The Real Magic of Christmas
If there's one thing we malign at Christmas time, it's the busy-bodied lack of focus that comes with the thousands of commitments we seem to make as soon as the Thanksgiving Turkey is wrapped in foil and dropped, without ceremony, into the fridge. From that moment until the serenity of Christmas morning, it's all about to-do lists and shopping days and fundraisers and party planning and on and on and on. We know it, too: it's the number one complaint of every sane person on the planet this time of year. When did the holidays stop being about fun and family and start being about calendar control and product placement?
We're as guilty of it as anyone else. If we're honest, we do it year-round. When you're blessed to do as much in this community as we are, it's easy to get swept up in the relentless cycle of do-good-feel-good-commit-to-repeat. From the moment we receive our first school supply shipment through the dozens of home renovations we perform and down to the last Christmas gift we deliver, it seems like we spend all our time trying to do more great things without ever stopping to celebrate the amazing things of which we've already been a part.
It's our pleasure to be rooted in this community, helping to remedy the unfortunate disparity of a world that isn't quite in line with the way it was meant to be. On December 5th, we decided to share that pleasure; to pause in the midst of our busiest season and celebrate the amazing things that have happened here. Families have been strengthened. Hope restored. Food provided. Homes revitalized. Futures secured. Friendships forged.
What better way to rejoice in the victories of the past year than to have two of the most prominent names in musical celebration stop by to share their gift?
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- Having survived the doors opening minutes before, volunteers and staff at the ticket counter enjoy a more controlled crowd at Will Call. Photo by Cody Bettis, 6 Stones.
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- Volunteer Kristina Hill helps to check in a pair of guests before the show. Photo by Cody Bettis, 6 Stones.
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- The Air1 Street Team warms up early-arriving concert goers. Photo by Steven A Jones, 6 Stones
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- Diehard fans of Phil Wickham and Shane&Shane settle into the auditorium for a VIP Q&A session. Photo by Steven A Jones, 6 Stones.
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- Taking advantage of the precious moments before the show began, guests stop by the artist's merchandise table to pick up souvenirs, CDs and Christmas gifts. Photo by Cody Bettis, 6 Stones
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- We were delighted to share in worship with so many like-minded people! Photo by Steven A Jones, 6 Stones.
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- Moments before the house lights dimmed, a thousand patrons were seated and eagerly awaiting the show. Photo by Cody Bettis, 6 Stones.
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- Opening Act Micah Tyler taking the stage to kick off the show. Photo by Cody Bettis, 6 Stones.
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- Micah, reminding us why we're here. Photo by Steven A Jones, 6 Stones
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- 6 Stones Director Scott Sheppard takes a brief moment to introduce us to the crowd, who came from everywhere between Euless and Kansas! Photo by Steven A Jones, 6 Stones
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- Shane&Shane and Phil Wickham have an undeniable stage presence. Photo by Cody Bettis, 6 Stones.
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- It didn't take long for Phil and the Shanes to get things going. Photo by Steven A Jones, 6 Stones.
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- The crowd rises to worship as Shane&Shane and Phil Wickham kick off another song. Photo by Cody Bettis, 6 Stones.
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- Endless praise… seems appropriate, given the circumstances. Photo by Steven A Jones, 6 Stones
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- We were blessed to have a magnificent venue, courtesy of First Baptist Church of Euless. Photo by Cody Bettis, 6 Stones
Somewhere between Micah Tyler's kind words about our work during the opening set and the return of the overhead lights in the First Baptist Euless auditorium following the headliners, each of us took and breath and whispered a confident “thank you.” For some, it was a declaration of praise to a God of miracles who continues to astound us with His presence here. For others, it was a grateful announcement that this year left us all a little better than it found us. A few may have even been releasing the weight of a life transformed: acknowledging a personal reversal of tragedy or pain in themselves or their neighbors. Those moments, however varied they may have been, were the embodiment of the true significance of the winter holidays.
The real wonder of this season runs all the way back to an old story about a God so loving that he would enter a broken world as a mere human to ransom us out of our depravity and back to him. A story of love and redemption that continues today, thanks to the passion of men and women who believe that story to be true and the first man who told it to be the embodiment of hope. They love because he first loved them, and they are the raw power that makes 6 Stones run. They are the reason that Saturday night was beautiful.
As much as Shane & Shane and Phil Wickham captured us with their harmonies, the real magic was found in a peaceful clearing beside our main office long after the concert hall had cleared. Warmed by the glow of a half dozen cheerful fire pits and several hundred feet of Christmas lights, the 6 Stones Community Garden took on a vibrant life usually reserved for Spring. Rather than vegetation rising from beneath the dirt, however, the bounty was in the droves of joyous people that trod across the grounds.
The garden was a living place in more ways than one.
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- Volunteers worked hard to create a wondrous holiday atmosphere for concert-goers at the Garden Afterparty. Photo by Steven A Jones, 6 Stones.
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- Each decorative mason jar was filled and lit by hand (because our volunteers are incredible). Photo by Steven A Jones, 6 Stones.
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- Families gather in the community garden for s'mores and food truck dinner. Photo by Steven A Jones, 6 Stones
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- Friends make use of fire pits at the back of the garden to stay warm between cocoa and reindeer breaks. Photo by Steven A Jones.
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- Making use of the lighted pavilion, this patron preps a s'more before ducking back into the darkness. Photo by Steven A Jones, 6 Stones.
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- Sometimes, candid shots become photo shoots. Photo by Steven A Jones, 6 Stones.
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- People of all ages like a good Christmas photo op. Photo by Steven A Jones, 6 Stones
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- The reindeer drew quite a crowd. Photo by Steven A Jones, 6 Stones
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- Nothing gets the imagination going like a reindeer at Christmas time. Photo by Steven A Jones, 6 Stones
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- There's nothing quite as beautiful as good people gathered to do good. Photo by Steven A Jones, 6 Stones.
We could never express our constant gratitude for the thousands of people who live and serve with us every year. It seems like more join the cause every day, and the only thing we know for sure is that the things happening here are not happening because there is something special about us. We're glad we could celebrate the wonder of this season — and everything that came before it — with the most incredible people we know. They're the real magic at 6 Stones.