The story of Christmas – the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem and the birth of their son, Jesus – will come to life this weekend in northern Harford County, where members of Crossroads Community Church will present a drive through living nativity.
This year's living nativity, the second staged by the church at 2610 Calvary Road south of Bel Air, will be bigger, better and longer than last year's display, which drew 250 vehicles, organizers say. The hope this year is to double the total number of people who drive through, church member Patty Manly said last week.
"It's an experience," Manly said. "It's to experience the greatest story ever told."
The drive through nativity will be open 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 13 and 14. Cars will come in off Route 136 onto 12 Stones Road. The quarter-mile or so drive will take about five minutes during which participants see Mary and Gabriel, travel to Bethlehem and are greeted by the Three Wise Men at the end.
The church started planning for the drive through nativity in August, but has really gotten down to work in the last few weeks as the event approaches.
Most of the hours were spent painting the Bethlehem scenery. It and all the other props were redone this year because the display is much more extensive compared to last year, Manly said. Costumes and scripts were given out about 10 days ago, and the Bethlehem scene was set up over the weekend.
The nativity is on property the church bought five years ago, where the congregation intends to build a new church sanctuary, Manly said.
"We've been in the process of paying off the land to build a church and we thought, what can do while we have land and no building," she said.
A member who had seen a drive-through nativity somewhere else and approached the pastor, Bob Bullis, with the idea of organizing such a display the vacant property.
"He said, 'Yes, absolutely, that sounds wonderful,'" Manly said.
Church members say they are hoping the drive through nativity will become "something the church is known for," like Oak Grove Baptist Church was long known for its annual Living Christmas Tree, which was staged for more than a quarter century.
Nativity organizers considered their 250 visitors last year a success, and wanted to keep it going.
When cars enter the church property off Route 136, they will be met by greeters who will direct them to Roman soldiers who will guide them along the way.
They are met at the first scene by Mary and Gabriel; the angel tells Mary she is pregnant and will give birth to Jesus.
Visitors will pass through Bethlehem, guided by angels and shepherds. Live animals, including donkeys, goats and chickens, are part of this section of the pageant.
"Then, of course, they'll move on to see the actual manger scene with Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus," Manly said.
The Three Wise Men will say farewell at the end.
"You're in your car, warm, it's free and it just helps to celebrate the season," Manly said.
The nativity is staged by about 100 volunteers, many of them playing parts, like the innkeeper at Bethlehem, shepherds, angles and other travelers on the road to Bethlehem.
"It really is something to see," she said.
The display is free, but the church will accept donations. Mary and Joseph were traveling to Bethlehem to be part of the census, and as visitors enter the drive-through nativity, they will be given an envelope, a gesture designed to reflect Mary and Joseph being subject to the census. Guests have the choice of making donations, which can be placed inside the envelopes and returned to the Wise Men at the end.