This mural's theme of longing and renewal reflects our Christian roots and traditions, as well as the apprehensions and hopes of our times. From the weary, palm-studded sands of the Middle East to the glory of the heavenly city, both music and mural depict humankind's thirst for the Lord -- the promise of a new heaven and a new earth, nurtured in light and life.

"Green boughs and fairest palms" frame the concert mural's living Christ in the essential beauty of God's creation. Human and animal figures cast shadows in the darkness, tracing the way to the nativity, then on to the glory of the resurrection.

From the entreaties of a lonely shepherd to the progress of the Magi, God's people are led by the light to a lowly stable in Bethlehem. Sounds of their timbrels, lyre and drum rise to join the songs of angels as they point the way to the manger.