The Christmas story

Jenny Marder

Amid the flurry of jingle tunes and mass marketing that surrounds the

holidays, Edwin Cook is determined to show people what Christmas is

really about.

That’s why Cook took the stage at his church’s drive-through

nativity scene Wednesday night to announce the birth of Jesus Christ.

“The king of the Jews is born, we have seen his star in the east,”

Cook said, again and again, as each car drove by. “Oh, I have waited

so long for this time and now the heavens declare it is here.”

For 34 years, the First Christian Church of Huntington Beach has

been holding a nativity scene, in which a menagerie of actors, sheep,

cows and donkeys act out nine scenes from the bible’s Book of Luke,

depicting the birth of Christ.

The event began Wednesday night and will run each night from 6:30

to 9:30 p.m. through Friday.

People are invited to either drive or walk through the scenes,

which are staged behind the church, located at 1207 Main St.

“It’s kind of like small town church stuff,” said Bill Newman,

who’s playing the Angel Gabriel for the fourth year. “It’s kind of

hokey a little, but it’s Christmas and we’re telling the Christmas

story. And the story of Jesus and his Christmas birth is so unique

and miraculous.”

Newman, disguised as an angel alights on Joseph, while he’s

sleeping, to inform him that Mary is pregnant.

“In those days, even though they were betrothed, this was grounds

for him to call it off and most people would have,” Newman said. “But

this was kind of a unique situation.”

More than 250 volunteers will act out parts of the nativity. There

are about people 500 volunteering this year altogether.

Others scenes include Isaiah predicting the coming of the messiah,

Joseph and Mary traveling to Bethlehem with a donkey, the three wise

men bestowing gifts and a festive manger scene.

“It’s our gift to the community,” said organizer Bob Gibson. “We

hope that people will hear the story of Christ and come back.”

The nativity scene has been around so long that some people who

came as children are now bringing their own children to see it,

Gibson said.

The history of the nativity scene is not without it’s excitement.

One year a donkey escaped and was caught running down 17th Street,

Gibson said. Last year, a lamb was born in the parking lot.

“The most important thing is to see these cars of people and kids

waiting in long lines to come through,” Cook said. “That’s what

really makes it worthwhile to know that the community really accepts

us.”

The Drive Through Nativity is at 1207 Main St., at the corner of

Main Street and Adams Avenue. It will be held tonight and tomorrow

night from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.