PUNTA GORDA, Fla.—Our choir works hard preparing for our annual Christmas cantata, thought Jim Reuter, minister of music at Peace River Baptist Church. With all that work and preparation, why not find venues to share the music ministry beyond the church walls.
And that is how the Sanctuary Choir began sharing its Christmas cantata at Fishermen’s Village, an outdoor mall. Pastor Jim Stultz says that Christmas shoppers and diners stop what they are doing to enjoy the concert. During the singing, the church’s young people pass out small bags of candy and gospel literature, and the program includes a gospel invitation.
This year the choir extended its outreach at the mall by performing the cantata The Heart of Christmas on two nights rather than just one. The church also had a new opportunity—putting on a Christmas show at the local cultural center. The event was so well anticipated that tickets sold out three weeks in advance.
The choir’s work and preparation have paid off, with people outside the church hearing the true meaning of Christmas. As a result, some of those listeners have started attending the church.
