Christmas Concert

Christmas is coming, and with it the Christmas concert. This year I'm in charge, and it's going fairly well. Each class is doing their own thing (except the small ones are joining my class since there aren't many of them). There will also be some special music from some of the children.

That special music...that was almost my downfall. I asked the music person for help; she delegated it to someone else, and that is where the trouble started. The someone else first had an idea that she wanted to do with the whole Sunday School, so I had to explain that each class already had a plan. I told her I had just been asking about special music, and when we parted we agreed that I would let her know when we needed her help with the singing (because my class generally needs help; I can't sing). Then today I learned that she had spoken to a mom about having her son play piano for the Christmas Concert...but hadn't told me. In fact, she had a list of people to talk to because the other music person asked her to find people, but no one thought to ask me how many people we actually needed. I stopped her before she could ask anyone else and we've settled on three pieces of special music, and someone suggested that other people could do music during the offertory in December.

A note to my readers: if you're asked to help, remember that you're helping, not in charge, and that the person in charge needs to know what's going on. This same person spoke with me about doing music with Junior Church, and when I said she should talk to the teachers and that we would talk on Sunday, evidently took that to mean, "Go ahead and do it." We had another conversation about talking to the teachers first to find out if they want help with music, and also not taking time away from the teaching.

Okay, back to the Christmas Concert: My class had our first rehearsal today. I really need to teach the shepherds to look frightened without over-acting. They like over-acting, but need to remember that it's not about them. In fact, I finally sent one shepherd back to sit down because he wouldn't behave. Next week we'll have the little guys with us, so that should make it even more fun!

I think I have everything all arranged. I have someone else in charge of the Junior/Senior High class. They are doing a reading (well, actually they're all memorizing their verses) that goes back and forth from prophecies about Christ's birth to the fulfillment. Their teacher is great, but he admitted that he needs help getting it set up properly. I wrote the original script and know how it was supposed to work, and I talked it over with a friend who has agreed to get them trained (I believe she plans to use a combination of threats and bribery). The other class will be fine, and the kids doing the special music are all well trained.

I am not going to worry about it....really!

Here, to prepare you for Christmas, on of my favourites.