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Hours of Operation
The
Child Care Center
is designed for children between the ages of
2 to 5.
We are
open
Monday - Friday from
7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
For more information about our facility,
please call us at
(941) 484-4415.
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The Pageant started in 1927 and was
presented each year until 1987.
It consisted of
sixteen different scenes that had been inspired by many
famous
classical paintings.
The Pageant was never considered a
“performance” but an
opportunity to provide an experience of worship.
The cast was
never announced but it always included the youth, Sanctuary
Choir, and adults from the congregation. The cast did not move
or speak
during the scenes. The choir sang Christmas carols and the
scripture was
narrated.
Most of the cast had participated in the Pageant in various
capacities
from childhood
through adulthood and many families had two and three
generation
of members in the
Pageant.
The Pageant was written and directed by Ethel Blalock. The
director, narrator,
organist,
lighting, and various stage help all held these same positions
for
more than 30 years.
Their dedication and love for the Pageant is something
truly to admire. Twenty ministers
served our Church during the Pageant years.
The Pageant was full of traditions. The same doll was used to
represent baby
Jesus
over the 60-year time span. The Angel costumes never changed in
appearance over
the years and were made out of gauze with only a drawstring
at
the neck. The same
donkey, lamb, and cow props were used until they had
been worn
out and replaced
in the late 1950’s. The original costumes were
basically rags
that were draped over
the cast members. The fabric was not
tailored in anyway. Each
year a free-will offering
was collected and always
given to the Florida Methodist
Children’s Home.
A homemade rheostat was used for the Pageant lighting. The
rheostat was
a wooden
box with a reduction gear from a breaker switch nailed on top.
The
pulley gear from an
old power saw was connected to the breaker switch that
was cranked by the handle on
a pencil sharpener. When the handle was turned,
five live wires
were raised or lowered
into five coffee cans filled with various
levels of saltwater.
As the wires were lowered into
the water the lights became
bright and as the wires were raised
the lights dimmed. Since
the lights were
able to fade in and out it created a beautiful
silhouette effect. |
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Click on the individual thumbnails to view a larger
photograph. |
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Annunciation |
Wise Men Follow Star |
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The Nativity |
The Madonna |
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