Photos by Ricardo Whitaker
Christmas may be coming on December 25th for everyone else, but on Saturday night Christmas came to Savage, Maryland early.
The First Baptist Church of Savage put on a Live Nativity at Baldwin Commons, complete with singing angels, shepherds, kings, animals, and of course the famous family that spent the night in a barn.
The church spared no expense with its demonstration of the Christ story. They created a ten high foot loft for the angels who needed to be higher than the mortals on earth. A structure was designed to represent the stable where Mary gave birth to Christ.
They brought in spotlights and a sound system to present a short dramatization for the local residents who came to share the Christmas spirit in the open air. Fortunately, the weather was mild, which added to the success of the event.
The narrator told the story of the angels, shepherds, and kings who came to honor and worship the young Jesus. The narrator led a round of Christmas caroling and told a short version of the story that explained how Christ’s coming to earth brought the gospel or good news that salvation is in Christ.
The play fit quite well with the festive nature of the town. As you drive down Baltimore Street, entering from Route One, you can only be impressed by the homes and trees that are spectacularly decorated with lights. You get that magical feeling of Christmas as you approach the delightfully spiritual program in the town square.
There may be plenty of Christmas humbugs in the world, but in Savage there seem to be fewer than other places. The event was well attended, especially by families with young children. The program is short, so it definitely holds the attention of the young audience. The program was about 30 minutes, but the players reenacted the show several times during the two hour program. The church volunteers also offered free refreshments to all those in attendance. Definitely a class act.
The program ran for two nights – Friday and Saturday. The narrator extended an open invitation to anyone from the community to join the church during any of their regular services. The church is located at 8901 WashingtonStreet, Savage, Maryland.
Article Posted 12/21/2013