The live nativity

[SlickP]

Originally Posted by cat_herder

I haven't been to this one yet, but am looking forward to it this year.
Thanks for the info.

It is very good. The crowds are extremely large.

[wimlyn]

Just wanted to put a word in for "A Bethlehem Visit". We just went last night, and it was awesome. Far better than we expected. We were told it costs $50,000.00 to put on every year, but it is free. We had to walk through twice just to see everything.

[mawipafl]

wimlyn: "Just wanted to put a word in for "A Bethlehem Visit". We just went last night, and it was awesome. Far better than we expected. We were told it costs $50,000.00 to put on every year, but it is free. We had to walk through twice just to see everything."

I am not surprised the cost is so high - what an event! One can tell they've been doing A Bethlehem Visit for years because they have the logistics down pat of handling thousands of visitors; let's see ....
-- we counted at least 20 school buses to shuttle visitors from the parking lot to the church property
-- at least 10, if not more, golf carts for those who can't walk the distance from the church building to the village of "Bethlehem"
-- uncountable amount of high intensity flood lights to illuminate the parking lot
-- members of the sheriff's dept. regulating and directing traffic, with volunteers keeping the buses filling and emptying at a very smooth pace
-- the Disney system of queue management including carolers and a "preshow", and well-marked queue lines
-- free-flowing hot chocolate and cookies without long wait lines
-- the huge bonfire well-placed outside the village and nearby the hot chocolate and cookie shed
-- the enormous amount of volunteers working in the parking lot, outside the church, inside the church, along the path to "Bethlehem", and actors inside the village from Roman soldiers on horseback to pottery makers, bread makers, dancers, camelkeepers for Sammy the Dancing Camel, winemakers (the feet of the young girls had to be cold as they squished the grapes!), beggars, census takers, and of course Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus in the stable behind the inn (which was declared full by the innkeeper)
-- the village itself looks mostly to be a permanent thing with masonry village gates, numerous buildings and shelters as shops and homes, pens for the various animals, and a cement sidewalk that meanders throughout quite suitable for wheelchairs and strollers - there has to be a large level of maintenance to keep it up to snuff throughout the year

For the committee that pulls this off, it has to be a year-long endeavor to organize all the facets and sponsors for this three-evenings-only "gift to the community" as they call it.

I can highly recommend this event, and if you can't visit tonight (the 13th), please put it on your calendar for next year. Plan to spend at least an hour there at the very least. Even if you're not a church-goer or don't follow that particular faith, it's still worth going for the theatrical experience. But be aware that the crowds are huge; however, that only heightens the experience since the real Bethlehem was also over crowded, right? And it truly is free - but you'll find yourself dipping into your pocket to drop change into the lepers' and beggars' hands and bags because you want to :-)

[mkgolfer]

Shepherd of the Woods Lutheran church in Mandarin www.sotwjax.com (Then click on Lakeshore property)does "A walk to Bethlehem". They have 42 acres and the Journey to Bethlehem is a walk around their 6 acre lake, with stops at a variety of scenes, that are acted out by adults and children in custumes, with a tour guide giving a narration and then singing carols all the way around. It takes about an hour ! And is Really cool, it's touching!! IT's FREE for all, and they have crafts for the kids to do, and roasting marshmallows by a campfire, and then they sell some food and snacks if you want for only 50cents each.
Address is 6595 Columbia Park Ct. From Greenland Rd, you turn south on Fayal rd (between Philips Hwy and the 95 overpass), then turn left on Columbia Park, go thru the stop sign and right on Columbia Park Ct.
What a great Christmas tradition. Heres' the link: our lakeshore property

It's Sat and Sun Dec. 13-14th from 5:30-8:30pm both days. The tours leave every 15 minutes. Wear comfortable shoes and warm clothing. They'll give you the words of the carols so bring your glasses if you need them (Last year, I went and didn't know I could read along with them)

THis church also has a huge pumpkin patch during Halloween, with hayrides and a pirate trail, and bouncy things for the kids, etc. THey hold Day camps for young kids too. It's called Camp lakeshore. The church is Sheperd of the woods Lutheran Church and a new k-3 school!

MKGOlfer