Heritage Baptist Church to take ‘Journey to Bethlehem’

From press release

ROSCOE, Ill.—Heritage Baptist Church of Roscoe, Ill., will take its 10th “Journey to Bethlehem” Friday and Saturday, Dec. 10-11. Hours for the journey are 7 to 8:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 10, and 6 to 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 11. Tours are open to the public and leave every 5 minutes. The tour is free and lasts approximately 25 minutes.

When asked about his church’s program, Pastor Jim Wright said: “Journey to Bethlehem is so much more than just a live nativity scene. It is a walking and riding tour through Bethlehem that takes you back to that first Christmas so long ago.”

At Journey, participants are taken on a tour of Bethlehem guided by two of the townspeople. Along the way, they see a marketplace, synagogue, the sheepfold, and the famous stable. The Journey includes more than 100 costumed actors, and a live camel, zebu, donkeys, chickens and geese. After the tour and hayride on the “Bethlehem Express,” guests warm up with hot chocolate and cookies.

“We designed Journey to make the real Christmas story come alive for the whole family,” said Wright. “Journey to Bethlehem is a gift that—Heritage Baptist Church gives to the community every year. It is a labor of love that we believe is worthwhile. Our goal is more than just to remind about the realities of history. We would like to remind our neighbors about the true meaning of Christmas and the life-changing gift that this Savior offers.”

Journey to Bethlehem is free, and no reservations are required. The church recommends arriving earlier in the evening to avoid the backup that happens toward the end. For more information, call (815) 543-2807 or (815) 543-2806. Heritage is at 12848 Willowbrook Road in Roscoe, Ill.

From the Dec. 8-14, 2010 issue