Voices of Christmas – Savannah United Church’s Christmas Cantata, told the story of Christmas through many different voices, past and present, through narration and song.

The choir, under the direction of Noel Wallace, had certainly been practicing very hard. The singing, both from the choir as a whole as well as from soloists, was note-perfect from start to finish.

Due to the tremendous success of the performance last year, the Cantata was presented both in the morning and the evening at the church, with standing room only in the morning and nearly full up in the evening too.

It began with a narrated introduction from the church minister, Rev Donovan Myers, with individual choir members voicing cheery

Christmas-time greetings: “These are the familiar voices of Christmas we look forward to hearing every year. Your neighbours, your relatives, kids you know.” Another voice from the choir picked up the narration:  “These voices usher in the

season and light up every gathering, they make a wintry evening warmer and a stressful day easier to bear.”

The narration continued: “The voices of Christmas bring another message, more reflective, more eternal. The voices echo the words of the hymn-writers, ‘Joy to the world the Lord is come,’ “Silent Night Holy Night,” and ‘O Come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant.”

Rev Myers continued:  “Most of all, voices today are consumed with questions: Where has Christmas gone? Why has Christmas changed so much? And what does Christmas have to do with me?” before the choir sang Where are you Christmas?

The Cantata was an excellent blend of story and song.  Savannah was pleased to welcome members from Robert Young United Church who also took part in the Cantata.

The narrators continued with Old Testament quotations that promised the coming messiah, “God himself will provide the lamb for an offering,” (from the Book of Genesis),

And that favourite Christmas-time prophesy, from the Book of Isaiah, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and the Government will be on his shoulders and he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

The production continued to tell the story of the birth of Jesus from the gospels, with songs such as Can you Hear the Angels. It finished with a wonderful medley of favourite Christmas Carols, and the finale, Jesus, Born on this Day, was sun

g with help of Audrey Leahong, Patrice Hanson, and Marisa Crawford who sang lead.

The morning performance was followed by a wonderful potluck brunch. Salads, ham, chicken, goat, Cayman beef, plantain, lots of desserts, coffee, tea and juices were thoroughly enjoyed by all.

The event was a wonderful celebration of the story of Jesus’ birth and a great start to the Christmas season.