Journey to Bethlehem…Celebrating 15 Years

Experience the sights and sounds of the first Christmas

The Jetmore United Methodist Church will celebrate the 15th Annual “Journey to Bethlehem” live nativity tour this year and everyone is invited to attend. This free community event will take place Saturday and Sunday, December 13 & 14 with tours from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. with a special needs tour at 5:00 p.m. Each tour takes approximately 30 minutes.

“Journey to Bethlehem” is held at the United Methodist Church in Jetmore, but as in previous years, members of other area Hodgeman County churches are joining in the presentation. The Journey takes visitors through first century Bethlehem to experience the original Christmas. Travelers meet the Wisemen, census taker, tax collector, inn keepers, elders, shepherds and angels as they pass through the gates of Bethlehem, come upon a marketplace complete with sights and sounds and live animals, and encounter Mary, Joseph and the Christ child in the manger scene.

A good deal has changed about the Journey since it began in 1999, with approximately 13,000 visitors participating in this incredible reenactment of the joy of the birth of Christ. We invite you to relax and begin your travel back in time with complimentary mint tea and cookies with a storyteller who will share information about the historical period and region. Each year has also featured more authentic characters, costumes, props and crafts as well as improvements in lighting, set construction and overall design. The number of people who attend the Journey has grown every year. The script promises to provide visitors an even deeper understanding of the prophecies and events surrounding Christ's birth.

A free-will donation soup dinner will be served at Jetmore's King Center with proceeds to benefit Addison Worth- age 5, Mayo Clinic & trip expenses. King Center is located at 308 Main, and will be serving dinner from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Admission to the journey is free, and the church is located at 205 East Highway, one block East of the Courthouse.

Many families report that the tour has become a family tradition. Churches, youth organizations, civic clubs and health care facilities have had carpooling and buses to bring travelers to the program. Tourists should dress warmly as much of the tour is outside.

Further information is available by calling Carolyn Tarman the church at (620) 357-6237. To view “The Journey” video, visit www.hodgemancountyumcs.org.