Bethlehem Revisited Celebrates 25 Years

25 years Bethlehem Revisited

This book is dedicated to the hundreds of individuals who have brought 25 years of Bethlehem to life, ALL for the Glory of God!

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“The commercialism that has become part of Christmas should not overshadow the holiday’s spiritual importance.”

Harry Baas, Sr. Pastor, 1984-1997

Bethlehem Revisited started with two nights in 1992 with a limited budget, using basic structures, black Visqueen, simple costumes, live animals, and a whole lot of love for our God and our community.

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The process of enlisting volunteers begins long before December. It takes approximately 400 people from start to finish to make this a reality! From hand written sign-ups 25 years ago, to electronic registrations today, our faithful volunteers are the most critical element in the production of our city.

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THE EARLY YEARS OF BETHLEHEM REVISITED

by Ken Beers

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fter the 1993 opening of the Village of Bethlehem, multiple changes evolved in both presentation and crowd size. In 1994, the visqueen walls were replaced with ply wood and our streets were increased from two to three.

We were blessed with over 1,000 visitors.

The increase in our village’s size required us to rent a trailer for equipment storage.

This trailer was brought in each year and returned to storage following our closing.

We were blessed with free use of large fork lifts to aid us loading and unloading all our equipment. The pace of growth continued and so a concrete storage building was added to the back of our property (all funding was provided by our church Missions Team).

In 2003 an entirely new village layout plan was put into place, moving the nativity scene and the Inn to their present location and creation of the market place. The sanctuary was added with a brief presentation of “The Rest of the Story.” The attendance swelled to over 10,000 people.

As our village grew larger and better, other churches across the state and as far as Alaska asked us for advice on construction, costuming, research, and character development to create similar villages in their churches.

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The construction of Bethlehem is a momentous task. From a tree filled lot in the back of our church, the city is built to look as authentic as possible. In the past we started as early as midSeptember to complete the city on time. Day 1 Task : Unpack the garage and put up the walls!

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Volunteers from our community take part in the construction of this remarkable city.

Some volunteers have very little experience in construction while others have a great deal of expertise. Thankfully, each year we have wonderful new leadership. We are proud that the final product of our city is the combined effort of our church members as well as people from area churches along with Deerfield Beach H.S. ROTC. Construction teams build, nail, pound, sand, saw, create, and paint. To keep the momentum going, lunch is brought in for the crew.

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From the early days of Visqueen strung between trees and only three shops, we have progressed to sixteen shops built with wood in modular design with the help of real blueprints and professionals. With God’s help, the city has always been completed on time.

And in January, it is all taken down and stored for next year!

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“But you, Bethlehem, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for Me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.� Micah 5:2

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EV ERY ROLE IS IMPORTANT. AND SO WE HAVE RULES. Stay in character. No eyeglasses, nail polish, make-up, or jewelry. Stay in character. Bring sandals. Stay in character. Soldiers are the authority. Stay in character. Only the rabbi, the Innkeeper, the shepherds, and the Wise Men know about the baby, the rest of the characters are to go about their lives as normal. Stay in character. Study your role in the city and be able to speak to our visitors about your role. Stay in character. Last, park at the school, leave room for the visitors. And‌ stay in character.

Each person, behind the scenes or in the midst of the scene is an important piece of the puzzle.

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Lanterns must be lit, the wax in the candle shop needs to be heated, fresh fruit, nuts, and vegetables are added to the market, animals need food and water, music and sounds are checked. The city is abuzz with activity long before the gates open.

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Each evening before visitors are welcomed to the city, a quick fellowship dinner is provided for our cast and crew. This allows cast and crew to arrive from the busyness of the day knowing a warm meal is waiting.

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The costume shop includes garments for the smallest Bethlehem citizen to the tallest: robes, tunics, belts, sandals, sashes, head pieces, Roman soldier gear, angels wings and halos, jugs, staffs, and satchels. All of which need to be laundered, maybe repaired or restitched, then all is sorted and stored for next year. There is a separate room for soldiers and specialty city folk like Kings, Innkeepers as well as Census Taker and Rabbi, and Beggar.

