The Apostolic Faith Church in Oceanside, New York, marked the Christmas season with two performances celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ: a drama by the Sunday school department and a Christmas concert by the choir and orchestra.

The drama was titled “Joy to the World,” and featured the Sunday school children from the various grade levels. The “Little Stars” thrilled the congregation with their soulful rendition of “Twelve Days of Christmas” and “Happy Birthday, Jesus.” The various classes had children sing or play solos and duets such as “Away in a Manger,” “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” and “O Holy Night.” Other highlights included the choir singing “Ding Dong Merrily on High,” “Joy to the World,” “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night,” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas/Feliz Navidad.”

Watching the drama and the zeal with which the Sunday school students performed was heartwarming. It included recitations that outlined the timeline of Jesus’ birth from the promise of His coming in the Old Testament to the events surrounding His birth in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.

The adult choir and orchestra also presented an uplifting performance. The evening opened with three orchestra selections—Beethoven’s “Egmont Overture,” performed by the full orchestra; Handel’s “Messiah Overture,” performed by the strings and flutes; and the Second Movement of Mozart’s “Eine kleine Nachtmusik,” performed by a string trio. These numbers were followed by three songs performed by the choir and then a solo, “O Holy Night.” With many more inspiring vocal selections and orchestra pieces featuring the youth and adult choirs, full orchestra, a trumpet soloist, and a piano soloist, it was truly a memorable evening that kept the congregation yearning for more.