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.
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