Joel Thompson remembered the pageants of Christmases past. Recorded music. Children in costumes. A doll in a manger.

Last week, Thompson and his daughters attended the opening night of Christmas at Bayside Church in Roseville, a Christmas present he would never have imagined.

More than 2,000 volunteers worked on the church's annual Christmas show – which runs through Christmas Eve – and features performances by Christian rock artist Lincoln Brewster and "America's Got Talent" finalists the Silhouettes. With the addition of the dance group – the performers create images and words behind a screen – the church topped last year's show.

"This was a Broadway production," said Thompson, who sat in the front row with daughters Lana, 7, and Ella, 5. "It was an amazing way of getting out the message."

The message may be the same, but the way it is delivered has certainly changed as large churches produce more elaborate Christmas productions every year. Sacramento-area churches are staging Christmas shows that often include large casts, theatrical lighting and music, and special guests.

"We do Christmas around here big because God did Christmas big the first time," Curt Harlow, teaching pastor at Bayside, said during the church's show Friday night.

The 90-minute show, which is a worship service, began with Brewster and ended with the audience of about 2,600 lighting candles, meant to serve as a reminder to let their light shine throughout the year. The church has been planning the show for nearly a year.

"We really want it to be special," Harlow said.

Church leaders, mostly from megachurches in the suburbs, work hard on these productions because they are seen as ways to attract the wider community to their houses of worship. Religious leaders hope those looking for a church will remember the large-scale productions and the family-friendly atmosphere.

The shows are free – the church's staff makes a point of saying nonmembers should not contribute to the weekly offering – and visitors are welcomed with hot chocolate, cider and information packets about the church.

The staff at Adventure Christian Church in Roseville wants families in the community to make the congregation's annual Christmas production a tradition.

Before its shows, coming Friday and Saturday, the church will hold an outdoor Christmas festival. It will feature horse-drawn carriage rides, free family photos, food (including a new s'mores station), a petting zoo, a train ride, Christmas carolers, crafts for kids, Santa Claus and a live Nativity scene.

Once inside for the Christmas show, worshippers can watch a drama about the Nativity.

"We do it big because we look at it as community outreach," said Lydia Khachadourian, director of connections at the church. "This is the third year we have done something to this extent, and it has been very successful."

She said the church expects about 12,000 people to attend the Friday and Christmas Eve services.

Other churches also have gone big. Earlier this month, 3,500 people attended First Covenant of Sacramento's "Christmas Around the World Festival," which featured various musical groups over two days. Capital Christian Center held its annual Singing Christmas Tree and drew more than 25,000 over 10 shows.

It isn't only about the show, though. Most churches raise funds and donate to local causes, or hold events for the needy. Capital Christian, for example, gave a free performance for the poor. First Covenant held a Christmas mall to provide clothing, food and even massages for those in need. At Bayside, each night's donations are directed to a special cause, from bikes and books for kids whose families can't afford them, to buying mosquito netting to fight malaria.

At Bayside, all of this is handled by the large cast of church volunteers. They park cars, baby-sit and make hot chocolate. More than 300 volunteers devoted five days to decorating the church campus.

Harlow, who is in charge of the Christmas production, said the Rev. Ray Johnston came up with the idea of bringing in the Silhouettes a few months ago.

"We wanted them because they inspire hearts," Harlow said. "It's a creative way of telling the simple story that God really cares."

The Silhouettes, all under age 18, perform for 12 minutes. Their dance style is "shadow work," according to Lynne Waggonner-Pattone, the group's creative director and choreographer. She said the group performs at many large churches.

"But we created this specifically for Bayside," she said of the Christmas performance.

During the show, the young dancers created many spiritual images, including a manger, an angel and a cross.

Howard Carlyle attended the event with his grandchildren.

"Loved it," said Carlyle.

Gloria Carmichael liked the show but said the rock music at the beginning of the worship service was too loud.

"I had to cover my ears the whole time," she said.

Loud or not, the shows are so popular that churchgoers are lining up hours before the performances. Thompson said his daughters want to see the show again.

That's music to Harlow's ears. He's already thinking about future Christmas pageants.

"We've got one or two great ideas," he said. "Believe it or not, I think we're going to top this year."

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