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[2004 pictures]

Church production revisits the city where Christ was born:

What's Christmas without a manger scene? At English Lutheran Church, there's an opportunity to see more than a typical creche.

A manger - with a live baby - is just one of the many recreations in a unique production of what took place in Bethlehem more than 2,000 years ago. This past December, 2004, a large part of English Lutheran Church, once again turned into "The Bethlehem Event." Cast and crew of around 300 recreated the city of David at the time Christ was born.

"You get the idea of what it was like the night of Christ's birth," says Donna Fink, who has worked with the production since its first run in 1980.

A 70' x 14' mural that includes city streets, a wash house and a peek outside the city walls served as the backdrop for the indoor Bethlehem. Goat herders - herding live goats - goldsmiths, perfumers and cheesmakers took part in retelling what happened. Planners relied on historical accuracy and detail to make the recreation of the first Christmas a memorable experience for hundreds who came from throughout the Midwest.

The event ran from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 18 and 19. Throughout December, the church offered a museum of Middle East artifacts and special presentations, including a talk by Luther Seminary Professor James L. Boyce, an instructor of New Testament and Greek who has led archaeological digs in Israel since 1980.

See what was new for 2004!

Admission to all events was free.

Read the article in the La Crosse magazine
(pages 26-28) (pages 29-31)
[Article courtesy of "La Crosse Magazine."]


View more pictures from the 2004 Bethlehem Event!



Other opportunities for members of the congregation:
Saturday, Dec. 4 - Construction of city of Bethlehem, Luther Room; costume fitting, Stoffel Hall areas.
Sunday, Dec. 5 - Cast recruiting, costume fitting, Stoffel Hall areas.
Saturday, Dec. 11 - Construction, costume fitting, Stoffel Hall areas.
Sunday, Dec. 12 - Between church services, The Bethlehem Event participants take part in re-enacting lessons.
Sunday, Dec. 12 -Cocoa and Carols, 6 p.m. Congregational members go Christmas caroling in the neighborhood and hand out flyers about The Bethlehem Event. Cocoa and cookie celebration at the church following the caroling.
Monday, Dec. 13 - Media Day, 9:30 a.m. Area reporters get the opportunity to see Bethlehem and visit/interview some of the participants.
Saturday, Jan. 15 - Moving day. Following tear down of the city, Congregation members and others remove materials from Luther Room into storage.

Click here for information on the Bethlehem Event of 2000!

 
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