By EMILY SPARACINO / Staff Writer

MT LAUREL – Children in this year’s “Back to the Cross” musical at Double Oak Community Church will travel back in time on March 22 to different decades and biblical events.

“Back to the Cross involves the main cast experiencing time travel – back to the 80s, then the roaring 20s, the groovy 60s, the Wild West, and then to the future – but they end up back at the Garden of Gethsemane where they witness Jesus praying before His crucifixion,” Children’s Minister Sandy Stephenson said in an email on March 6. “They are able to see the impact that the cross has made for all time.”

The musical includes a choir of 125 children in grades kindergarten through fifth, choreography groups, actors, soloists, Scripture, professional lighting and sound and special effects, Stephenson said.

“The musical is very entertaining – the kids had to audition for the parts they received, and we saw some very talented kids,” Stephenson said. “If you come, you will hear the gospel presented in a very clear fashion in a fun way that you will never forget.”

Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the performance will start at 6 p.m.

Double Oak presented its first Children’s Musical in 2005.

“Kids get to be involved in a project where everyone’s part is important,” Stephenson said. “They get to see how the body of Christ operates together to share the gospel with others.”

Stephenson said the musical teaches children to worship in a corporate setting, teaches them God’s word from spiritual concepts in songs, builds community as they work together, fosters stewardship and service as they use their gifts to glorify God and allows them to share the gospel with others.

“We pray together for people to hear the good news that we are sharing: that God loves them and has a special plan for their lives,” Stephenson said. “We have an amazing group of volunteers – men and women – that make all this possible. As Children’s Minister here at Double Oak, I have many other responsibilities and could never pull it off by myself. I am so grateful that I am in a church where people love to use their gifts to help children come to know the gospel.”