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Bald Eagle Valley Church to hold Live Nativity performances beginning Dec. 15

WINGATE -- The community is invited to experience the "Reason for the Season: A Live Nativity" at Eagle Towing and Recovery, 1049 S. Eagle Valley Road, Bellefonte, just south of Bald Eagle Area High School in Wingate.

Performances will be held on Friday, Dec. 15; Saturday, Dec. 16; and Sunday, Dec. 17, with identical 20-minute shows each night at 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The outdoor presentation is hosted by Bald Eagle Valley Community United Methodist Church, Eagle Towing and Recovery and with assistance from other churches and volunteers in the Wingate and Unionville communities. There is no admission fee as this is a free gift to the community.

Come to relive a beautiful story about the love of God and the birth of our Savior. Step back in time and watch a reenactment of the prophecy of the birth, Mary's visit from Gabriel, the shepherds who are camping by the fire and startled by the angelic announcement of the Messiah's birth and the Wise Men's visit from afar.

Witness the tender scene of Mary and Joseph with the infant child after the miraculous birth. The smell of the campfire, sounds from the live animals and the beautiful music and narration will help to transport the audience to the time of Christ's birth. This is the single moment in time that changed the world, that gave people hope for the future. A hope that would be secured by Christ's death and resurrection.

Some 800 years ago, in 1223, the first Nativity was created by St. Francis Assisi in Greccio, a small village about 55 miles from Rome. His motives were similar to the reasons it is being recreated today -- he yearned to relive the historical, human dimension of the birth of Christ.

He said, "I wish to enact the memory of that babe who was born in Bethlehem: to see as much as is possible with my own bodily eyes the discomfort of his infant needs, how he lay in a manger, and how, with an ox and a donkey standing by, he rested on hay."

Through the visual he created in a cave; the manger scene came to life and people were able to experience the incarnation in a way that they never could before. The experience was so meaningful that it has been repeated all over the world. It is easily the most recognized symbol of the Christmas season.

Creating "A Reason for the Season: A Live Nativity" each year is meaningful to the cast and crew at the Bald Eagle Valley Community United Methodist Church also. The production has been a staple in the community since 1988 so now this marks their 35th year. There are typically 28 cast members plus another 12 people behind the scenes that make this happen every year. Cast members will tell you that the production is an important way that they celebrate as it helps to remind them of the true meaning of Christmas in a secular world that emphasizes spending and extravagance.

Like St. Francis Assisi, they, too, look forward to experiencing the birth of Christ into a world of humans, in a way that shows how much God loves us and how much we matter to God.

This year there is a new structure, which includes both the stable and the infamous inn where there was no room. The previous building had reached the end of its life and was replaced this year thanks to many people that made it possible. Thank you to all who made donations to make the new structure a possibility. A special thank you to Eagle Towing and Recovery for all their support. Another thanks to Marty Craine at CPI and his students who worked on the new structure. The students who helped are: Aiden McMaster, Airren Lose, Alex James, Ayson Carson, Cody Hocking-Dietz, Coleman Cramer, Ethan McClure, Gabe Foster, Grace Rossman, Kale Shook, Kayden Cooper, Landon Sweitzer, Logan Cable, Mackenzie Frazier, Nate Fisher, Philp Valchanco, Talon Benner and Wyatt Homan.

Thanks to Ann and Jim Taylor for providing the alpacas and thanks to all those who volunteered to design, build, paint and pray for its completion. The best things truly come from great volunteers!

The community is invited to visit, pet the live animals and meet the cast after each production. The presentation is outdoors so guests should dress warm and bring a blanket. Bleacher seating is available, but lawn chairs can be brought for your comfort.

Most importantly, the message of the Nativity is one of love and hope for our future. John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."