The Windsor Baptist Church will add back a night to its annual Christmas live nativity scene schedule after dropping it to three days last year.
As usual, the 2022 presentation is open to the public and will feature congregation members dressed in period garb depicting a nativity scene high on a bluff behind the church, 6701 Hwy. 61-67, in Imperial.
The free event will be held from 7-9 p.m. Friday through Monday, Dec. 16-19.
Last year, the event was only held on two nights after heavy rain canceled one of the scheduled performances.
The church has staged the live nativity for more than 40 years, but did not hold it in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We don’t know if four days will be its permanent (number of presentations),” said LaJean Woodworth, a church spokeswoman. “But, for this year, we felt it was our best solution. We just felt like it would work real well to go to Dec. 19 because of the interest in it from visitors and our volunteers.”
The nativity scene also will feature live animals.
“We’re planning on camels, donkeys and sheep,” Woodworth said. “There also will be groups singing Christmas songs.”
She noted that the presentation has proven extremely popular over the years with families coming in cars and various church groups and other groups traveling long distances to see it.
“There are busloads at times,” she said. “I think it’s safe to say hundreds come to see it each evening.
“The point is to think of the true meaning of Christmas and why we celebrate it,” Woodworth said. “It’s because of the Lord’s birth.”
Dozens of congregation members volunteer to help with the presentation each year not only to appear as Jesus, Mary and Joseph, shepherds and angels, but also to help park cars and make refreshments, among other duties, she said.
“There also will be free refreshments,” Woodworth said. “We’ll have cookies, hot chocolate and coffee.”
For more information, email ahord@windsorbaptist.net, go to the Windsor Baptist Church page on Facebook or call 636-464-9008.