Reflection: COC Production - Toy Scene 2013
/What a season this has been! Starting in August 2013, I began working with three different groups as a scene producer/choreographer for the 35th Annual Celebration of Christmas production in Phoenix, AZ. It is something that I have been involved in for the past 20 years, and am so grateful for the opportunities it has given me as an actress, dancer, aerial artist, and choreographer. The program just completed last weekend, and I couldn't be more proud of the groups God allowed me to be a part of.
This year was incredibly special to me. To be able to work with a range of ages, personalities, and characters (both figuratively and true!) really excites me. Everyone came from different backgrounds, walks of life, and are on a different journey in their relationship with Christ. They all brought something very special and unique to the table, and I am so honored to have had each of them in my life.
I told them from the beginning that I was taught at a very young age: "This isn't a production, this is a ministry..." and it's true. Throughout the season, we had sicknesses try to attack us, family dramas and dilemmas, emotional breakdowns, multiple personal prayer requests, deaths in families, overwhelmed exhaustion, school troubles, politics, peer pressures, and overall new journeys in the faith of Jesus Christ. We had these attacks because of the reason why my groups do what the do: it's all about the ministry of Jesus. Whenever you are doing something for Christ, the enemy will try to attack you from every angle: emotionally, physically, and spiritually:
“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.”
Each one of the cast members - whether they realized it or not - made an impact on our community by connecting to an audience of tens of thousands who are going through the same things. You may never know the impact, but it's not up to us to keep score. Our job is to love one another, and leave the judging up to the one true God.
So, as a special tribute to an amazing year, my friends at BigFish Photographers gave their time and talents to photograph these wonderful groups I had the pleasure of choreographing this year! A huge shout out to them for being so stinkin' wonderful...as well as sending me the photos on such a quick turn-around time to be able to edit them for the group! Not all photographers will do this, understandably, and I truly appreciate their flexibility to make an exception to the rule.
Thank you to everyone for their hard work throughout the season! If you would like to use any photos for your Facebook page, please credit the above photographer (FB page here). Parents, if you took an individual photo of your child(ren), please standby, and I will try to get those out to you before the new year. Please send a reminder email if you do not receive anything from me by January. Thank you!
Until next time,
<3 Christie
