Christians Welcome Holiday With Musicals, Hymns and Carols

From special programs of Christmas music to a gay version of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” Christians throughout Southern California are preparing to celebrate the Nativity.

For many, particularly those in churches that observe a four-week Advent season of introspection and preparation leading up to Christmas, tomorrow marks the fourth and final Sunday of Advent. The word Advent comes from the Latin adventus, which means “coming.”

Since Nov. 29, the first Sunday of Advent, an Advent hymn sung in many churches has been “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” mistakenly thought by many to be a Christmas carol. The word emmanuel means “God with us.”

“Advent is a time of joyful anticipation,” said Father Gregory Coiro, spokesman for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles. “It’s really a time for the believer to spend reflecting on his or her own mortality, since one of the powerful messages of Advent is to be prepared for Christ’s coming.”

CHRISTMAS MUSIC

A musical, “The Miracle of Christmas,” will be performed by the 120-member children’s choir of Liberty Baptist Church on Sunday at 10:30 a.m., 1000 Bison Ave., Newport Beach. (949) 760-5444.

* Scottish folk singer Alex Beaton and soprano Carol Ouzounian will perform at the 7:30 p.m. Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at Pilgrim Lutheran Church, 1730 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica. Call (310) 829-4113.

* A Candlelight Carol Service is planned Sunday at 4 p.m. at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, 580 Hilgard Ave., Westwood.

* Music and pageantry will be part of the Holy Day Season celebration at the Agape International Center of Truth, 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday at 5700 Buckingham Parkway, Culver City. A $10 donation is requested. Call (310) 348-1260, Ext. 26. The program is jointly sponsored with the Unity-and-Diversity World Council.

* Faith United Methodist Church will present “Glory,” a Christmas musical worship service featuring the music of G.F. Handel, Kirk Franklin, J.P. Kee, Fred Hammond, Take 6 and D. Williamson, on Sunday at 4:30 p.m., 1713 West 108th St., Los Angeles. Free. Call (323) 754-8453.

* Masters Christian College will present Christmas music Sunday at 6 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Newbury Park, 166 S. Silas Ave., Newbury Park. Offering. Call (805) 498-5025 or 498-6114.

CHRISTMAS PLAYS

The Metropolitan Community Church of Los Angeles will perform a gay version of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” tonight at 7 and Sunday at 4 p.m. The church is at 8714 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. Admission $10. Call (310) 854-9110.

* “Return of the Scrooge,” an adaptation of Dickens’ Christmas classic, will be staged by the Lighthouse Players tonight, Sunday and Monday at 8 p.m. at the Pierson Playhouse, 941 Temescal Canyon, Pacific Palisades. Reservations $7. Call (310) 264-0634.

EVENTS

Beyond Loss Ministry, in partnership with the Chaplains’ Department of Glendale Adventist Medical Center, on Monday will present “Holiday Gathering of Remembrance: The Beyond Loss Star, Lighting the Path of Grief.” The program is intended to help families through the holiday season and to remember loved ones. Glendale Adventist Medical Center, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., 1509 Wilson Terrace, Glendale.

Notices may be mailed for consideration to Southern California File, c/o Religion Editor, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053, or by fax to Southern California File at (213) 237-4712, or by e-mail to religion@latimes.com. Items should arrive two to three weeks before the event and should include pertinent details about the people and organizations with address, phone number, date and time.