Angels have a small room to dress and the Holy Family always has their own dressing room, as stars of the show!

All other costumed volunteers dress in the main costume area.

They put on their tunic and then take turns having their headpieces put on by one of our talented team members.

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Parking has been a creative struggle since the beginning. With so many cars on campus a strategy for parking had to be developed. Every square inch of space is used and signals have been developed for the parking crew to identify cast members. The Charter School and Forest Hills Elementary have been used for additional parking.

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This is where the anticipation and excitement of seeing the Christ Child begins. The first year of Bethlehem Revisited 500 people walked though our city gates and signed our Bethlehem Census.

Today, we average 2,000 visitors a night. Some visitors travel many miles, counties, and even states to visit our city. An interactive website with a Bethlehem quiz for families and historical posters have added dimension to our line. Candy cane treats are another way we let our guests know we appreciate their presence at this celebration of Jesus’ birth.

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The shofar is heard and cast members gather at the well for the cast meeting before the city opens.

We receive last minute instructions, join together in prayer, and sing “Oh Little Town of Bethlehem� as we move to our locations in the city..

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The City does not open until the Roman Soldiers march through the crowd, yelling “Step aside for Rome!� pound on the city gates and enter the city.

These men keep the crowd moving, while also setting the mood of a city oppressed under the rule of Herod.

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The best soldiers were allowed to stay in Rome and protect Caesar. The others were sent to distant places like Bethlehem!

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Matthew 2:9-10 “After listening to the king, they set out, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were ecstatic with joy.�

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Luke 2:8 “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.”

Luke 2:17-18 “When they had seen the baby, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.”

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In 1994 shepherds were added to our cast as a solution to provide characters for the ever increasing number of children who wanted to be involved. At first the shepherds were inside the city, then as space was needed, they were moved outside the city gate.

Each night the shepherds sit around a small fire, roast a chicken, and retell the story of the wonderful sight they saw in the Heavens at they sat in the nearby fields.

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Luke 2:1-20 “In those days Caesar Agustus issued a decree that a census could be taken of the entire Roman World.�

The Census Taker welcomes the travelers to our city.

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The synagogue’s Rabbi invites our visitors into the synagogue. The Rabbi begins with a song and prayer in Hebrew.

He then quotes Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”

As we strive for authenticity, our Rabbi’s ephod is adorned with 12 stones just as it is described in Exodus 29-30.

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Lights are important in Bethlehem.

Two lights floating in oil are used to begin the Sabbath, wicks are lit for the rituals, and to remember people no longer alive. Dried intestines are used for wicks and those wicks float in oil.

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The pounding of the hammer is heard throughout the city. The great prophet Isaiah said there will be a time of eternal peace. “One day the swords will all be turned into plowshares and the spears into pruning hooks.” But for now, the blacksmith’s shop is busy forging plows, and pruning hooks, and repairing Roman Soldiers’ swords.

(This last task is one the blacksmith is not in a hurry to complete.)

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Here you will find the most precious metals and jewels in all of Bethlehem. The jewels came to our city from caravans who traveled through or near our city, they have been traded for animals and other currency. The cut and polished gems are coveted by the Romans and are used by the high priests during their ceremonies. Unfortunately, the soldiers help themselves to the jewelry from our store all too often and our shop owners have no one to turn to for help.

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The sound of the shofar from the music shop rises above the crowd. This instrument is used to call the faithful to worship. At our shop we have beautiful shofars made from the horns of rams and polished. These beautiful pieces are available for purchase if you have the shekels.

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Every morning this city’s fisherman returns to his shop with fresh fish ready for sale. He also has poultry, both alive and freshly prepared for roasting. Word has it that he is looking for suitable husbands for his daughters, so it is not uncommon for him to offer their hands in marriage to anyone who has an appropriate dowry.

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Fresh sawdust and hammer poundings fill the air as our carpenter is usually at work building stools, chairs, or tables.

Stop by and let our carpenter explain the tools that he uses.

