Bethlehem comes to Ballynahinch

Bethlehem comes to Ballynahinch

21 December 2016

BETHLEHEM came to Ballynahinch last weekend in a special Christmas event organised by Edengrove Presbyterian Church.

Bethlehem is widely regarded as the place to be at Christmas and it is the objective of many to travel there at least once in their lives at Christmas time. 

Last weekend, many people had an opportunity to visit Bethlehem village which had been recreated in the Ballynahinch church.

The Welcome Centre entrance was transformed into the courtyard of the Roman fort in Jerusalem, while the Loft room became Herod’s throne room. And the roof of the Old School was festooned with the starlight sky above the Judean Hills as the wise men followed the special star and the shepherds heard the angels sing. 

It was a wonderfully dramatised event which depicted every aspect of the Nativity of Christ. But before anyone could enter Jerusalem, they had to present themselves at the census registration office just inside the city wall. 

Between mid-afternoon and early evening last Saturday, almost 1,000 people in groups of 30 were led by tour guides through the city gate into Jerusalem and then on to Bethlehem. 

They met the Roman centurion, Woodburnius Giaus Maximus, who narrated his service in his legion both in Bethlehem as a young man when Jesus was born and in Jerusalem when he became a Centurion, when he was present at his crucifixion. 

It was a novel and interesting way to tell the Christmas story, that this child, predicted for many centuries through the Old Testament of the Bible, should be miraculously born and unjustly crucified. 

It was explained that he was born to be a Saviour, a reconciler between mankind and their creator, one who was both God and man; a lot of theology explained in a simple way.

So Bethlehem came to Ballynahinch for an afternoon. All the cast of actors, narrators, construction teams, costume makers and other support staff — which in total numbered almost 100 —were members of the church. 

Organisers say it was a great team event and a great demonstration of the level of talent that can be harnessed in a local church.