Forest Park Baptist Church is no stranger to Christmas programs, and neither is Mark Clements, the Joplin church’s worship pastor.

“Our church is 164 years old, so we have had a few Christmas productions,” said Clements, who will be the music director for this year’s event, “A Night of Christmas.”

Clements will be leading a 25-piece orchestra and a 50-voice choir, with soloists, ensembles and quartets mixed in, at this year’s holiday musical. The production, at 6 p.m. Dec. 13, will be staged in the church auditorium at Seventh Street and Range Line Road.

Modern music will be combined with traditional Christmas carols.

“We will emphasize the birth of our Lord with a lot of different styles of music,” Clements said. “If someone wants to come and get a taste of great Christmas music, they will find it there that night.”

The one-hour-and-15-minute production varies from many past productions in that it is in musical form only.

“Last year we had a program, ‘I’ll Be Home for Christmas,’ where everybody was dressed up for the 1940s in really cool garb,” Clements said. “Even though I like both types of productions (musical and non-musical), the one this year has been one of the most challenging we have done.

“Musically, this is technically difficult, not just for the choir but through the orchestration, as well. The audience should find it very fun and enjoyable.”

Clements said that about 90 people are involved in the entire production.

“There is not a whole lot to the set but we have been rehearsing weekly since Sept. 9 and there will be extra rehearsals as we get closer to the night of the production,” he said.

Although there will be no admission charge, all attending are asked to bring non-perishable food items to help with the church’s food pantry.

Anyone needing more information may call the church at 623-4606. The Web site for Forest Park, which also has campuses in Carthage and at Stone’s Corner on North Main Street, is www.fpbc.net.

Address correspondence to Rich Brown, c/o The Joplin Globe, P.O. Box 7, Joplin, MO 64802 or e-mail rbrown@joplinglobe.com.