Getting Ready

This year, our church's Music Ministry hosted our Christmas Dinner Theater. This special time of celebration has become one of the favorite Christmas traditions of our church.

Originally begun in 1993, it is a time where so many people from the church pool their talents to present a special Christmas gift to the Ripley community.

The Dinner Theater was held each year from 1993 until 1998 in the gym of the First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall. It was a monumental task to transform the stark, cold walls of the gym into a Christmas Wonderland. During these years, all the choirs of the church performed during the weekend celebration.

The Dinner Theater was quiet for a couple of years and brought back to life in 2001 with several changes. The Dinner was moved from the gymnasium into the Fellowship Hall of the Family Life Center. In the years 2001 and 2002, the musical celebration was held on three nights, Thursday, Friday and Saturday instead of the traditional two nights. The smaller, cozier atmosphere of the Fellowship Hall, however, allowed for more creativity in decorating. It also provided a "warmer, cozier" atmosphere for the entire weekend.

Another change was made in 2002, when the decision was made to offer this program every other year instead of every year. This decision was made easy with the decision of the church to renovate the church sanctuary in 2003.

• Decoration of the Family Life Center began on Monday night, December 4th. Each night, a crew met at the Family Life Center to begin the transformation of the building. This year, the Fellowship Hall was decorated with simple red and green. More lights than usual were added to the outside of the Family Life Center, making it very beautiful at night.

Enjoy these pictures from the week of decorating and see the work that takes place in preparing the Family Life Center for this special week.

I wonder who this belongs to?

Gail Douglas eyes the Christmas tree in the foyer to determine the best place to hang the ornaments.

Wayne Douglas and Bobby Cain help Benjamin Elkins untangle the decorations for the tree.

Norene Douglas and Kay Grugett prepare the tables.

Bonita Fullen decides the perfect place for the candles and flowers.

Norene Douglas and Carolyn Pilcher make sure that everything is done right.

Gloria Hawks wonders what she is suppose to do with all these wires.

The perfect table setting, ready for our guests!