A man often called “the dean of modern hymn writers,” Peterson has composed over 1,100 individual songs and written more than 34 cantatas. Among these are “Born A King,” “No Greater Love,” “Carol of Christmas,” “Easter Song,” “Jesus is Coming,” “King of Kings,” and “Down from his Glory,” and “Night of Miracles.”
Well over eight million copies of his cantatas have been published and sold.
At 7 p.m. this Sunday evening, Dec. 18, the children of the church will present the play, “Jesus’ Christmas Party,” by Nicholas Allan.
Based on Allan’s top-selling book, this vibrant children’s musical follows an innkeeper and his wife as they settle down to sleep after a hectic day. A stream of visitors keeps disturbing them, asking for Mary and Joseph. Desperate for sleep, and hearing everyone having a noisy party, the innkeeper eventually flies into a rage. But he softens as soon as he sees the newborn baby.
Allan is the author/illustrator of over 30 children’s books.
He wrote his first novel when he was 14, a story about a murder in a school. He sent it to Macmillan who, although they did not accept it, asked to see his next manuscript.
Allan studied painting at the Slade School of Art. During this time he had his first radio play broadcast on the BBC. He then completed a master’s degree in creative writing at the University of East Anglia.
He worked as a waiter, in a publisher’s office (where he lasted three weeks) and as a part time teacher of a life class before finally publishing his first book. Since then he has been a full-time writer and illustrator. Many of his books are bestsellers, have won awards and been translated into twenty languages.
“I think I write in the vain hope that when I leave the planet, I will leave something … which might stick around and tell people what went through my brain,” Allan has said.
The show lasts about half an hour and will be followed by a time of fellowship and a “special visitor from up North.”
On Christmas Eve (Saturday, Dec. 24) there will be a special time of Christmas music on organ and piano at 5:30 p.m. The church will gather in worship at 6 p.m. for a Christmas Eve Communion.
The church will again gather in worship Christmas morning (Sunday, Dec. 25) at 11 a.m. — as always.
The public is invited to all of these events, said a spokesman.
