After months of preparation, everything was finally ready. With sets painted, songs rehearsed, instruments tuned, water glasses filled, and waiters at the ready, the doors swung open Tuesday, December 1 to the first night of Christmas Sweet 2009.

Each December, more than 3,000 guests attend Colonial’s annual dessert concert, but few realize how much goes on behind the scenes to bring the production to life. Choral singers, instrumentalists, actors, set designers, waiters, tech workers, kitchen staff, and countless more volunteers pour hours of preparation into the powerful ministry of Christmas Sweet.

Cindy Stephenson, set designer and tech team member, summed up the mission of all the volunteers. “Christmas Sweet is a great way for the whole church body to get involved and bring in different elements including music, drama, and set design together for one really big purpose: to tell the true, sweet story of Christmas.”

Telling the story of Jesus’ birth through Christmas Sweet requires many hidden layers of ministry. If a curious guest peeked backstage during a performance, he would find organized chaos—waiters running back and forth with pitchers of coffee and hot chocolate; kitchen workers cutting cheesecake and apple pie; Mary and Joseph securing their headdresses; and the middle school choir lining up to sing. In the middle of it all was David French, this year’s backstage coordinator. “I think the most challenging parts are maintaining focus, staying on schedule, and real-time problem solving during the event,” David said, “but I do believe God is watching and helping us over those occasional bumps in the road.”

David’s job has also taught him why Christmas Sweet is such an effective tool for sharing the Gospel. “I think the dedication of all involved to serve the Lord is the key,” he said. “I sense a desire to produce an excellent program that brings honor and glory to Him. It is most rewarding to see our young people serving the Lord with joy-filled hearts.”

David experienced young people’s service firsthand through one critical element of his job: orchestrating the movements of 70-80 singing waiters who served each night. The Singing Waiters High School Choir was created in 2003 to serve as table waiters and perform in Colonial’s first Christmas Sweet. Now the waiters’ choir is involved in multiple events throughout the year but remains a critical part of the annual Christmas production.

Emily Ficken, an eleventh-grade waiter who participated in her fourth Christmas Sweet this year, enjoyed the experience and recognized its significance. “It’s fun!” she said. “A lot of people who come don’t know the Lord, and it’s cool to sing, serve and help them however you can.” The key to waiter service, she said, is to communicate the gospel through joyful service. “You just have to be open to let God use you, and you have to remember that whatever you do, it’s not about you. It’s good to see how people are affected by that.”

Ultimately, that is the purpose of Christmas Sweet—to communicate Christ’s love through the wonderful story of Christmas and joyful hearts. Sandy Hendricks, who has served as backstage coordinator at Christmas Sweet for five years, had words of wisdom for all who participated, whether by singing, serving or bringing an unsaved friend: “By the end of the last performance on Saturday, December 5, more than 3300 people were ministered to through Christmas Sweet. Many were unsaved friends, neighbors and relatives. What a wonderful opportunity to share the love of Christ. ‘…let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven’ (Matthew 5:16).”