MANSFIELD — A festive choral tradition is celebrating its 20th performance this year.
Hope Lutheran Church’s annual Christmas Cantata returns with a free, public performance on Dec. 15 at 3 p.m at Madison Middle School. A reception with Christmas cookies will follow.
This annual performance is a labor of love for choral director Craig Green, who also works as choir director at Madison Comprehensive High School.
“I have been the music director at St. Timothy Lutheran Church since 2001,” Green shared. “Most recently, we merged with St. Paul Lutheran on Park Ave. to become Hope Lutheran, but the mission is the same.”
The group will perform six songs in honor of the choir’s 20th year, all of which are some of Green’s favorite movements from years past.
“The community Christmas Cantata came about out of my desire to be in front of a large choir,” he stated.
Green said he was trained for high school choral directing in college, but teaching music at a small charter school shortly before the choir’s founding. After being laid off that November, he was searching for more to do.
“I discussed the idea with the pastor at the time, and she was all for it,” he shared.
The first song ever performed at the Christmas Cantata was “Praise Noels.”
When the Christmas Cantata first started, rehearsals were held in the high school choir room and performed at Eastview Elementary. The choir now performs at Madison Middle School.
“We invited folks from area churches, had a meal before each rehearsal, and performed at St. Timothy’s,” Green said. “From here, we discussed how this could be such an impactful outreach for the community and unparalleled at the time.”
This year’s choir features around 60 singers
One of the big questions choir members asked when this tradition started was how they could make it more inviting.
This choir is open to anyone in the area who wants to participate. One thing Green looks forward to every year with the Christmas Cantata are the returning singers every year.
“It has always been a big draw, and word of mouth has seen the choir grow almost every year,” Green said. “I usually top out at around 60 singers. I have about that many this year, one of the larger groups, which is always nice to direct.”
Green said one of his favorite things every year is presenting the new music and seeing the choir’s reaction. His goal is to pick cantatas that are accessible but enjoyable
While this is a time for people to come and perform, he shared it is also a great way for everyone to grow and learn from each other in more ways than just singing
“I have always said this is more of a time of fellowship than a strict rehearsal,” Green said. “You do not have to be the best singer to spend time with us and have fun learning along the way. It is open to anyone who desires to sing praises to the Lord.