Don't miss

our live Nativity scene with live animals and "Journey to Bethlehem"

performed two nights, Thursday and Friday, Dec. 19-20, from 6-9 p.m. This

rustic and realistic "First Christmas Eve" (performed outside)

will thrill your heart.

You will drive

to the Church parking lot (Ga. Highway 85 South near Senoia) and be met

by "Shofar" the guide. Shofar will board you on a wagon with

seats, where you will be driven on a seven-acre torch-lit pathway on your

"Journey to Bethlehem." The guide is a professional actor who

has agreed to perform with us during this Christmas season. This year

we will have Roman soldiers form local Georgia re-enactor groups who will

be in Bethlehem during this "tax season," to ensure the crowds

cause no trouble.

You will stop

at the "No Room Inn" and feel the rejection Mary and Joseph

must have felt on that lonely road that night. You will eventually end

up at the live Nativity, where Jesus was born, and witness what the Son

of God endured even from birth for you, your family, and the world. You

will see the live animals who were the first companions to see the baby

Jesus. Remember, everything was symbolic. Jews had certain animals they

could not even touch because they were considered "unclean."

Jesus was also wrapped in "swaddling clothes" which were actually

burial cloths.

In a setting

like this, it is a very rustic, very realistic teaching point for anyone

and especially the children. If you have young children, don't miss this

event. Since it is held outside, be sure to dress warmly. In the "No

Room Inn" there will be a warming fire and another one at the manger.

Following this

moving and meaningful spiritual event, you are invited into our new mission

church building for fellowship with Christmas cookies and apple cider

and hot chocolate. Folks, it doesn't get better than this.

My fondest

childhood memories were always my family's total involvement in the Christmas

pageants around the manger. Since Dad was an Army Chaplain, we were always

involved in the Chapel programs and, of course, Christmas, Easter and

Thanksgiving, were always wonderful events. Just think, if you were a

lonely soldier away from home for probably the first time and missing

your family at Christmas, you could walk to the Chapel and there have

a full Christmas program and fellowship much like your own home church.

We would always

invite the soldiers to our home to share Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter

with us. Those were some of the fondest memories I can remember. Isn't

it interesting that what the Bible says about it being "more blessed

to give than to receive?" Isn't it also interesting that what I witnessed

my parents doing with these live Nativity manger scenes we are still doing

today? There is another Biblical truth surfacing again. "Train up

a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart

from it."

It was always

so funny when it got down to "costumes" and who was going to

wear what. Our parents would all go into our closets and get out the bathrobes,

pajamas, sandals, head towels and pieces of old rope. We would all be

forced, coerced, and threatened into wearing these 2000-year-old fashions.

We always heard, "Honey, you look wonderful" in your bathrobe

for the entire world to see especially your friends who were savvy enough

to skate out of the pageant. But when it was all over, I believe they

were secretly a bit jealous that they didn't bite the bullet and be a

part of the pageant. Which, I might add, always turned out beautifully,

no matter how embarrassed we were, or how terrified we were even if we

were the one who stumbled and knocked over the manger.

Somehow, I

know that in the throne room of Heaven, Almighty God, in all His majesty,

glory and splendor, smiles when a church, regardless of size, continues

to honor Him in showing the world that we are serious about His birth,

death and resurrection. It is wonderfully freeing to be totally unashamed

of the Gospel. I feel He further blesses the nation, societies, and individual

families that continue to honor Him this way. Maybe the ACLU will come

one day to attempt to shut us down and turn from their ungodly empty quests

and find the Christ child in the manger and then turn to doing good for

America.

It is my prayer

that you and your whole family will experience this rustic, realistic

and spiritual Christmas in attending one or both nights. I know you will

be blessed to attend all of the pageants and programs this Christmas in

our south metro churches. We are in this world not only in "United

we stand as a Nation," but also "United we stand as Christians."

Maranatha Come Lord Jesus!

If you need

additional information please call our Church office at 770-719-2365.

If you would like for your child to participate, call ASAP and we will

get them a bath robe!

The Rev.

Dr. Knox Herndon is pastor of His House Community Church (SBC). The Rev.

Greg Mausz is senior associate pastor. The Rev. Dr. Lydia Herndon is the

Sunday School superintendent, Bible study coordinator and teacher. The

church is just below Fayetteville, on Ga. Highway 85, a mile south of

Ga. Highway 16, just below the fire station. Visitors welcome. Church

office and prayer line 770-719-2365; e-mail [email protected]. The church's

new Web site is www.hishousecommunitychurch.com.

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