Faith& Spiritual Life: Church concerts help community
Published 10:39 pm Friday, November 23, 2007
EVERETT — This year, Christmas starts a little early at Bethany Christian Assembly — and for the needy as well.
The church has turned “Christmas at Bethany,” an Everett holiday tradition for more than 20 years, into a benefit concert to help fund Compassion Ministries.
For Pastor Rob Carlson, making the concert a fundraiser is not only a winning combination, but a realized dream to give back to Everett.
“We’ve chosen to provide a benefit concert and provide an opportunity for people to participate in a number of worthy causes,” Carlson said. “And every single penny goes into funding our ministry at the Everett Gospel Mission, the Giving Tree or Christmas baskets and gifts.”
The concert usually sits more than 3,000 attendees and features a 75-person choir and a full orchestra, with 150 various lighting technicians and stagehands. In the past, donations were taken to help meet the needs of the concert. This year, the church has rallied to organize an event with zero overhead costs so that every penny donated will go to Compassion Ministries.
“Compassion Ministries is our approach as a church to reach out to the human need in Snohomish County,” Carlson said. “There are 12 different programs and services that we focus on as a church. For example, at the Everett Gospel Mission, we provide and serve food every Sunday. We also provide holiday food baskets, gifts for children and families at Christmas … things of that nature.”
This enthusiasm for giving is also reflected by the congregation, Carlson points out.
“In the congregation and the heart of every single person in our community, there is a real desire to reach out and help the disenfranchised and those with no resources,” Carlson said. “Those who are going through traumatic times. And the congregation is excited to give of their finances and work hard to make the all concerts happen.”
Christmas at Bethany has four showings: 7 p.m. Dec. 5; 3 and 7 p.m. Dec. 8; and 10:30 a.m. Dec. 9.
