by David Ahn
Although the beautiful San Diego weather might imply otherwise, Christmas is fast approaching, and we’re all eagerly looking forward to one thing… the annual LBC Christmas Concert! To get you a sneak peek at the event, we were able to track down the busy man who has been planning it (Eugene Park) and ask him some questions.
The Purpose
When it comes to Christmas and all its associated traditions and activities, it’s easy to lose track of the ultimate purpose behind why we do what we do. Eugene tells us, “The purpose of Christmas concert is to celebrate the birth of Christ. … It’s also an opportunity to invite friends, neighbors, coworkers to hear the gospel message of Christ. Though the concert might be a little more ‘entertaining’ than a typical Sunday service, it’s still a time to lift up the name of Christ. But we don’t tailor these concerts for the visitors. This is primarily a time for the church family to come together. In every event we have as a church, whether it’s a Sunday service, Mission Bowl, or Christmas concert, visitors should come and see what we do as Christians: exalt Christ alone.”
Past Memories
Surprises: “Every once in a while someone surprises the church with their ability to play an instrument or sing. One year someone told me to have Jon Joo sing for Christmas concert.” It seemed surprising initially, “but once he started singing, people saw that God has definitely gifted him.” Miscues: “One year the orchestra opened the concert with Handel’s Messiah. The pianist (rhymes with Ned Rip)” laid out all his sheet music to eliminate page turning. As we played the song, he discovered that the pages were out of order and was scrambling to fix the situation. Amidst the struggle, a page dropped to the floor, “so he tried to play it from memory. I saw the paper fall as I was conducting and thought that he purposely dropped it to get it out of his way. I also remember thinking, ‘Is he playing the right song?’” Near-Misses: “After one of the Christmas concerts, we almost decided not to have anymore concerts.” While most of them have been well-attended, “one year we only had two visitors. The place was very empty that night and at the time it was a little embarrassing. So [the leaders] discussed whether it was worth having the Christmas concert again. We decided to try one more year. That next year people made it a point to bring visitors and we filled the room.” (Hint hint: invite all your friends if you want to have another one next year!)
Touching Skits: “There was a skit about Ashley trying to share the gospel with Eileen during the Christmas season. At one point Eileen reluctantly started reading the Bible Ashley gave her. At that time a short video detailing the gospel played on the screen, basically showing what Eileen was reading. The skit was so well put together and the gospel message was clear.”
“Different” Skits: “One year we were supposed to have a skit. But because of different circumstances (I still to this day do not know what happened), the skit became a dramatic reading instead. It was a dramatic reading indeed.”
Things to Look Forward To This Year
When asked about what this year’s Concert will bring, he was pretty tight-lipped, but he DID tell us this: “There will be some surprises this year. You’re going to see people singing who you didn’t know could sing.” He also told us that the “choir is the largest one yet. I don’t know how they’re all going to fit on stage.” And finally, “the kids are always a highlight every year and this year will be no different.” So there you have it, folks. The event will be taking place twice, Saturday (12/15) and Sunday (12/16) night. Get your tickets early, and invite your friends and family to this great night of celebrating our Lord’s birth!