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Fresh market! Fresh market! Red apples, green apples, dates, nuts, figs, spices brought to us by a recent caravan from the east, brown eggs, white eggs, cracked eggs-half price! Our market displays fruits, vegetables, and spices that were found in or near Bethlehem 2,000 years ago.

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There are many different hides for sale in our leather shop. Our craftsman uses cow hide to make belts, sandals, wine skins, capes, whips, and clothing. Since it takes ten days to prepare the leather (after skinning is complete), our visitors can watch our craftsman perform the final steps to leather as well as purchase the final products.

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God has supplied us with many wonderful plants for healing. The herbal healers and midwives share this space since they share many skills and traditions. The herbal healers can provide you comfort with a bit of the balm of Gilead or a fig poultice if you have boils or warts. A bit of cumin or cardamom may help settle your stomach.

Our midwives will also take the time to explain the proper way to swaddle a baby, a necessary practice in the desert heat as well as promoting strong and straight bones.

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Many kinds of grasses, reeds, and bark are available in the fields and waters that surround our town. We use those reeds to weave fine baskets, so tightly woven that some will even hold water! This is a favorite stop for the visitors with shekels who did not bring a means to carry heavy blankets or water.

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Our pottery shop is always very busy. Visitors need vessels to carry water, and if a visitor has shekels, the perfect coiled pot, baked in the desert sun and finished in a hot fire, is available for purchase.

The prophet Isaiah said that our God Jehovah is like a potter. He creates us in His image like we mold the clay. Perhaps the fire we endure is the oppression of Rome.

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Bethlehem (Beth Lechem) means “house of bread.�

The scent of fresh baked bread drifts above the crowd, and our visitors are given a bit of warm bread when they stop at this shop. The bakers explain the process from separating the wheat shaft to grinding, then kneading and rolling the dough before baking.

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Our papyrus takes up to three weeks to produce. At this shop, the owner explains how reeds are cut into strips and woven together, then pressed and dried to become one sheet of papyrus. One of the wealthiest citizens of our city is the Scribe. This man can read and write and is available to write legal documents. Women do not write but are allowed to scribble, however since there is great cost to each page of papyrus, very little scribbling is done, that would be such a waste!

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Did you know that some of our olive trees are hundreds of years old?

Our olive growers know just when to pick the olives for delicious green olives and how long to leave the olives on the branch for dark olives.

Olives picked at the perfect time, and pressed in our olive press will yield olive oil that we use for dipping into bread and for cooking.

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Our perfumer has much to offer in this shop. Fine incense, fragrant to God, a sweetener for the breath, a balm to cover the evidence of hard travel in the hot sun or traveling on a camel. Our perfumes are made from ingredients, brought by traders: fragrant cedar from Lebanon, balsam from Mecca, cypress from Egypt, laudanum from Arabia, and resins from Persia.

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Father Abraham was a tent maker. In a time when travel is so important and frequent, it is necessary to have a sturdy tent, large enough for the family, and easy to assemble and disassemble. This shop offers a variety of colors and sizes of tents as well as skilled tent makers who can answer your questions about the tent of your dreams.

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Stop for a few moments and peek into the window of Amos’ house. It is a humble home but you will see that his family has prepared a meal. Once the blessings are sung by the mother, the family will join together in a simple meal of fresh fruits and fish.

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The beggar in our city is not unlike most beggars in the time of Bethlehem. This one is unable to find work and relies on the kindness of the community for food and shelter.

Without exception, the characters playing the beggar in our city elicit strong feelings of compassion from our visitors. On more than one occasion a visitor has defended the beggar from the soldiers or even stopped to pray with the convincing soul.

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Our youth have been caught “stealing� bread from the bakery, knowing that they will be dragged away by the ruthless Roman Soldiers who would most certainly threaten bodily harm. Our citizens beg and plead for mercy on the hungry child and the Roman soldiers do eventually surrender the child to the child’s parents.

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Citizens young and old, in groups or on their own, roam the streets of Bethlehem. Perhaps they have shekels and wish to purchase items from the merchants, converse with other neighbors, discuss the threat of those soldiers, or even join in a song and dance about King David. However, they must be wary of the constant presence of the intimidating Roman soldiers so our citizens look away from the solider or scurry past the menacing armed men!

