jennifer Avilla sings during the Christmas concert. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
Donnie Croft sings and plays the piano. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
Ailie and Anaelle Avilla perform "Jingle Bells" as a piano duet. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
Adelle Emory with Kalem Ercanbrack on trumpet. (Tracy Scott/Valley Press)
The second annual Community Christmas Choir Concert and sing-along took place Saturday evening at the Plains Bible Chapel.
Members from several different churches sang traditional Christmas songs, and at times asked the audience to sing along with the choir.
Choir director Jeanine Croft was instrumental in recruiting singers from the various churches to participate.
Croft said that she has been working hard to get the word out to the community. Three more youth singers were added to the choir this year. Choir members committed to several practices in preparation for the Saturday evening performance.
Pastor Rich Culbertson opened the concert with a Christmas message. Many of the popular Christmas songs were heard including "Silent Night," "Deck the Halls" and a special musical number rewritten by Croft called "A Tender Montana Christmas." The song generated extended applause from the audience.
This year’s free concert had over a hundred people in attendance.
Phil Seng said, “I think it’s great that churches came together to give a concert.”
A light dinner was offered after the concert.
Croft said, “In my efforts to make this event a community tradition, I think we are well on our way. We have already had several people request to be included for next year in both the adult choir and the children's group. For me, it is so fun to see the families working together on their special numbers, to see everyone having a good time and coming together as a community to celebrate Jesus Christ's birth. I have already picked out some new music for next year and look forward to working with everyone to put on our Third Annual Community Christmas Concert and Sing-Along!”
