Today’s post was written by Chitter.
For the second time we performed at a local event called A Night in Bethlehem. It’s something we really enjoying being part of because the people who attend are as excited about the reason for Christmas as we are.
It’s a lot of fun to visit all the booths that are representing local churches and businesses.
But my favorite part of the event is the little red faced children running around enjoying themselves. Many of them are dressed in costumes so as to be part of the nativity scene that happens once every hour.
This year we videoed the event from our perspective. I hope you enjoy seeing a peek into the night we’ve come to look forward to every year. At the end of the video, the organizer, Preston Mashburn, explains how a Night in Bethlehem came to be.
I hope you enjoyed the video and I wish you a Merry Christmas!
Chitter
I just loved watching the little children. Before COVID, some of the churches in our area had live Nativity scenes. Our church had its pageant Saturday evening and the little children were so precious and I could feel the excitement. I feel that our Christmas pageant sets the tone for Christmas. I feel that people have forgotten what Christmas is all about. Thanks to you all for your performance.
WHAT a beautiful idea and worthy cause!
It’s wonderful seeing communities come together for a good cause that also teaches people about our Lord Jesus. Good interview!
Good job! Everyone should know the true meaning of Christmas. Love the music . Looks like you all had a good time. God Bless! ❤
I wish you a very Merry Christmas too!
I really did enjoy the video. Merry Christmas! Take care and God bless!
Chitter, I really enjoyed the video! It was a great event for sure! I especially liked the little ones whose sweet eyes were big and they were singing their tiny hearts out!!! The Pressley/ Wilson family did a fine job getting the crowd in the Christmas spirit!!! Merry Christmas and thank you for the delightful share. I want you to know you and your sister have absolutely beautiful smiles and teeth!!! Just sparkling I must say!!!
I wanted to clarify my earlier comment about giving up Santa in my house at Christmas. I didn’t mean that I think everyone should. Each of us have temptations and struggles that are our own. Santa was a problem to me in that, even as a Christian, the secular celebration of Christmas had become my passion, and not Christ, at Christmas. I knew why we as Christian’s celebrated Christmas, but I had allowed the secular celebration to be my focus. And that was my own problem. When the Holy Spirit speaks to us about our own personal struggles and sins – it is for us alone. We need to listen, pray and then act on what the Holy Spirit is teaching us. And for me, it was making Santa my idol at Christmas time. Other Christians do not have a problem with mixing the two. All through the year, the Holy Spirit whispers to us things that are pertinent to our personal walk with God. Things we need to work on, move out of our lives, add to our lives, attitudes to change, etc.. When we heed the Voice of God, and we make our walk with Him our priority in our lives, the richness we feel in abundant joy and peace is far more wealthy than anything in this world. So, moving Santa out of my house at Christmas was an area of personal struggle just for me. I didn’t mean to offend anyone with my earlier comment, or want to make myself out to be holier-than-thou, because I am not. I am human, and this was an area in my life that had to be changed for my walk with Christ to be closer. Thank you for listening.
Donna. : )
Beautiful!
I sure enjoyed watching this video. It was a good way to start my Sunday. Everyone was having a good time celebrating the real meaning of Christmas. It is always a blessing to be around fellow Christians. Dennis Moran
What a special blessing to be able to live in a community that praises God in every way it can. The children grow up in a Christian loving and happy place and will have many fond memories as they grow up. Thanks, Chitter.
The word “laid” should have been “laud”—sorry.
This must be a wonderful community event and I laid them for it. However the background noise during the music and acting was a bit of distraction for me.
I enjoyed this so much! Thank you for this video! Corie did a fantastic job with her interview! All across America, and the world, so many Christians present the story of Christ’s birth to a Christmas-is-Santa only society. I think these live nativity scenes are wonderful. I use to have a huge collection of Santas. I especially loved, and I admit still do, the older Santas – pre mid 60s to ancient. One Christmas about ten years ago, I looked around my house and really noticed how my holiday decor was more Santa than Christ. Who was I worshipping? The Holy Spirit spoke to my heart about what I was presenting to whoever came to my house at Christmas time. It really brought me to my knees before God. It was a very hard thing for me to do, but right then I gathered up all of my Santa decor, and I gave them all away. I made the decision that as a Christian, I wanted to share to the world why I celebrate Christmas. Several friends and family members still shake their heads at me for my decision to focus on Christ in my house’s holiday decor. I am not against Santa. I love the different old world stories of old St Nicholas and Christmas trees, and Rudolph and the elves in the North Pole, and I love looking at all the secular holiday stuff. And, I confess, boy! it is so hard for me to not buy anything Santa still!! But for me – I needed to put my own focus back on the reason as a Christian I celebrate this day – what I surround myself with in the sanctuary of my house needed to remind me of that. All this to say – I applaud those that perform the live nativity scenes in the freezing cold in the north, or heat and humidity in the southern part of the world. The most important thing we do in our life is whether we accept the truth of Christ. And the second most important thing we do is what we do with that Truth – do we keep it to ourselves, or do we share what we know with the world?
Donna. : )
Chitter did a great job interviewing Preston. I enjoyed the video of the program , seeing everyday people ,like myself participating in the celebration of Jesus birth touched my heart. God Bless You All . MERRY CHRISTMAS ❤
So wonderful to see a community gather. We used to do this when I was a child, but that close feeling of community is gone here where I live. Have a l9veky Christmas all.