CAIRO- Pine Level Baptist Church is bringing the laughs and the true reason for the season next weekend with their performance of “The Christmas Post.”

According to Music Director Becky Harrell, the church first performed “The Christmas Post” fifteen years ago and decided to bring it back much to the delight of their congregation, due to the message and longstanding love for the production.

“The choir absolutely loved it and the message never changes,” Harrell said. “We always like to entertain, but we always want to make sure the message about Salvation and the birth of Jesus comes through.”

The play centers around the idea of faith, as a young widow Alice Garfield (Vickie Gainous) takes a second job in the toy department of Herzog’s Department Store to bring in enough extra money to buy Christmas presents for her two small children.

“She’s working and working, but she starts to lose her faith, so some of the characters start to come beside her and encourage her and how to keep the faith in Christ and what Jesus will do for us,” Harrell said. “Through the play, we learn that sometimes Jesus isn’t on our timetable, but His timetable.”

While Alice’s coworkers see and feel her struggles, it’s Department store manager Maxwell Seldon (Ward Johnson), who the staff really hopes will see the light. Maxwell has led a troubled life and takes it out on others with a selfish, overbearing attitude, forcing employees to work until the gritty end just to make ends meet.

Johnson was in the original production 15 years ago with his daughter but is intrigued by the idea of this new role.

“They’ve all really grown in their acting skills,” Harrell explained at the reasoning behind Johnson’s new role.

Johnson said in his role as Maxwell, he sees the similarities he once had to the character.

“Maxwell’s character is stuck on money,” Johnson said. “He’s always worried about how he is going to make a living after seeing his parents work themselves to an early grave in the Great Depression, giving him this sort of “Bah Humbug” attitude.”

Johnson recalls the days of when he was worried about money and finding the perfect gift for his children, distracting him from the true reason for the season.

“In a way, it’s easy to play this character because we’ve all either been this person or know someone just like them,” he said.

But, much like Johnson, anyone can change if they just have faith.

“You just have to trust that God will see you through anything,” Johnson said. “My hope is that everyone who attends will take that away. I also hope they see anybody can change, even the ones you least expect, including my character and Mr. Herzog (Clay Cooper).”

Viewers will have two opportunities to see Johnson, along with his fellow congregation members, including Karla Powe, John Ansley, Lisa Hollingsworth, Rawlings Maige, and Terry Gibson on stage.

They will perform on Saturday, December 16 and Sunday, December 17 at 6 p.m. Admission is free.