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Date: 11/21/2017
HAMPDEN – The holiday season has arrived, and with it, comes a slew of events around Western Massachusetts promising holiday cheer and unique experiences to bring the community together. Bethlehem Baptist Church in Hampden is hosting “A Bethlehem Christmas” on Dec. 8 and 9, offering an authentic look into first century Bethlehem.
One could equate “A Bethlehem Christmas” to an experience at Sturbridge Village: a live nativity with individuals playing specific roles and interacting with passerby’s, while remaining in character.
“Our church’s Creative Team researched the culture of the place and time of Christ’s birth and have created sets and costumes that are incredibly authentic looking and accurately reflect the simplicity and beauty of that time. The cast will remain in character throughout the event and guests will have opportunities to engage and ask questions to the degree that they desire,” Connection and Outreach Director for Bethlehem Baptist Church Lori Cooney shared.
Over 185 volunteers from the church came together to cut and sew 72 costumes, paint murals, carve and paint details on each set piece, as well as creating the event logo and printing marketing materials. Cooney noted there are roughly 70 members of the cast for the Bethlehem Christmas event.
“A Bethlehem Christmas” has been in the works since the last holiday season. Pastor Brian MacLeod came up with the original idea for the live nativity. MacLeod has been the Senior Pastor at Bethlehem Church since 1983. The congregation had talked about the idea last year, and in May, they put it into motion.
“We launched the idea to our congregation in May and put out volunteer sign up sheets that Sunday, and have been busy planning and developing this gift to our community ever since,” Cooney explained.
Last year Bethlehem offered a community event in the fall in the form of a Harvest Festival. The event garnered over 700 residents during the three-hour event. The Harvest Festival offered live music by the church’s café, a family fun room with games, crafts and a bounce house, as well as a Trunk or Treat. The congregation realized, however, that several other churches in the area offered a similar harvest-themed event.
“We decided to reconsider how we can bless our community with a unique, fun, free family event during a different season. We cast the vision of holding a Christmas event for families to experience what it might have been like to journey ‘Main Street’ in Bethlehem, the place of Jesus’ birth,” Cooney said. “After sharing our vision with our congregation we had a contest to name the event. ‘A Bethlehem Christmas’ was the winning name, and we think it’s just perfect.”
In 2015 Bethlehem Church moved to its new location at 123 Allen St. The unique and rather large church boasts a “huge hallway” that church-goers affectionately call “Main Street.” This space will be converted into “Main Street” in Bethlehem, for the event.
“We are so grateful for this space, and I could not be more excited to welcome the community in for this unique, fun, interactive family event for all ages. I don’t want to give too much away but let it suffice to say that this is a very unique holiday event for our area. ‘A Bethlehem Christmas’ brings people into the sights, sounds, smells and sentiments of that very first Christmas,” Cooney beamed.
Bethlehem Baptist Church invites the community to attend “A Bethlehem Christmas” and to visit artisans and craftspeople as they work in their shops, meet townspeople and shepherds who’ve come into town, and the newborn baby in a nearby stable.
“A Bethlehem Christmas” will take place on Dec. 8 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. as well as Dec. 9 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Bethlehem Church at 123 Allen St. in Hampden. The event will be free flowing, so guests are welcome to drop by at any time. For more information, visit www.BethlehemHampden.org/Christmas or call the church at 566-5572.