St. John’s Lutheran Church of Highland on Cumberland Road in the North Hills will present A Visit to Bethlehem on two weekends—December 3-4 and 10-11—from 1-4 p.m. Free and open to the public, the indoor event re-creates the town of Bethlehem as it may have existed the night Christ was born.
“As Christmas quickly approaches, it can be easy to get caught up in the commercial aspects of the day,” said the Rev. Kari Smail, senior pastor at St. John’s of Highland. “A Visit to Bethlehem is an opportunity that reminds us of the faith foundation of Christmas through an interactive experience where you are immersed in the story of the birth of Christ.”
A Visit to Bethlehem features an interactive walk-through village streetscape where visitors can experience the story of the Nativity firsthand as they meet the people of Bethlehem going about their work. Upon entering, guests will be requested to take part in the Roman census, just as Mary and Joseph did when they returned to Bethlehem that historic night. Walking through the village, visitors will meet the town rabbi, carpenters, potters, weavers, basket makers, winemakers, herbalists, musicians, bakers, innkeepers, soldiers and shepherds, and listen to their stories. Rumors of a very special birth spreads through the village as visitors make their way to the live Nativity.
More than 250 St. John’s parishioners have joined together to make A Visit to Bethlehem possible, and the event has attracted over 10,000 people since it was first presented over 20 years ago. Admission is free and open to the community.
Call 412-364-1606 or email bethlehem@stjohnslutheranchurch.com for more information and to inquire about its midweek interactive tours of Bethlehem for student field trips or groups of 20 or more.