[December 13, 2009] Bethlehem scenes put holiday in perspective Tweet Dec 13, 2009 (The Daily Times - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Keeping attention toward the root of the holiday season, some local churches will present live nativity scenes and dramatizations of Old World Bethlehem to help people reconnect with the meaning of Christmas. Crossroads Community Church of the Nazarene has put on the elaborate walk through Bethlehem since 2001, constructing a full-scale city behind the Sullivan Avenue church, and putting more than 100 volunteers to work to make the Bible story come to life, said Pastor Dave West. Visitors are given guided tours through the fabled Bethlehem, leading to the stable where Jesus was born. "This is one of those things that causes a pause," West said. "We really have the time to stop, and think about what's really important to life." Keeping with the authenticity of the nativity experience, there's even a real baby sitting in as Jesus. This year's event at Crossroads church will feature seven different babies ranging from 3-week-old infants to 18-month toddlers, each volunteered by parents to participate in the annual event. "Every year it takes on a new dynamic because the people who have seen it before are bringing new folks to experience it," West said. "Every time you come, you get a different feeling, you discover a nuance that you didn't see in it before." Taking a year off from the live nativity in 2008, Crossroads recognized the event had become a holiday tradition for many in San Juan County after receiving a number of phone calls curious about the event's status, West said. "We knew at that point that we couldn't miss another year, so we set our sights on this year," the pastor said. But the Crossroads Community Church is not the only one to develop the Christmas nativity into a Farmington tradition. Since 1984, Navajo Ministries has hosted a live nativity scene on its West Main Street grounds, with biblical characters played by children living at the Navajo Ministries group home. "We try to have it that week right before Christmas so that hopefully a lot of the shopping is over, so (people) can take some time to reflect on the true meaning of the season," said Jim Baker, president of Navajo Ministries. "What we hear from people is that it's become part of their Christmas tradition." Navajo Ministries features a drive-through nativity, allowing visitors to view the Navajo culturally inspired scene from the warmth of their own cars. "We've got the real animals, a real baby in the (Navajo) cradle board, I think those things just all work together to make it special," Baker said. Also on the Navajo Ministries grounds are children's choirs and luminarias to enhance the festive atmosphere. "It's kind of like a living Christmas card to the community," Baker said. "We appreciate the support of many people in the community in the past year, and it's just kind of a gift back to them for what they do for us." A new event for 2009 is the "Night in Bethlehem" program hosted tonight by Trinity Lutheran Church on 20th Street in Farmington. While the event hosted at the small church has limited space without a live nativity scene, Bible school children will present a range of historical perspectives from what life really was like during the times of Jesus, said Pastor Larry Davis. And that understanding of the history behind the scripture helps people better connect with the Christmas season, Davis said. "These things are very well remembered and accepted by the community," he said. "I think it's kind of neat to take people back during that (biblical) time, versus just going to the shopping mall to pick up gifts." James Monteleone: [email protected] To see more of The Daily Times, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.daily-times.com. Copyright (c) 2009, The Daily Times, Farmington, N.M. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]