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By JOYANNA LOVE | Managing Editor

West End Baptist Church has added presentations to its annual Christmas production, so more community members can come enjoy the true meaning of Christmas.

“Savior For All” will be presented three times. All shows are free, and the community is encouraged to attend.

“This is our gift to the community,” director Paula Kornegay said. “We want people to know that West End (Baptist Church) loves this town, this county, and we are here because of Christ.”

Those involved are “wanting to share the hope of Jesus and the joy of the season.”

Presentations will be Dec. 17 at 6 p.m., Dec. 18 at 10:30 a.m. and Dec. 18 at 6 p.m. Doors will open one hour earlier. Child care will be provided for children 3 years old and younger.

Similar to last year, the play will go beyond the birth of Jesus to include depiction of his life, death and resurrection. The play begins with the Israelites wondering in the wilderness and prophecies about Christ.

“It spends a lot of time on the story of Mary and how it must have affected her,” Kornegay said.

Kornegay said this is this production “far surpasses” any she has directed in the past. However, she has not felt stressed because they started earlier than last year.

“My favorite thing about this year is that everyone is in costume,” Kornegay said.

In addition to the actors for each of the scenes, the choir and children participating are also in costume.

New for this year will be scrim scenes. Kornegay said the scrim was a cloth hung over the baptistry wall.

“When the lights come up on that scrim, you will see people back there, and it will look like a painting,” Kornegay said.

All ages are a part of the event with younger children doing some pre-service presentations, and older children participating in the play itself.

There are nearly 200 people working to make each of the presentations a success with about 70 participating in the choir.