CHRISTMAS MAGIC; SMALL-TOWN CHURCH DRAWS 6,000 EACH YEAR TO PAGEANT THAT RIVALS BIG-CITY PRODUCTIONS

Donna Hamlin played the virgin Mary with her own baby, Parker.

Maria Tolber directed the choir during a rehearsal.

John Langley played Jesus healing children during the song called "The Healer" in a rehearsal.

DEXTER -- When Maria Tolbert and her husband, Duke, moved to Dexter from Miami, Fla., they brought an idea that had worked well in the large church where the Tolberts had worked -- a Christmas pageant.

The Tolberts were convinced that First Baptist Church in small Dexter could mount a production to rival any performed in the big city. They were right. Eighteen years later, the Christmas Pageant at First Baptist Church in Dexter has become a week-long, nine performance extravaganza utilizing the talents of more than 250 church members. Of those, 150 will take the stage to sing, act or both.

For each of the performances, 750 tickets are available. Throughout the week, about 6,000 people will see the pageant.

"We felt it was a concept that could be done in any church, large or small," Maria Tolbert said. "The idea is to give a Christmas gift to the area and the community."

The production, which is in various stages of planning and rehearsal throughout the year, involves only church members. Duke Tolbert died in 1995, but the church, under the direction of Pastor Wayne Dismuke continued the pageant.

Members write the scripts and pick the music. Each year the production has two acts. The first features secular Christmas music. This year's first act revolves around Dexter's history. The stage is set in 1898 and the story tells of country and city folks.

The second act is biblical. This year's story follows the life of Christ from the perspective of two shepherds.

The front of the church is transformed into a two-story stage. The baptistery becomes the setting for special effects. Church members put carpentry and painting skills to use to build the elaborate sets. They also design and sew the intricate costumes for some 150 performers.

Members do make-up and choreography and park cars. Each night the cast and entire crew are fed by a volunteer kitchen crew.

"People often ask, but we hire no professionals. We are all volunteers," Tolbert said.

The pageant is a huge commitment for the church, which averages between 600 and 700 people on a typical Sunday morning.

"I feel it draws our church together," Tolbert said. "We are all working together to do something wonderful. We have a lot of backstage fellowship."

Over the years, news of the pageant has spread. Each of the nine performances will be a sellout. A few tickets remain for this year's performance, but only a few. The majority of tickets were sold back in October, when tickets go on sale. Church groups, Sunday school classes and other large groups send in ticket requests in early October.

The pageant makes enough money to be self-sufficient and to buy the high-tech equipment that adds to the professionalism of the show. The church owns fog machines, sophisticated lighting systems, dozens of cordless microphones, computerized sound generators and professional television cameras.

The congregation, which supports a television ministry throughout the year, has a minister of media, Don Kennedy. First Baptist Church has a house band, Praise, which performs during Sunday services and also for the pageant.

Kennedy and Tolbert admit the pageant has set high standards for each successive year. But church members have always lived up to the expectations.

"I suspect there is amazing talent in all churches," Kennedy said. "There may be a lack of encouragement to use those talents. People really desire to do something well and on a scale that is not second best. If they know that's what will happen, they don't mind putting in a lot of work."

Tolbert said talent attracts talent. Talented performers see the pageant and decide they want to be part of a church that does a project like that. "It's amazing how many church members had their first contact with First Baptist by attending the pageant," Tolbert said.

But none of the performers are professional entertainers. The production includes a singing dentist, an accountant shepherd, a guitar-playing nurse. The man who plays Jesus is a residential care administrator.

"God gave us talents for a reason," Tolbert said. "We are looking for ways to put those talents to work."

For ticket information, call First Baptist Church at (573) 624-7436.