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Church Lights The Way

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By SARAH ROTHWELL, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 19, 2007

Updated: 12/17/2007 07:46 pm

NEW TAMPA - To kick off the tree-lighting ceremony at Cypress Point Community Church on Dec. 12, worship director Jill Barber led the crowd singing "Jingle Bells" and "Frosty the Snowman." Children gathered around her as imitation snow blew through the warm night air.

The lighting marked the first Christmas at the church's new location, 15798 Morris Bridge Road.

"This is our first community outreach event at the new property," Barber said. "We wanted to do something that families could enjoy for free. With the Christmas season, we immediately thought of a tree lighting."

More than 100 people turned out for the event, which included ornament-making booths, refreshments, a visit from Santa and a sparkling 20-foot-tree. Dean Reule, the church's senior pastor, purchased the towering pine from a Dade City tree broker. Church volunteers spent hours decorating it with oversized ornaments and garland.

"It's one of the best trees I've ever seen," Jessica Romera said.

Romera enjoyed the festivities with her newborn baby girl, Jolie, and her mother-in-law, Lorraine. They sang along to the music. Meanwhile, people of all ages wandered the church grounds, mixing, mingling and munching on cookies.

"It's wonderful to be with family and friends," Romera said.

Mary Martin arrived at the event with her teenage daughters. She wasn't surprised when the girls left her side early in the night.

"This is the first time I didn't have to make them come with me to something," she said. "They wanted to come. Maybe there's a boy here; I don't know."
Shirley Benson and grandson Austin bonded over glitter and glue at the ornament table. Together, they made a peppermint candy ornament. Benson plans to hang it on the family tree.

"This was great," she said. "Austin and I took turns piecing together the ornament. It was fun."

Following the official tree lighting, families gathered around the tree to get an up-close look and take photos. With wide eyes, children curiously touched the branches and ornaments. Later, Reule spoke about the meaning of Christmas.

"This time of year, we all enjoy the decorations and singing Christmas jingles," he said. "We also enjoy celebrating the more sacred aspects of the holiday."

Romera said Christmas is first and foremost about the birth of Christ.

"This is my daughter's first Christmas," she said. "I'm excited to raise her in this church because God is at the center of everything we do here."

Church employees hope hosting events such as the tree lighting will spread awareness about what Cypress Point has to offer. They want members and nonmembers to consider the new property a home away from home.

"God blessed us with this awesome facility, and we want to share that," Barber said.

As the Christmas event came to a close, children from neighborhoods throughout the area jumped up and down to get a glimpse of Santa Clause arriving on a big yellow firetruck.

"There are so few community events in New Tampa," Reule said. "We want to help fill that need."

Sarah Rothwell can be reached at srothwell@tamptrib.com or (813) 865-4845.

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