A group of angels walked into frame, dressed in white with costume wings perched on their little backs – their arrival adorably announced by slightly off-timed puffs of smoke from a special effects machine at the edge of the stage.
About 220 members of the Mar Thoma Syrian Christian Church at Jalan Keli gathered on Dec 20 to watch these angels, endearingly portrayed by the Sunday School children, as part of their church’s annual nativity play and congregational carol event.
The hour-and-a-half performance was divided into 12 skits, which together depicted the Christmas story of Jesus’s birth, interspersed with interactive segments such as biblical trivia quizzes and “guess the lyrics” games for well-known festive carols, while stagehands changed the set between scenes.
In a lighthearted moment, the young actor playing Joseph himself volunteered to answer a question about his character. Thankfully, he got it right.
The senior members, affectionately called aunties and uncles, also actively joined in throughout the session, either stepping forward to answer questions or gently guiding the little ones when they were unsure.
The close-knit nature of this community comes as no surprise, given that the church, which originated in Kerala, has been a hub for Malayalee Christians in Singapore for the past 90 years.
Mr George Abraham, 77, has been a member of the church since birth and has witnessed most of its history firsthand. The managing director of a consultancy firm said: “When I was a kid, the church serviced about a hundred plus families. Now, we have close to 300 families.”
He observed that the Christmas celebrations at the church have spruced up over the years following the input and active involvement of the younger generations.
“We have a choir that is very, very good. The singing part of worship, besides Sunday service and in events like these, really brings out the rah-rah spirit,” Mr George noted.
Mr Zachery Thomas Abraham, 24, the vice-president of the church’s youth fellowship that oversees members aged 13 to 35, said: “This event involves every cross segment of the church. Rehearsals started from mid-November.”
“I went from sheep to shepherd to wise men and so on,” Mr Zachery fondly recalled, referring to the various characters he portrayed in the nativity play growing up. Due to another commitment, he could not participate this year, but his family did. “My parents actually teach Sunday School, and my sister helps out. They were heavily involved in managing all the children, getting them to rehearse their lines and practise their dance moves,” he added.
It was a collective effort as the Sunday School team was supported by other auxiliary bodies within the church, including the Sevika Sangham – a fellowship for women.
“As women, we make ourselves useful wherever we can. From the screenplay and direction to being on the audio-visual team, playing the piano, and preparing the presentation slides,” said Mrs Susha Thomas, who has served as the Sevika Sangham’s secretary since 2023.
She also took part in the first half of the congregational carol, which featured both men and women singing a selection of hymns in Malayalam. The harmonising vocals combined with the sight of women draped in traditional sarees exuded reverence and awe.
The second half took on a more animated tone as another group of carollers performed yuletide tunes with an Indian flair, accompanied by drum beats that punctuated each note and had the entire audience clapping along enthusiastically.
The current vicar at Mar Thoma’s Singapore Parish, Reverend Raj Elias Varghese, said: “Art is very important. Whether it is religion or politics, the performing arts help to develop people. It helps them to understand things in a different manner.
“It is also about fellowship. They have been practising and preparing for this event over the last month. To see a 60-year-old grandmother act alongside a six-year-old child, that’s very important because it’s about making all the generations come together.”
