Witness the Real Christmas Story
The 14th annual Bethlehem Walk, a free guided outdoor walk through an exciting and realistic nativity, will be held November 29-30 and December 1-2 at Christview Christian Church.
By: Sheryl Sowell | Category: Recreation/Leisure | Issue: December 2012
Experience the greatest story ever told at Christview Christian Church’s Bethlehem Walk, a free outdoor walk through a living nativity.
Christview Christian Church, located at 2525 S. Garnett, is pleased to present the 14th annual Bethlehem Walk to the Tulsa community. The Bethlehem Walk is a 45-minute guided outdoor walking tour through an exciting and realistic nativity scene. The path is lighted, and golf carts are available for those who are handicapped or disabled. Performances will be held November 29 and 30 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and December 1 and 2 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Longtime Christview Christian Church members Jim and Paula Scott have served as directors of the Bethlehem Walk committee for the past several years. This presentation features a cast of nearly 200 authentically dressed Roman soldiers, beggars, lepers, heavenly angels, shepherds, and Mary, Joseph and the Christ Child. The church maintains a costume room with hundreds of costumes made as authentically as possible. Live camels, sheep and donkeys add to the authenticity of the greatest story ever told.
Reservations are requested, and large groups are welcome. On Thursday evening, November 29, guides will be available to interpret in Spanish. When you call the reservation hotline, please let the operator know if you would like to be in one of these groups. Admission is free, and the Bethlehem Walk attracts thousands of attendees each year from a six-state area.
Individuals and groups congregate in the church’s auditorium. Everyone is assigned to a family and a guide who is also the “family head.” Some participants will be given Roman coins with which to pay taxes as they enter Bethlehem. You may even be hassled by Roman guards along the road as you march to Bethlehem. You will soon figure out, everyone becomes part of the production! A tax collector receives your family’s taxes, and your family representative will be asked to “make his mark” in the record book. Don’t try to hold back any coins for yourself – tax collectors can get nasty!
Along your route, you will encounter angels with silvery white robes and shepherds kneeling in fields. You will visit three wise men and their camels, and will be asked if you have seen the star in the east. As you enter the bazaar, you will enjoy tasting some of the food samples. The bazaar area houses several shops with baskets, jewelry, fruit and nuts, rugs and more. Half the fun of the evening is interacting with the characters, especially when the shepherds invite you to join them at their camp to enjoy their nice warm fire.
As you journey on, you will likely see beggars and lepers. Please don’t touch! To do so is “punishable by death.” You will discover that there are no rooms available in Bethelem. One innkeeper announces that he actually put up a man and his wife with child in a stable down the street. It was the last available vacancy in the city.
Near the end of your walk, you will fast-forward 33 years as you encounter three crosses on a hillside and visit the tomb area where the body of Christ the Savior has gone missing. An angel will appear and read from the scripture.
At the conclusion of your walk, you are invited back to Fellowship Hall, where you will visit homes and courtyards of ancient times. Children may make a fabric doll, play games, and pet farm animals, while everyone is welcome to enjoy cider and cookies.
The evening is entertaining and educational for all, plus a tremendous outreach to the Tulsa community by Christview Christian Church.
The reservation hotline is (918) 232-3587. Operators are on duty from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. each day, beginning November 12, or you may send a text message anytime and an operator will contact you and schedule your time. Please advise the operator if someone in your group is disabled and will need a golf cart. You may also visit the website, click the Special Events link, and make your reservation. Check them out on Facebook as well at www.Facebook.com/christviewchristian.
For more information, contact
Christview Christian Church
2525 S. GarnettTulsa, OK 74129(918) 232-3587
About Author Sheryl Sowell
Sheryl Sowell was born and raised in Tulsa, OK. She graduated from Will Rogers High School and received her Bachelor of Arts in English from Northeastern State University in 2007. She has worked for Value News as editor, writer and advertising copywriter since 2008. She enjoys meeting and interviewing people for Value News articles, learning about their backgrounds, and helping to promote their businesses and local events. In her free time, she enjoys reading, trying new recipes and crafts from Pinterest, attending concerts and sporting events, and spending time with family and friends. Sheryl lives in Tulsa with her fiancé Paul, their daughter Scarlett, and their two dogs, Gunner and Boo.
Christview Christian Church
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Christview Christian Church
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