Joliet churches united last night for community Christmas singalong

JOLIET – The Rev. Carl Wagner is more comfortable with preaching than emceeing.

But Wagner, pastor of First Church of God in Joliet, humbly does either if asked.

On Saturday, a choir of 75 Joliet-area singers gathered in the parking of Wal-Mart to wish the community a merry Christmas through song, snacks and giveaways. Six members of Wagner’s church sang in the choir with other members volunteering in different capacities.

Wagner emceed the event, which Churches United for Christ hosted. For the past six years, Wagner has participated in Churches United For Christ’s annual summer crusade, he said, and “Sounds of Christmas Community Sing” was a nonthreatening and uplifting way to share the joy of Jesus’ birth and God’s great love with attendees.

“We are reminded what a great gift he gave us,” Wagner said.

Former Joliet resident John King of Peoria, a member of Churches United for Christ, organized the volunteers.

“Christmas songs have a tendency to do something to your spirit,” King said. “They make you feel everything is not so bad, especially people who have suicidal or depressing thoughts around the holidays. We try to bring them out of that low spot. It’s a spirit of giving, the singing, the giving away of free stuff – like a desktop computer and a laptop – and the hot chocolate and the apple cider.”

King said he offered the first event about 10 years ago at the Housing Authority of Joliet. Since then, he’s tried to hold it every year at different locations on Joliet’s south side. These have included Sacred Heart Catholic Church and Prayer Tower Church of God in Christ, he added.

When King began the program, his wife had recently died and King was living on the south side, trying to make a difference in his neighborhood, he said.

“I had moved into one of the worst drug-infested areas in Joliet,” King said. “I started working with the Southside Neighborhood Organization and I was able to build a rapport with the police department. I found that the more activities you do with the community, the more you can have an impact.”

At some of these Christmas singing events, King also held a Christmas tree decorating contest with gift and cash prizes.

“While we decorated the trees, we sang Christmas carols,” King said.

For yesterday’s event, about 75 people volunteered to sing. They included amateur and professional singers, about 20 children age 5 to 12, and teens, adults and seniors, King said.

To participate, singers had to agree to wear a choir robe and attend three rehearsals at the First Presbyterian Church of Joliet.

Directing them was Karl Darley, a member of First Presbyterian’s choir. Darley became involved because he was interested in ending division in the community and especially in churches – because it’s in Jesus that true unity is attained, he said.

Darley was not disappointed. He witnessed that unity at rehearsals, as well as an abundance of happiness and joy.

“I’m seeing that we live in isolated fear of each other,” Darley said, “but when we get together and start talking, we’re a lot more united than one might imagine.”

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KNOW MORE

According to information supplied by John King, the following churches and church leaders were involved in the planning and execution of “Sounds of Christmas Community Sing”:

• St Mark Christian Methodist Episcopal Church – The Rev. Stephen Deloney

• Second Baptist Church – The Rev. Larry Tyler

• First Presbyterian Church – The Rev. Craig Herr

• Good Samaritan Ministries – The Rev. Lester Brown

• First Church of God – The Rev. Carl Wagner

• All Nations Church of God in Christ – Bishop Robert Sanders

• St. John Missionary Baptist Church – The Rev. Herbert Brooks Jr.

• Refuge Mission United Holy Church – The Rev. May Ellis

• New Directions Church – The Rev. Betty Ware

• Christ Vision Community Church – Elder Ernest Jones

• Shekinah Full Gospel Church – The Rev. Wanda Onstad

• The Whole Truth Church of God in Christ – Alan Young

• Fellowship Bible Church – The Rev. Chuck Rains

• Forest Park Church – The Rev. Keith McCain

• Christ Temple Apostolic Faith Church – Bishop JE Moore

• New Testament Fellowship Church – Elder James Starks Jr.

For more information, call 630-201-1276 or visit churchesunitedforchrist.org.