The Christmas spirit was in abundance when choirs from three local churches joined with a cadre of professional artists to present a concert of popular carols and sacred music at the La Crescenta Stake Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The stake center on Raymond Avenue was filled to capacity on Dec. 10 for performances by choirs from the LDS church, Holy Redeemer Catholic Church and the Lutheran Church in the Foothills. The concert also featured musicians from the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Broadway singer Michael Thatcher, singer/songwriter Mark Anzelon and organist Andrea Anderson.

Leaders and performers from the three churches successfully blended their faith traditions to provide an entertaining and uplifting evening of music and art. In addition to the concert, members of the audience were invited to view a collection of crèches – small, tabletop nativity scenes – on display in the stake center’s cultural hall.

The musical program included well-known favorites such as “Silent Night” and “Ave Maria,” as well as classical pieces including “Gesù Bambino,” sung by Thatcher (above, bottom picture), and Bach’s “Sheep May Safely Graze,” played by Andrea Anderson. Singer Jade Starleaf joined Anzelon for a duet of his composition “Bethlehem.” The Lutheran Church in the Foothills choir enlivened the evening with a buoyant rendition of the spiritual, “Amen, Go Tell It on the Mountain.” Readings of Bible passages were interspersed between musical numbers.

In closing remarks, Kirk Malmrose, president of the La Crescenta Stake, urged members of the audience to put themselves in the place of the shepherds who heard angels proclaim Christ’s birth some 2,000 years ago.

“Angels say to us, ‘Fear not,’” he said. “Each us are those shepherds, being invited to witness the goodness that Christ brings to us in our daily lives. It is up to us to follow the promptings of the spirit so our lives can align with Christ.”

Submitted by Michael WHITE