For two decades, there has been an annual Community Christmas
Concert in Morgan Hill. And at 8 p.m. today it will be held at St.
Catherine Roman Catholic Church, 17400 Peak Ave.
For two decades, there has been an annual Community Christmas Concert in Morgan Hill. And at 8 p.m. today it will be held at St. Catherine Roman Catholic Church, 17400 Peak Ave.
This evening of inspiring holiday music had its origin as a performance held by and for members of the Morgan Hill Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Word of the event spread, and friends belonging to other faiths began to attend; the focus changed to making it a truly “community” event.
Again this year the concert is co-sponsored by the local LDS and Catholic congregations. This cooperative effort makes the event a witness to the ideal of Christian unity: members of two very different traditions coming together to share the Christmas spirit with each other and provide a gift of free entertainment to the whole community.
Some popular local groups are combining their talents to make “The Heritage of Christmas” a success: The Gilroy High School Choir, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Bell Choir, Suzuki Children Strings, as well as choirs from the two sponsoring churches.
Although titles of the particular musical numbers to be performed were not available by deadline, Bille Grandy, coordinating for the LDS Church, said the featured pieces will include a variety of music, both traditional and contemporary.
Joan Locsin, parish musician at St. Catherine, said her Celebration (adult) and Children’s choirs will be joined for the first time this year by a new Lifeteen Choir of adolescent singers. She invites South County residents to join in this “festive celebration of the real reason for the Christmas season.”
The evening will close with all the choirs leading the audience in a traditional arrangement of “The Hallelujah Chorus.”
An eight-day Jewish holiday always occurs this time of year, giving rise to the mistaken impression it is somehow related to Christmas. Actually, Hanukkah (or Chanakah) celebrates an event in the second century BCE when a Jewish patriot named Judas Maccabee defeated a Syrian tyrant who had persecuted the Jews for their religion.
When the great Temple in Jerusalem was rededicated, only enough oil was available to burn for one day in the Temple lamp, but it miraculously burned for eight days until oil could be supplied from a distant port.
Hanukkah celebrates the survival of the Jewish faith through adversity as well as freedom of religion for all; on December 7 Morgan Hill’s Booksmart (Second and Monterey streets), in cooperation with Congregation Emeth, South Country’s Reform Jewish Community, will hold a free Hanukkah Faire to introduce local residents to this traditional holiday.
• From 1:30 to 2:30 will be “Ask the Rabbi,” an opportunity to question Rabbi Yitzak Miller about Judaism and Jewish culture, customs and celebrations.
• 3 to 4 p.m. will feature “Food Tasting,” a chance to sample authentic Jewish holiday food prepared by members of Congregation Emeth. Perhaps you would like to taste a “latke,” a symbolic food of Hanukkah.
• The Faire will conclude from 4:30 to 5:30 with an informative session for parents and teachers about how to increase children’s knowledge of the diversity in our modern pluralistic society.
Books and other items related to Hanukkah will be available for purchase. For more information call 778-6467.
Chuck Flagg teaches English at Mt. Madonna High School. Write him c/o The Dispatch, P.O. Box 22365, Gilroy, CA 95021.
