Dec. 24, 2013:   On Sunday, December 15, the 60th annual White Gift Christmas Service was celebrated at The Reformed Church of Bronxville. 

The service is a reenactment of the Christmas story, led entirely by the church's high school students, with high school seniors in the principal roles. From the pulpit, narrators Page Marshall and Katie Monaco guided the congregation through the nativity story as its scenes were enacted before a full house. Kim Walters played the part of Mary, singing "Joseph Tender, Joseph Mine." Parker Lapins served as Joseph.  Playing the role of the angel Gabriel was Gretchen Richter, who sang "The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came," with accompaniment by the Reformed Church's youth choirs. 

After the birth of the baby Jesus, the angel Gabriel was joined by a "multitude of angels," played by Caroline Cory, Ellie Hanrahan, Lily O’Neill, and Jane Torell. Gabriel then spread the glad tidings to shepherds Ross Hoch, Andrew Lemberger, Graham Klimley, Preston Klimley, Zach Shively, Charlie Tarry, and Robby Westerfield, who hurried to see the baby in the manger. Villagers, who followed the shepherds to pay homage to the Christ child, were played by Sam Aherne, Cece Haims, Ryan Hanrahan, Andrew Harwood, Alex Londal, and Caroline Schetlick. 

The climax of the service was the awe-inspiring "March of the Kings," in which the three bearded and robed wise men carried their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the baby Jesus. The highly coveted roles of wise men were played by Liam Aherne, Liz Cory, and Tim Donohue. Tim Buttigieg was the page, leading them up the church's aisle as cymbals, tambourines, clavés, and drums resounded. 

After the wise men brought their gifts, all of the children at the service followed them up the center aisle, carrying gifts wrapped in white paper. The white-wrapped gifts were collected by ninth grade ushers for distribution to families in the Nodine Hill neighborhood of Yonkers, as part of the Reformed Church's "Opening Doors" project. Ushers this year were Lucy Hanrahan, Sabina Richter, Joe Shively, Emily Spitz, and Christina Weiler. Special thanks go to Francesca Guglielmo for coordinating the distribution of the gifts.

The high school seniors rehearsed and memorized for weeks in preparation for the White Gift Service. All five youth choirs performed alongside the thirty or more high school students in one of the most heavily attended events of the year. In many ways, the service is a culmination of over a decade of choir participation, and seniors regard it as a key celebration of their high school years. Parents and grandparents watched with mixed emotions, as their now grown-up "babies" recited and sang, just months before they will head off to college.

All the leads and choirs were prepared and conducted by Laura Green, the Reformed Church's youth choir director, with great support from the choir guild. Music directors were Laura Green and Dr. Sándor Szabó.  James Ferguson, Ross Hoch, Quinn Pfeiffer, Teddy Wardell, and Andrew Wetty were musicians.  Robby Schetlick was the banner carrier, leading the opening choir processional. Overall direction and cast preparation was led by volunteer Nina Richter, with the assistance of church members Melinda Burge, Charlotte Haims, Fran Harris, Susan Moore, Jennifer Spitz, Tracy Tarry, and Mary Ann Weiler.

Pictured here:  Nativity scene in the White Gift Service at The Reformed Church of Bronxville.

Photo courtesy Tracy Tarry