EASTER PAGEANT COMING TO JACKSON

Many community members have participated in the pageants over the 10 years since it first began.

The pageant depicts the last days of Jesus Christ. This year's pageant is entitled "In Search of A Savior."

Among family and friends, traditions and holidays go hand in hand.

What began as an Easter choir presentation at the Jackson church 10 years ago has evolved into a tradition not only among the church family but also within the community.

Wednesday marks the opening night of this year's Easter Pageant at First Baptist Church of Jackson, 212 S. High St.. Entitled "In Search of a Savior," the pageant will continue with 7 p.m. performances Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Besides the evening performance March 31, there will also be a 3 p.m. performance.

A new script is prepared for the pageant each year, bringing fresh perspective to the biblical account of the last days of Jesus' life on earth, explained Rev. Jim Raney, a minister of music at First Baptist Church.

"This year we have a new story line, but we're incorporating some of the scenes and music we've used over the 10 years," Raney said. "It's kind of a celebration those two years."

A major change this year from previous years involves the choir. "We're incorporating the choir more into the cast in the drama this year," Raney said.

The pageant, Raney said, "vividly portrays Christ and His love for mankind; it really brings home the reality of His love for us.

"We believe this is one of the better ways to demonstrate the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ -- to add the visual aspect to the biblical account that is written."

While the Easter Pageant focuses on events that occurred during Jesus' final days on earth, the crucifixion and the resurrection, the production offers glimpses of other portions of His life, including His birth and His ministry, explained script-writer Marsha Craft of Jackson. "We strive to maintain a solid biblical account but always look for a different and creative way to continue to pique the interest of our community and encourage them to come," she said.

Plus, Craft said, the production is aimed at sparking even more interest within the audience after the music and drama begin. "We don't want our audience to feel as though they're an audience watching the production, we want them to feel they're actually a part of this," she said.

Over 300 people who attend First Baptist Church are involved in the annual event, from prop management to every person appearing on stage. "We are a totally amateur group," Craft said, "we try very hard to include all age groups, from young children through senior adults."

One of the primary goals of the annual production is evangelism, Raney noted, "It's to let people who don't know Christ see Him in a way they can relate to." Secondarily, he said, the pageant is a way for the people within the church to combine their various skills and talents. "We learn so much as we work on this," he said.

"Pageant is an off-spring of Jesus' ministry," Craft observed. "Jesus was the master of creative ministry. He didn't limit His preaching to traditional Jewish worship. He took His ministry to the people in an imaginative and inspiring way," she said. "Pageant emulates that ministry."

Admission to "In Search of a Savior" is free, however, tickets guarantee seating until 20 minutes before the services.

Tickets are available through several locations, such as The Way in Jackson, and Living Water and Gospeland in Cape Girardeau. Tickets and further information may be obtained by calling the church office at 243-8415.