Ode to Al Huffman and the DCP

So for those of you reading this who are not RBCers let me bring you into the loop. For 21 years Ridgecrest has put on the Durham Christmas Pageant at Page Auditorium (at Duke) as a gift to the city of Durham. It is a 2+ hour Broadway style show that features great Christmas music, a poignant modern Christmas story, and a telling of the gospel through drama and music. It was created by Al Huffman (worship pastor at RBC), produced by Al Huffman, and directed by Al Huffman.

Today’s performance of the DCP was the last one. The DCP is being retired after 21 years. I’m sure for Al that it is a bittersweet ending. It has been a labor of love for all these years and has been used to reach our city with the gospel and to create community and a shared purpose in our church. But I know that it is an exhausting endeavor each year. It takes at least 4 months of constant work to pull it together and I have a suspicion that it is never far from Al’s mind the rest of the year.

So with the lights going out on the DCP I wanted to say thanks to Al:

Thanks Al for all the hard work you have put in over the years to make the DCP such a huge success.

Thanks Al for creating something that our entire church could rally around each year for ministry.

Thanks Al for demonstrating such passion through the years to see the DCP come together.

Thanks Al on behalf of Billy Wentz and scores of others who are now in the kingdom of God because of the DCP.

Thanks Al for all the funny stories that have come out of these productions that now have a life of their own.

Thanks Al for giving kids a chance to shine and have fun performing on stage.

Thanks Al for introducing us to some of the best Christmas music around.

Thanks Al for the Hobos, and the Santa Clauses, and the Babies, and all the other characters that will never be forgotten.

Thanks Al for showing us your love for the Lord through this labor of love.

Thanks Al… for all the memories!