By Mari Radtke
A Community Cantanta, “Behold A Savior,” by Jay Rouse and Rose Aspinall, was performed at Christ Community Church in Primghar on Sunday December 10. Twenty-three church members from the surrounding area and from as far away as Sioux City and Washta spent an hour or so each Sunday for nearly two months practicing. What they developed was a powerful delivery of the story of the birth of Jesus.
Janet Van Beek directed the choir and gave the opening. The musical performance was sprinkled with bible readings, “The Promise” giving context to the songs. Promises were read, sometimes in character, by Bridget Sickelks, Daryl Haack as Zachariah, Darlene Feenstra, Kendra Chambers as Mary, Jane Zupp, Adam Ramirez as Joseph, Marge Feltman, Lori Key and John Funkhouser as a Wise Man. Pastor Cory Grimm gave encouragement.
The musical selections were “Joy to the World,” “O Come, Emmanuel, Rejoice,” “Magnificant” (Mary’s Song), a solo by Kendra Chambers, “He Is Your Son with Infant Holy, Infant Lowly (Joseph’s Song), a solo by Adam Ramirez, “Shepherds Run,” “We Three Kings Medley,” “Behold a Savior,” and “Angels We Have Heard on High.”
Each musical arrangement was a mix of new and a mix of traditional giving an overall fresh comfort to classical Christmas carols.