Night in Bethlehem was the best one ever!
By Pastor Brad Broadhead
“I’ve been to lots of these, but this is the best one I have ever seen,” said one visitor. Another said, “We asked our kids if they wanted to come and even the older ones said, ‘Of course!’” Night in Bethlehem has been an Oyen staple since 2008. On the nights of December 1st and 2nd, it was held at the Crossroads Center for the first time since Covid. The Oyen Ministerial Association partnered with the Big Country Agricultural Society along with many local volunteers to recreate the setting of the Christmas story.
PHOTOS TRACY HUDSON - REMEMBER WHEN PHOTOGRAPHY, click for larger images
Three hundred seventy five people signed in at the register and proceeded to walk down a street in first century Bethlehem, dropping by stalls where they could take in a farmer’s market, make bread, construct musical instruments, do crafts, and hear about the birth of Christ from various sources. There were donkeys, sheep, and goats to pet, a camel on the loose, a tax collector to collect money for Caesar (the Oyen Food Bank), and an inn with no vacancy. Roman soldiers kept the peace while a rabbi read a prophecy and told the story of David and Goliath. Shepherds wandered about, telling everyone who would listen about their encounter with angels who said the Messiah was born. At the end of the street was the Holy Family (managed by three alternating families with infants). The townspeople of Bethlehem also filled the streets, reminding those in the know about how crowded Bethlehem would have been due to an ancient Roman census. Passports written in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew (not to mention English), guided guests to each booth and various personages for stamps to help ensure nothing was missed. Overhead the ‘stars’ sparkled in the night sky, including a particularly prominent one above the Holy Family.
Most visitors were from Oyen, but people also came from nearby towns, including Acadia Valley, Cereal, Sibbald, Chinook, and Alsask. Someone was heard to remark, “It was absolutely worth the drive from Leader.” Another traveler came all the way from Lethbridge. In addition to families with young children and seniors, visitors included students from South Central High. For some, it was their first exposure to biblical stories. It led to one interesting conversation on the history of Israel in light of current events.
Tax collector Bill Kolkman squeezed $277.15 from by-passers. Put together with other donations, Night in Bethlehem raised a total of $1494.25 in cash donations and an abundance of non-perishable food goods for the Oyen Food Bank
The set up and take down for Night in Bethlehem required coordinating a large number of volunteers. Although many were involved, special mention should go to Andrea Shields, the Reverend Catherine Holland, Imogene Hauck, and Bonnie Burke, who worked hard to track down volunteers and to coordinate their efforts. Planning meetings began in September and all four churches in Oyen baked and brought cookies and muffins for famished pilgrims arriving in Bethlehem. Volunteers descended on the Crossroads Center on November 29th to pack the dirt, set up the frame, erect the plywood walls, and then pull the ‘sky’ over the structure. The occupants of the booths worked hard to decorate them and other volunteers set up pillars, walls, gazebos, and lights to heighten the sense of immersion. The teardown was managed quickly by many willing hands on Saturday night.
The Christmas story has cultural, as well as religious, significance to Canadians. Events such as Night in Bethlehem connect us with past generations and help us trace our beliefs and values back to their foundations. If we ever are tempted take for granted the way our culture values each individual and upholds their rights and freedoms, we can walk the streets of Bethlehem again and be reminded of how the birth of a child signalled the downfall of tyranny and oppression and filled the hearts of countless generations with a sustaining hope and courage in the darkest of times.