There are lots of ways to engage the community at Christmas. Some churches go into the community to tell the story of Christmas, some tell the story of Christmas in creative ways, and others choose to build relationships by inviting the community to come. Here are a few of the ways that churches around EPA built relationship and told the story of Christmas this past season.
Faith UMC in Stroudsburg hosts Holiday Market
Faith UMC chose to invite the community to come to them. They looked around their neighborhood and they noticed that they had many local artists and crafters in their area so they decided to try a market where artisans could buy their goods and neighbors could come and buy.
It was more than just a market; they also had a spot where children could do a small art project and visit Santa Claus. Pastor Jack Tironi was grateful for the experience, commenting, “The event was a great success!” The church built new relationships with the people in the community, welcomed new faces into doors, and spent time in warm fellowship.
Bangor UMC hosts immersive Christmas experience
Every year, the members of Bangor UMC work together to tell the story of Christmas in a creative way, they transform their space into first century Bethlehem and embody the characters of the Christmas story. Modelled after a winter VBS program, One Starry Night, is an immersive biblical experience where you travel around Bethlehem during the census, just as Mary and Joseph did so long ago.
The journey begins at a welcome table where you are given a bag of coins, instructions on how to register for the census, and a warning—watch out for the tax collector. The tax collector is known for shaking down unsuspecting visitors for coin—charging them taxes on the spot for failing to register for the census and even charging a “too much fun” tax.
Once you are welcomed to ancient Jerusalem, you enter a space that looks like Bethlehem, there are stalls and an inn, and shepherds, roman soldiers, and even the dreaded tax collector milling about the town.
Before they journey too far into Bethlehem, visitors are invited to stop and see the storyteller who sits beneath a starry sky and invites all to listen to the story of Christmas. Wrapped in mysterious blues and purples, the storyteller invites avid listening and sends each group out with a blessing “Now you have heard the greatest story ever told. A story of love and hope and peace.”
From there visitors write their name on the “census” using brush and ink, go the inn to request lodging from the innkeeper, only to be turned away because the inn is full. They join Mary and Joseph, and the infant Jesus, in the stables, and listen as Mary and Joseph tell the story of their son, who was visited by shepherds and wisemen, who brought strange gifts. After that, visitors can visit the Marketplace, where they can use their coins to purchase snacks, complete a craft, and visit with more first-century guests.
It was truly an immersive experience. “This looks so realistic” commented Jeremiah aged 7, who was impressed by the attention to detail. Another visitor was likewise moved. “I thought they did a really nice job imaging Bethlehem—what it might be like with the scenery, clothing, and stories.” Said Cheryl Melnick, a visitor from another UMC church nearby.
Leaders Julie Curley and Sandy Barnes are the masterminds behind the project. It takes them weeks to pull everything down from the attic and assemble Bethlehem, but it’s a labor of love that brings them great joy. “We have so much fun,” shared Julie Curley, “every year we try to add a little bit more.”
This is the 4th year they’ve hosted this program. Some years they have seen 100 guests, some years only a few people visit. But even when the visitors are few, the members of Bangor UMC are grateful to host the experience if even one heart is moved. More than one volunteer told the story of a woman who attended in the early years of the ministry, as she moved from the Inn to the stable, and heard the story of Jesus’ birth from the lips of Mary, she was brought to tears. “If we can touch one person that way, it’s worth it.” said Rev. Todd Lattig, pastor of Bangor UMC, who doubled as the dreaded “tax collector.”
The love of Jesus shown through these faithful servants who went all-out so that others could experience the love of God in human flesh. They told the story of the incarnation, but they also embodied it. Loving others in their attention to detail, in the joy and passion with which they told their story, and in their willingness to play and engage with the children who visited them.
A Christmas parade leads to new community connections for Bristol First UMC
On a very cold and windy November 30th, members of Bristol First UMC marched in Bristol Borough’s annual Christmas parade for the first time since the pandemic.
Members provided and decorated a truck and trailer for the event, decorating it with garland and packages. The truck carried a creche and Nativity, while the trailer was decked out as a living room with people seated around the Christmas tree. The sides of the trailer featured advertisements for our ministries – the Food Pantry, Feeding ministry, Worship and Bible studies.
Church members showered kids with candy as they marched along the route. This was the plan, but what wasn’t planned was the questions they fielded about the church and its ministries. Folks along the route asked to have their photo taken with the Nativity and asked if the church offered a Bible study for children.
The day was cold, but the sacrifice was worth it. It felt rewarding to connect with the community and since the event more visitors have come to check out the food pantry and other feeding ministries. Pastor Debbie Rakos is grateful for the opportunity to take part in this event. She shared, “It was enlightening to find that people are actually looking for children’s Bible studies and a great opportunity to focus our plans on reaching out to them.”
Bristol First met the community in the spaces where the community was already gathering, and now it has this wonderful opportunity to continue to build those relationships and provide space where all, but especially the little ones, can learn more about Jesus.
The season is over, but we carry the Spirit with us
In the season of Advent churches across EPA poured themselves out to tell the greatest story ever told, in word and deed. At Christmas, we gathered around the manger to receive once more, the gift of love in human flesh, that came to heal the whole world. As we move forward from Christmas, into the light of the new year, may we carry the Spirit of the season with us, by choosing to embody love in action, to all the places that the Spirit of God sends us.