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Visitors to Bethlehem may have been traveling for days in the desert. They are parched and hungry. Our visitors are welcome to fill their jugs with cool water from our city’s well.

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Luke 2:6 “While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,�

The Inn is the dividing point between the bustling city and the holy manger. The innkeeper tells the crowd of visitors he had no room for the woman (who was about to give birth) and her husband, so he offered space in his barn.

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Luke 2:7 “And she gave birth to her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for him in the inn.�

A hush falls over our visitors as the simple beauty and majesty of this scene brings waves of emotions.

This is the reason for the season and our reason for bringing the city of Bethlehem to life.

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Oh Holy Night

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In our desire to constantly improve our city, we have rearranged our city several times. Over the years we’ve replaced some shops with other shops.

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ANIMAL ANTICS

The Phillips family, has provided and cared for the animals since the beginning.

We’ve had cows, bulls, horses, miniature horses, sheep, chickens, goats, turkeys, llamas, and camels roam our streets. The animals are kept in the city each night along with volunteers, including Boy Scouts, who are there to keep them safe.

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The animals steal the show! They squawk, bleat, moo, and have even escaped at times! (One dead fish, the same bass, was the featured centerpiece in the Fish and Poultry Shop for over 10 years! When not in use, this fish was safely packed in salt and ice awaiting the next December appearance.)

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Such a very busy place! The line and plaza outside the gate has become a “Meet and Greet� while visitors wait to enter the city. There are musicians like handbell choirs and carolers to entertain our visitors. We welcome our guests to join in the carols.

It is our JOY to pass out Bibles at the Outreach Center, and our church family is on hand to answer questions about the evening. We appreciate those who take time to complete our surveys about the experience.

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In the 2003, the Bethlehem committee realized more was needed. Visitors were awed by the manger and the city, but then they went home. We wanted to tell them the rest of the story! So, the Sanctuary Program started. Music, a few words of welcome, and a skit explains the significance of Jesus’s birth, life, death and resurrection. This provides the perfect ending to a powerful evening!

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“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Whoever believes in him is not condemned.� John 3: 17-18a.

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letters WE HEARD OF A CHURCH IN TEXAS DOING A CHRISTMAS presentation similar to what would become our Bethlehem Revisited. We called the church in Texas and they were kind enough to send us a tape of what they did.

Their presentation was all done in the Fellowship Hall of their church.

Marcia Nelson, who was our youth worker at the time, formed a committee to produce the first “Bethlehem Revisited� with youth group heading it up, along with several adult members. The decision was made to have our Bethlehem outside, since we had plenty of room on our lot.

Each year it was improved, and with a lot of hard work, it has become a wonderful gift to the city of Coral Springs.

Blessings,

Reverend Harry Bass

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letters BETHLEHEM REVISITED BROUGHT THE CHRISTMAS CHRIST child to life for me, not just in the reality one could see in the reenactment, but what it did in my heart. The Christ child brings us love, joy, inspiration and oh, so much more! This is all reenacted in the village of Bethlehem, amidst the drama of daily life.

Each year it was fun for me to see whose new baby would be chosen to be the Christ child. I hope that each of those families recall for their child the story, with pictures, of when they were the baby Jesus in Bethlehem Revisited and what an honor and privilege it was for their family. And, as their child grows, help them to understand what that experience could mean in their life as they grow to know the Christ child for themselves.

The look of wonder and excitement on the faces of the children as they ran through the village, exploring the shops and seeing the animals, warmed the heart of every adult in Bethlehem. Adults and children alike were in awe when they visited the stable and listened to the angel proclaim the glory of the birth of the Christ child.

Know that Bethlehem Revisited has given me, over the years, new understanding and love for Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Love to all,

Reverend Sandra K. Forkner

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ON MY FIRST WALK THROUGH I WAS ASTOUNDED AT OUR creativity and how the torches and music, sights and smells could transport the heart and mind to a far away place. My greatest concern was that we would come across clumsy, artificial, ineffective.

