Inside Track October 2004

THE SHEEP BIT BABY JESUS-CONTEST WINNER!

Last month we asked about your Christmas programs, and how you organized volunteers to make them a success. Our winning entry came from Dave Hirschler, Youth Pastor at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Chillicothe, Ohio. Dave wrote:

For the last 13 years we have put on a live nativity based on Marketplace 29 A.D. It's a huge undertaking, and usually involves 100 or more volunteers.

Every year the staff works with our director to help coordinate the volunteers for this endeavor. The program is essentially a walk-through nativity experience led by a Roman Centurion. Participants start at the Temple and hear Isaiah's prophecy of the coming Messiah. Next they see the angel appear to Mary, then Mary's visit with Elizabeth…Everything culminates with the stable. The gospel is presented as the crowd gathers around the manger to see one of our newest additions to the congregation laid there with the new Mom and Dad playing the parts of Mary and Joseph.

One of the things we've done to help with this endeavor is to ask adult Sunday school classes to "sponsor" a room-they're responsible for moving all the furniture to a back corner of the room, hanging sheets over the walls, then creating the atmosphere by decorating the room for whatever is to take place in it. One room is the Bethlehem Inn where the innkeeper had to turn Mary and Joseph away; another is a census-taker's booth! The biggest undertaking is the Bethlehem marketplace-we set it up in our fellowship hall. There are at least 12 booths that have to be created. We find people in our congregation that have an interest in jewelry-making, basket-weaving, pottery, etc. and have them set up their booths.

In the past, our director has assigned assistant directors who are responsible for costumes, props, recruitment of actors, recruitment of support staff who wash dishes (a refreshment is served in pottery cups at the Inn), and whatever else needs to happen to pull this off.

In addition, in the last 5 years we have added live entertainment in the sanctuary for the participants waiting to be escorted by their centurion. Groups are divided by the 12 tribes of Israel. They sit in their designated area, and when we're ready for them, the centurion comes and escorts them out. We run the program for 3 consecutive nights, and generally draw over 1,000 people from our community who come through and take part in the production.

Volunteers are also recruited to host the people as they arrive. We generally have a couple who can accompany a group (particularly if there's someone with special needs in the group-the production covers two floors in our building-so folks in wheelchairs have someone who can get them to the elevator and back with their group before the tour continues on the next floor).

Whew! We've just started talking about this year's production. I'm already tired just thinking about it!

Congratulations, Dave, and thanks for sharing your experience with us! Your always-stylish Church Volunteer Central shirt is on its way.