The rich sounds of a cello, piano and harp greeted the masses attending The Winter Rose and Christmas Cantata on Sunday evening at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Jefferson City.
The church was packed after three years without the show. The annual holiday performance was put on hold amid the COVID-19 pandemic before returning Sunday.
"It feels wonderful," director Jan Houser said. "We just love to be able to share. It just all felt all closed in, so it's time to blossom."
Pastor Scott Musselman said it was "exciting" and "awesome" to see the church audience packed Sunday night.
"You've aged a couple years, but that's alright," he told the crowd before offering a prayer to kick off the performance.
Our Savior Singers, the church's choir of about 20 people, performed nearly a dozen songs with a chamber orchestra made up of violins, a flute, a trumpet and more.
The composition they performed was an original by Joseph Martin, Houser said. Two of the hymns were centuries old, she said, but everything else was new music.
The performance, which was accompanied by narration, a live painter, a dancer and nativity actors, tells the story of Jesus being born. The light narration from Lynn Darmsted drew from related passages of the Bible.
Ryan and Lucia Wood, and their baby Leah Jean, played the part of Joseph, Mary and Jesus.
"It's a multi-century production and it's for the community," Houser said. "For the church and for the community, it's an outreach of love at Christmas time."
Houser said the rose is symbolic of Jesus being born in the darkness of winter.
"When there are dark times, then the rose blooms and brings you hope and joy," she said.
Houser said Our Savior's Lutheran Church has held the event for the past 25 years, except for the COVID break, and it originally started out as part of the church's Sunday worship service this time of year.
The church made it an early evening event to reach a wider audience, she said.
Houser said she hoped Sunday's performance filled people's hearts with joy and they found meaning in the words.
"Hopefully we can touch their hearts and they touch our hearts, and God touches us," she said. "It's back-and-forth and using music to do that."
The church also used the event to collect donations for the Samaritan Center and Room at the Inn. Houser said the church didn't have a fundraising goal because expectations were hard to define after a three-year hiatus.
Ryan Pivoney/News Tribune
Ryan and Lucia Wood, and their baby Leah Jean, took on the roles of Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus Sunday night during The Winter Rose and Christmas Cantata at Our Savior's Lutheran Church. In addition a live nativity with the family, the event featured a live painting, orchestra and choir music and hoop choreography.
Ryan Pivoney/News Tribune
Shannon Merciel plays Christmas carols on the cello with Janna Merciel Volmert on the harp. The music greeted attendees of The Winter Rose and Christmas Cantata before the program began Sunday evening at Our Savior's Lutheran Church.
Ryan Pivoney/News Tribune
Christa Kiesling performs liturgical hoop choreography as Our Savior Singers and a chamber orchestra perform "Dance into the Light" during Sunday evening's The Winter Rose and Christmas Cantata at Our Savior's Lutheran Church. The performance was well attended after three years away.
Ryan Pivoney/News Tribune
Jan Houser directs Our Savior's Singers and a chamber orchestra while playing piano during The Winter Rose and Christmas Cantata at Our Savior's Lutheran Church.