December 10, 2007

Bethel Church of San Jose celebrates with ‘Christmas Spectacular’

Bethel Church of San Jose is busy decking the halls, the foyer and the sanctuary as they gear up for this year’s “Christmas Spectacular, The Light of Christmas.”

Pastor Jon Lugo, head of the Creative Arts Department, and Associate Pastor Harold Litfin have listened to more than five thousand pieces of music, scrutinizing every song that makes it into the production lineup.

“The production is designed to touch your heart. Some things will make you laugh, some will tug at your heart, but in the end everyone will walk away with a smile and a warm feeling,” Lugo said.

The Voices of Bethel is a 100-plus member choir accompanied by the Bethel Orchestra. In addition to the music, the production contains lively drama and choreography. Included in the production are the Kingdom Kids Choir, multimedia video presentations, a Twelve Days of Christmas sing-a-long contest and a live nativity.

“Christmas is a very special time at Bethel, and ‘Christmas Spectacular’ is a labor of love the entire congregation gets involved in. It’s our desire as a church to invite our community into our home and make them feel welcomed,” said Bret Allen, senior pastor.

In the past, “Christmas Spectacular” has been so successful it was necessary to add a 1 p.m. show to its Saturday line-up. At the new added matinee only children attending will receive a special gift from the church.

Hundreds of volunteer hours go into making “Christmas Spectacular” a successful production. Faithful volunteers transform Bethel’s foyer into a Christmas oasis and the sanctuary into an amazing winter wonderland of lights; technical crews delight the audience with special effects and lights, and the seamstresses are relentless in their quest for perfection in even the most unusual costumes. “Christmas Spectacular” is Bethel’s gift to the community. Admission is free.