The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

This December the community and surrounding areas are invited to experience the Christmas story up close and personal as the church family at North Orange Baptist Church recreates the birth of Christ in first century Palestine.

Over 100 church members are joining together again to bring "Village of the Nativity" to the Golden Triangle area. The rain and cold prevented the church from offering this experience to the community in 2013, but during 2011 and 2012 the presentation saw almost 5,000 total guests walk through this outdoor encounter with history.

Hear first hand from the townspeople about the newborn King as you walk through the town that ends at a manger scene. The reenactment is complete with animals, music, and structured facades. Many volunteers from the church are dressed in costume to resemble biblical characters.

Upon arriving in Bethlehem, guests will enter through the city gates protected by Roman guards because a census has been ordered to be taken in the area. Guests will follow various individuals from the village along a lighted path through this first century recreation and come in contact with numerous sights, sounds, and smells that would have been experienced some two-thousand years ago.

While walking along the path, you will see live animals, bakers, potters, basket weavers, inn-keepers, and other various village folk who will invite you to take part in their special trade. In addition, children of all ages will be able to play and encounter first century children’s games. The journey culminates where visitors see baby Jesus lying in a manager, surrounded by his parents, shepherds, and the wise men.

The production will be Friday, Dec. 12 and Saturday, Dec. 13, from 6:00-8:00 pm, to walk through this live nativity experience. Finish up the evening with a cup of hot cocoa, cookies, and some Christmas carols.North Orange Baptist Church is located just one mile north of I-10 on 16th Street (Highway 87) and is free to the community.

Make “Village of the Nativity” a meaningful part of your Christmas experience with your family this year.

More information is available at www.nobcfamily.com or 409.883.5678.

Photo - Smith workers, ironsmiths or blacksmiths work together on a horseshoe. These metalworkers used copper, bronze, iron, silver, and gold. Ironsmiths were rare or even nonexistent in Israel up to the time of Samuel, and the Israelites had to go to the Philistine smiths to have their iron tools sharpened. I