By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
Sitting in a shed behind Arcadia First Baptist Church in Santa Fe are all the sets and holiday decorations needed to transform the church grounds into a celebration of Christmas. What’s missing in the shed are the 25-30 people who will be reenacting the story of the birth of Jesus on the church property.
Also missing from the shed are the living camel, donkey, goat and sheep and the hay wagon, along with missing the glow bracelets, the snow truck, hill, and sled.
(Not stored in the shed, but also missing, are the hot cocoa, cookies, and marshmallows.)
This Sunday from 5:00pm till 8:00pm, Arcadia First Baptist Church will provide the community with a no cost living Nativity experience. For a fourth consecutive year, the entire property will be transformed into a dazzling array of lights and costumed individuals representing people from the Bible.
Preparing the strings of lights and working with the sets started three weeks ago under the loving and cheerful hands of Cash Rex and Julie. “I love putting the Christmas lights out, it makes me happy,” Julie shared.
“I enjoy seeing all the people come together,” said Rex.
Wagons filled with hay for seating will carry visitors under a tunnel of lights and weave throughout the property for guests to enjoy the festive lighting. Guests who can’t climb up onto a wagon will be given the option of riding in a golf cart.
Narrators on each wagon will guide guests through the ride and encourage the riders to join in Christmas songs. Passengers will be dropped off to enjoy a marshmallow roast, which is an addition for this year, before going back onto a wagon and over to the living Nativity.
Seven stations form the story of Christ’s birth beginning with the Angel Gabriel proclaiming to Mary that she would give birth to the Messiah. A station with a Wiseman concludes the Nativity. Another set, which includes a cross and a recorded message of the hope of salvation, finishes the wagon ride.
Cody Hudspeth, Youth Minister, will be playing the part of a wiseman, and he is praying for no rain while hoping it won’t be too cold. This will be his fourth year as an actor in the Nativity.
Shannon Tauzer serves in the financial office of the church, but she will have her first chance to take part in the event as a shepherdess. Both Tauzer and Hudspeth are pleased to be able to bring the message of Christ to the community during the Christmas season.
Bringing the Bible story of Jesus birth to life was inspired by ABC’s Worship Minister, Stephen Wilhite. “I wanted us to be able to share the good news message of Christ’s Birth with as many people in the community as possible,” said Wilhite.
Though the event is his baby and project to manage, Wilhite defers to the many individuals who provide their support in bringing the event to life.
“It’s the coming together of the entire church that makes it all possible. We have many volunteers who do the work,” he said. “People bring in cookies and other needed items. We will have a workday on Saturday with volunteers finishing the lights. Sunday after church, more volunteers will help put out the final pieces of the set.”
To make the event very child-friendly and keep the little tikes busy while they are waiting for their turn on the hayride, there will be real snow with a hill for sliding down. This part of the event does require a $10 entrance fee whereas the rest of the activities are at no cost.