Our insistence on maintaining character and authenticity worked. I was emotionally and spiritu-ally transformed. I rounded a corner and stood before some of our teenage girls in fabulous angel gowns and wings. They were the loveliest sights in the place, they were supposed to be. But then I turned the next corner there was a little stable with a donkey, sheep and a cow and in the middle a man with his young wife and a baby. I could not hold my tears.

In a season that filled my ministerial duties to the maximum I sometimes found myself caught in the busyness of Christmas and had to compel myself to remember the reason for the season. Bethlehem did it for me. I never grew weary of being there as a participant but mostly as a pilgrim remembering my Jesus and His birth.

Then, the team decided to invite people into the sanctuary for a brief program and quiet time. Again, the creativity and genius of First Church’s people helped our visitors experience the mystery and majesty of the wonderful tenderness of our God. Thank you, First Church, for letting me be a part of that. It is my privilege and pleasure to do so.

Pastor Roger Watts

<>< RGW

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letters MY MEMORIES OF BETHLEHEM REVISITED ARE LARGELY FROM having served at the Fresh Market. I used to serve the matzah dipped in honey and cinnamon. I would return home, after a long night, with honey up to my elbows!!

It was a great opportunity to interact with the crowd, especially the children.

Sometimes I would come home soaked from the rain! There were challenges but it was always fun!

I also remember my first year at First Church Coral Springs, when the Bethlehem team asked if they could promote the ministry during regular Sunday morning services sometime in September as a way of recruiting volunteers. What they failed to tell me was that a Roman soldier mounted on a horse would actually be entering the sanctuary!!

Now that was quite a surprise!!

One other memory I have is the year that all the volunteers were toast and we thought we just couldn’t do it one more year. We announced that would be our last year. The following Sunday, I received a handwritten note from a 6 year old boy who had included a couple of dollars from his pocket money. I read the note to the congregation which read something like, “Please don’t stop Bethlehem! I’ve been coming all my life (remember he was six!). I’ve enlosed some of my pocket money to help you with the cost because I heard that’s why you were shutting it down!” The congregation overwhelming agreed that we had to rethink our decision and Bethlehem has gone on ever since.

I have a lovely book of photos from Bethlehem which I would often show people in other congregations when I tried to explain what we had done at Christmas time.

They were simply blown away with the sets, the costumes, and the crowds! The interactivity of so many of the stalls makes it a family event to remember at a very special time of the year. It’s a great way to tell the Real Christmas Story.

Reverend Sara L. McKinley

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UPON ARRIVAL IN COR AL SPRINGS IN 1995, I WAS TOLD, “WAIT until you see Bethlehem. There is nothing like it!” I thought to myself, “I’ve seen these kinds of things before.” How wrong I was—I had never seen anything like our city of Bethlehem!

In my first few years of participation, I was in the city. I played the part of a nomad and then became a shopkeeper, Carpentry by Joseph. Over the years, as we added to the city and the entire experience, I “graduated” to other responsibilities as part of the “Rest of the Story” in the sanctuary and then to my final resting place—parking! What an opportunity to be the first line of hosting to greet people coming on to our campus with great expectations of what they were going to see—both those returning year after year and others showing up for the very first time.

It was amazing to read the comment cards of people who were truly touched by God though this experience. Those early words were so true, “Wait until you see Bethlehem.

There is nothing like it!” I will forever remember and cherish this labor of love to bring Jesus to the community. Keep up the great work. Well done, First Church!

Reverend Larry J. Bergstrom

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letters BOBBI AND I CAME TO SERVE AS MINISTER OF MUSIC AND WORSHIP in September 2001. In our first year (2001), we were observers as we witnessed the sleepy town, the shops, the smells, the culture, and the excitement as pilgrims.

We quickly learned and felt the spirit of this event was a vital part of the Coral Springs community and region.

The next year, and succeeding years, we helped with “The Rest of the Story”… in the sanctuary, providing music, drama, and a brief evangelistic message to receive Christ.

