The nativity scene, complete with real baby, ends your walk on the Road to Bethlehem.
Credit: Ormond Howard.

In March this year, Road to Bethlehem was the recipient of the Gabe Reynaud Award at the Manifest Creative Arts Festival, which recognises excellence in using the creative arts for ministry. This month, as the Christmas season comes alive in our communities, we again highlight this series of events by inviting you to engage with Road to Bethlehem.

Now in its 19th year, Road to Bethlehem began in 1995 as a ministry of Nunawading Seventh-day Adventist Church in Victoria. Twenty people volunteered to stage the event, which attracted a crowd of 700 over two nights. As a testimony to its powerful ministry and inspiration to share the true Christmas story from the Bible, there are now six sites across Australia and New Zealand conducting the theatrical presentations. This includes; Livingstone, Western Australia, Nunawading, Victoria, Erina, New South Wales, Dakabin, Queensland and Tauranga and Christchurch in New Zealand. Admission to each performance is free, making it a yearly gift to the community in which it operates.

This season, we ask you to consider how you might actively support this powerful and creative ministry through several avenues available to you.

Attend
If there is a site close to you, then go along and experience the event and connect with the Christmas story in a dynamic way. Due to the popularity of many sites, you may need to pre-book your tickets (either online or by phone).

Volunteer
Some sites are still calling for assistance with staging the event through volunteering of time and skills. Contact the organisers to see how you could help contribute.

Donate
While attendance is free, donations are gratefully accepted to assist in the cost of staging the events.

Spread the word
Share and invite neighbours, friends and family; Like your local event on Facebook; promote the events through your local church.

Pray
Submit to God the logistics, the hardworking volunteers and the people who attend so that the Good News of Christmas may spread further out into our communities, impacting lives for eternity.

For more information and details of tickets, volunteers and finding your local site, visit www.roadtobethlehem.org

Georgina Hobson
Assistant convenor
Manifest Creative Arts Festival