With real snow and rain, simulated thunder and lightning, angels flying across the room, and a Jesus ascending 45 feet from the stage to the ceiling, the annual Christmas performance at Shadow Hills Baptist Church can sometimes feel more like a Strip show than a community-based operation.

Shaina Guest, 15, plays Mary in Rejoice! Photo by: April Corbin

In reality, it's a bit of both.

For the past 10 years, parishioners at the Summerlin church have been creating more elaborate Christmas shows each holiday season. They've been lucky — blessed, they might say — to utilize the resources of the church's worshippers, which include Strip performers, a special effects stuntman, music teachers and a technical director at a local television news station.

This year's production includes a cast and crew of 132 to 150 people onstage and behind the scenes. Most are volunteers involved in the church's ministries. The church does hire and pay a few players, however — mostly musicians and technical people. Props include a giant Bible from which characters emerge to tell stories about Christmas and a one-week-old infant lying-in for baby Jesus. His is not a speaking role.

"What else could you want?" jokes Stacy Butler, the ministry assistant for Pastor Tom Bell at Shadow Hills Baptist Church.

The newborn is the son of one of the church employees, and probably the only member of the cast and crew not required to attend weekly practices, which began in September (and would have been difficult to fit into the then-unborn baby's schedule). The show's conception began about a month prior to rehearsals, with Pastor Bell choosing the music and theme.

Adds Butler, "It's difficult to think about Christmas in Vegas in August, but we do it."

This year's theme: Rejoice! According to Butler, it will have a more contemporary, soulful feel than previous years. As with previous shows, Shadow Hills expects capacity crowds for all three nights of performances, or approximately 6,000 people attending over a three-day span.

Between payroll, catering for people involved in long practices and paying for childcare during the performances, the Shadow Hills Christmas show comes with a hefty price tag, but the performance is free and always will be, Butler says. "It's our gift to the community."