We offered the gift of the Christ Child to all who would hear. It was one of the most gratifying, and exhausting, things that we did for the whole year. Children and adults of all ages heard the gospel story, some for the first time, ever. We were amazed at the numbers of people who came through the town and were willing to listen to the message in the sanctuary. We praise God that many accepted Christ and changed their life forever as the Holy Spirit moved in the hearts of the people.

We learned that First Church was serious about sharing Christ with the community and region when practically every member and extended family member of First Church was involved somehow in this event. It took an ARMY of dedicated and committed people, who loved Christ, to make this happen. It also took the vision of Ken Beers and the incredible Missions Team to get all of this started, and we each, in turn, adopted that vision.

Our prayer for this first 25 years is that God would allow Bethlehem to expand and grow and make it a truly community and South Florida spectacle. Maybe ‘Jerusalem’ can be added in the spring to start a new era…

Blessings,

Reverend Keith and Bobbi Miller

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BETHLEHEM REVISITED IS ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE ministries I have had the privilege of witnessing in ministry. The way the experience draws people in and takes them back in time to experience the Christmas story is truly phenomenal.

My favorite place to be was just outside the nativity scene. As people exited, it never ceased to amaze me the impact a short walk through the city could have on the lives of people of all ages and backgrounds. God uses Bethlehem Revisited to change lives!

When people see baby Jesus, they are one step closer to saying yes to the love of Jesus in their lives. That is what makes all the effort worth it. First United Methodist Church has given a gift to South Florida for 25 years, a gift that continues to multiply the love of Christ in countless lives. If you have been a part of this ministry, you have been blessed.

Everyone can play a role and make an impact and be a part. Thank you for the gift this has been in my life! I pray this ministry continues for many years to come.

As I think about all that is happening in our world, I remember a phrase from one of the great Christmas songs, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Christ was born for this!â&#x20AC;? Christ was born for this broken world, and God is using First Church Coral Springs and Bethlehem Revisited to remind people of the light that shines in the darkness. May the light of Christ continue to shine brightly in the beautiful, little town of Bethlehem! Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace, goodwill to all.

Pastor Alex Shanks

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letters IN THE MONTHS LEADING TO MY FIRST BETHLEHEM REVISITED experience, I wondered if the event could possibly live up to the hype. Over and over, I heard, “It’s so incredible,” “You just won’t believe it,” “It’s amazing!” I’m pleased to say, Bethlehem Revisited not only lives up to the hype—it exceeds it!

The crowds—huge crowds!—willing to endure inconvenient parking, unpredictable weather, and long lines is surprising. The plethora of sights, sounds, and smells is engaging.

The faithful quest for cultural and historical authenticity is impressive. The number of volunteers to make it all happen is impressive. And, of course, the story itself is breathtaking!

But, what touched me the most is the deep love for the story, exhibited by everyone who touches Bethlehem Revisited in some way. From the people working behind the scenes, to the greeters and parking assistants, to those in costume, to the guests themselves, the love for the story of Christ’s birth is evident and pervasive. The light of Christ shines in every eye. The miracle of the incarnation becomes physically present. The love of God becomes tangible in countless ways. It’s the people, touched year after year, for 25 years, by the amazing story of God’s love in the manger, that touched me the most.

Thanks to all who have made this 25th anniversary so special, and thanks to the countless persons who have loved and served this ministry throughout the last 25 years.

Reverend Doctor Vance Rains

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Each year on the final night, a tradition for the cast and crew is a last walk through the city together. It is just us, a thousand memories swirling in our heads, and the deep abiding faith in the incredible gift that was given to the world. A gift that began in a humble manger in the little town of Bethlehem.

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We would like to thank the many sponsors who have helped to make this book and Bethlehem Revisited possible.

Dimensional Insight Inc.

Princeton Kitchen and Bath

Cheryle and Richard Dickinson The Mansell Family

Adrian Philip Thomas, P.A. Coral Square Pediatrics Winnow Management

Plus so many more who have wished to remain anonymous.

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Book designed by Monique Meyer for First Church Coral Springs, October 2017

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