By Julia Arenstam

Picayune Item

The three kings are bringing gifts to visitors of Saint Barnabas Anglican Church this Christmas season for the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols.

The little brick church in downtown Picayune is hosting an assortment of handcrafted puppets for the third annual performance of an Anglican Church tradition.

The play features puppets depicting Mary, Joseph, their flock and the three kings. The puppets were crafted by Laura Anne Ewald, a local puppeteer who organized the performance.

“It all starts with a Styrofoam ball and stick,” Ewald said.

From there, customized costumes are fitted to each puppet’s character.

Each year, Ewald said she learns a little bit more and their design becomes more elaborate, adding large “googly eyes” and long, full eyelashes.

The traditional story of the nativity will be told through stick puppets, narrated by Fr. Jonathan Filkins, pastor at St. Barnabas Anglican Church.

“We don’t have a lot of these things in Picayune,” Filkins said. “It’s something we want people to come to year after year.”

Though it’s called the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, the group ultimately performs more than a dozen holiday favorites, including Silent Night and Joy to the World.

“It allows everybody to come in, take a deep breath, rest, get out of the buzz of shopping and enjoy the story of the nativity,” Ewald said.

Coordinated efforts between volunteer puppeteers, musicians, local choirs and stagehands fall seamlessly together to provide a ecumenical event for the community, she said.

“It’s basically a ballet,” Ewald said.

The Pearl River County Christian Home Education Association volunteers about a half dozen students between 8 and 15-years-old to help put on the event.

“The children have a really good time,” Ewald said.

Ewald has helped put on these performances at various parishes since 1999, she said.

This year, the stage design was re-worked to allow all of the puppets to be on set at one time, allowing for a full nativity scene and more space for guests.

Filkins said the church can have anywhere from 60 to over 90 guests during the one-night performance.

This year’s performing vocalists include Jan Penton Miller, Tom Lehr, Skip Rigney, Sharon Ewald, Jamie McDonald-Marshall, Shay McDonald-LeBlanc and Rebecca Jarrald on the keyboard.

The show is open to the public. Attendees are asked to bring a small monetary or canned food donation to Christian Care Ministries, Filkins said.

The show starts at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10. For more information, call the church at 601-749-4663.