Ask any parent, and they’ll tell you: a baby changes everything.
And no more for an unwed teenage mother carrying the child of God.
That’s the message behind the musical the North Syracuse Baptist Church (NSBC) is putting on this year as it annual Christmas pageant. “A Baby Changes Everything” is based on the popular Faith Hill song, which came out in late 2008.
NSBC Children’s Ministry Director Annette Davie, who organized the musical, said this production was chosen because of its “beautiful orchestration and captivating audience appeal.”
“This program is entirely set in Bethlehem on the very first Christmas Eve,” Davie said. “It paints a stunning picture of how deeply the birth of Jesus immediately affected everyone he came in contact with. Especially touching are the children involved in physically bringing adults to baby Jesus so they don’t miss out on the experience.”
This marks the 20th year that the NSBC has offered the pageant to the community.
“North Syracuse Baptist Church has been providing Christmas productions like this to the community since 1993,” Davie said. “It takes months of hard work from well over 100 people to design and build sets, set up lighting, rehearse music and drama, greet and serve our guests, and it’s a highlight of our year.”
Assistant Pastor Bill Marshall told the Star-Review in 2011 that the church likes to provide the show as a way to show its appreciation for the community and to offer a way for members of the area to celebrate the season.
“We’d like to give this to the community as a gift,” Marshall said. “It’s a way to spend time with our families, make an effort to reach out to those around us with this story. It’s such a busy time. We’re giving the community a place to come and have fun and enjoy a peaceful evening.”
Davie said the annual pageant also allows the church and its members to feel a connection to the community.
“We enjoy seeing families return each year to celebrate the season of God’s gift to the world. When we step on stage and look out at the faces in our audience we feel a genuine love for the people of Central New York,” she said. “We care about the people of Central New York — they are special to God and us. Our sincere hope is that everyone who attends, whatever their age, financial status, skin color or religious point of view will walk away from ‘A Baby Changes Everything’ feeling loved.”
There will be three performances of the show: 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13 and Saturday, Dec. 14, (doors open at 6 p.m.) or 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15 (doors open at 3 p.m.). Free refreshments will be served after the show in NSBC’s Fellowship Hall. North Syracuse Baptist Church is located at 420 S. Main Street (Route 11) in North Syracuse. Plenty of parking, including handicapped parking, is available.
