The 2022 Singing Christmas Tree presentation was the last year Bethany Assembly of God hosted the event in its main sanctuary.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo
AGAWAM — Bobbi Snyder, 79, has been singing in choirs since she was in the second grade and Christmas songs have always been among her favorite selections.
“God gave me the ability to sing. I am not a soloist, but I can make my joyful noise to the Lord, and I’ve always loved Christmas music,” she told Reminder Publishing.
As Bethany Assembly of God in Agawam gets set to stage its annual Singing Christmas Tree concert in January, Snyder is the only singer that has appeared in all 48 performances since 1975.
“I enjoy singing in a choir at Christmas more so than going to some of the holiday parties and all of the stuff you can get trapped into,” she said.
The Singing Christmas Tree is a 25-foot tall, triangular, steel structure with 10 levels holding every one of the choir’s nearly sixty members. It takes a full day to assemble the tree — then two more days to adorn it with green branches, ornaments and hundreds of colored and white lights. A computer program makes sure they blink and flicker to the beat of the music.
“It’s a very cool visual,” said worship and media Pastor Camellia Grace George.
The performance lasts just over an hour and will feature eight pieces sung in different languages including English, Spanish, Russian and a selection from the African culture.
This year’s theme is “Let the Whole World sing.”
“Christmas is for all people and cultures because the gospel is for all cultures. We’re hoping to represent that Christ is what truly unifies us and brings peace, and He is the hope for the world,” said George.
The concert has become a mark-the-calendar, annual event in Western Massachusetts, attracting sell-out crowds for each of four performances over three days. It happens every year in December, but it has been delayed until January this season because the church is in the midst of a $3.5 million dollar renovation of its sanctuary and lobby.
The work is expected to be completed in time for the concert, giving Bethany a unique chance to deliver its messages at a time when the Christmas spirit might otherwise be waning.
“You get through the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, and then in January, you’ve calmed down, and can stop and reflect on what has happened, on what we have just celebrated. In the calm of January, it will be something hopeful,” said George.
While there will be many hands stringing lights and hanging ornaments, Snyder alone will decide who stands where on the tree. Like a planner carefully devising the seating plan for a wedding reception, she makes sure the altos, sopranos and bass singers are with their respective groups.
She also makes sure taller singers are in the middle of the various rows so members don’t hit their heads on the tree frame as it angles in and up on the side.
Soloists have to stand at the end each row, near stairs, so they can leave the group, perform and then rejoin the others. There is no squeezing by singers packed tightly into the tree. Then there is the fear of heights that some people have. Sometimes, no one wants to be the tree topper.
“We found out over the years that, most of the time, it’s the ladies that don’t like heights and older people don’t want to climb up many steps. There are fewer men anyway, so we put them at the top,” said Snyder.
This year’s theme of unity comes at a time when there is turbulence, conflict and anger in much of the world. George hopes music provides a respite from it all, even for an hour.
“There’s a lot going on in our world, a lot of division, but we are presenting Christ as that hope, that salvation for everyone, every language, culture and ethnicity. When we come together and we follow Jesus, He brings unity and peace,” said George.
When she has finished assigning singers to their positions, Snyder will find her own place in the tree. It may be somewhere she’s never stood before, but it will be on a platform where she’s been singing songs of the season for nearly five decades—never too sick, tired or busy to perform. “The Lord has blessed me. I rarely get sick,” she said. “It’s fun, and I’m glad to serve my church in any way I can.”
Bethany Assembly of God will present the Singing Christmas Tree concert Jan. 10 at 7 p.m., Jan 11 at 6 p.m. and Jan. 12 at 3 p.m. and 6 pm. Seating is on a first-come bases and there is no way to make reservations. The church is located at 580 Main St.
Admission is free of charge, but the church will be accepting donations to help pay for supplies that will be used to build a school in Latin America. Volunteers from Bethany, who pay their own way, will be traveling to the region to work on the building next year.
