Lombard church tells international Christmas story

For a Lombard church with a predominantly Indian congregation, putting on another rendition of the traditional Christmas story just didn’t seem quite right.

International Community Evangelical Free Church offered a traditional Christmas play last year, but Pastor Nathan Sauve and his wife, Dani, wanted to do something different this year, something more international.

“A lot of times we think the Christmas story is a Western story,” the pastor said. “The Christmas story really is an international story — that Jesus came for all people, and we see that.”

Luckily, the Sauves found a story so fitting it seems like it was written especially for their community.

That’s because it was.

“A Christmas Homecoming,” written by Dani Sauve, will be staged at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18, at the church, 611 W. St. Charles Road, Lombard. Admission is free.

The play tells the story of a pregnant Indian woman who longs for reconciliation with her father before the birth of her first child. But the woman and her father have been estranged for three years since she chose to marry a man she loved over her father’s arranged match.

Breaching a topic as touchy as arranged marriage in a theatrical format is a first for the church, said Jean Chandra of Aurora, the church’s pianist and also an actress in the play.

“This (play) I thought was unique in hitting more of the cultural side of things,” Chandra said. It covers “the cultural differences between the older generation and the younger generation on the topic of marriage — arranged versus love marriage.”

And to fit with the holiday season, the play discusses the topic with a tone of reconciliation, forgiveness and moving past differences.

“I think it’s really a perfect time to talk about these things at Christmas time when we talk about the reason Jesus came into the world — to restore humanity to God,” Dani Sauve said.

The church can hold about 180 people, and people of all faiths and cultures are welcome to attend.

“From the minute they walk into the door, this will be a different kind of theater experience,” Dani Sauve said. “This is not a formal play with a big curtain. It’s meant to be highly engaging and emotionally rousing.”

Laughter should be a part of the emotional reaction, as the father’s stubbornness causes some surprising effects on the play’s eight cast members, Dani said.

Chandra, who plays the main character’s sister-in-law, said her character sets the ball in motion for the big homecoming to occur over a Christmas dinner.

“I’m all about ‘Let’s focus on what the Lord wants in terms of unity and being in the same spirit,’” Chandra said of her character’s mindset. “Whatever the issue is, whatever the problem is, God wants us to be united and to be together.”

Especially around Christmas.