Welcome to Bethlehem, East Kildonan

Church transforms gym into town that saw birth of Jesus

Putting a new twist on the old Christmas nativity scene is the mission taken on by hundreds of volunteers at an East Kildonan church.

“We have a really huge gym that we’re going to transform into Bethlehem,” said Mary MacLean, a member of the Gateway Christian Community Church and event organizer.

“It’s the first time we’re doing this…We’re going to have live animals, a llama, an alpaca, a couple of donkeys, some rabbits, chickens and goats.”

MacLean said she got the idea for ‘Bethlehem Live’ from a family member in B.C. whose church had put on the same show successfully, with about 10,000 people taking part each year.

The idea is to have a tunnel leading into Bethlehem where a guide, dressed as a shepherd, will be waiting to show people around the town and share the story of Jesus’ birth.

MacLean said more than 200 volunteers are helping out, as well as about 70 to 80 character actors who will participate over the event’s two days, Dec. 15 and 16.

“What we’ve included (that the B.C. church does not have) is little drama vignettes that you’ll get to witness,” said MacLean. “It’s going to be a cacophony of sounds and smells.

A big advantage, added MacLean, is that members of all ages in the congregation are able to participate, from the very young, including a baby Jesus, to older couples seated by a well.

“It’s a community-building project for the church,” she said. “This is the beginning. We’re going to be doing this every year.”

At the Gateway Church, Nov. 25, volunteers were busy building sets and painting pottery.

Artist Geri Gawley was doing her part using paint to make the plywood pieces look like stone buildings.

“What I’m really looking forward to is seeing it all come together because right now it looks rough but that night it opens, it will sparkle – I get shivers,” said the Elmwood resident.

Rosalie Friesen, who along with Transcona’s Rebecca Cummer were working hard to get the pottery painted just right, said the Bethlehem Live idea is fantastic.

“It’s neat to do something different from the ordinary Christmas concert,” said Friesen, who lives in Osborne Village.

“I’m excited about the fact that we’re going to have real animals involved because it adds to the reality, to get people thinking of how it was back then.”

Friesen said the simple message of Christmas, the story of a child born in a stable who would go on to do great things for humanity, is often lost in the commercialism that surrounds Christmas nowadays.

But not all aspects of Bethlehem Live will be as serious.

“Animals never behave the way you expect them to, so it’s going to be an adventure,” Friesen joked.