Mistletoe, Santa and his reindeer, decorations of red on a green Christmas tree while chestnuts are roasting on an open fire – all bring to mind the visions of popular Christmas holiday celebrations. However, for many who follow the Christian tradition, Christmas also includes a sacred perspective that encompasses the celebration and birth of Jesus Christ.
Faith Lutheran Church of North Windham will host their 22nd annual, free community event, Christmas In The Barn celebration on Sunday, December 10 at 1 p.m. at the Hartwell Farm at 443 Sebago Lake Road in Gorham.
“It is a quiet celebration of our Christian belief in the birth of Jesus in a setting of what, under the similar circumstances, he may have been born in a barn like this one,” stated Jo Hartwell, owner of Hartwell Farm and parishioner of Faith Lutheran.
Although technically, no animals appear at Christ’s birth in the stories of the gospels of Matthew and Luke in the Bible, but more modern traditions show cows and donkeys at the stable. The Christmas In The Barn event will not only include cows and donkeys, but Hartwell stated one can also expect to see chickens, goats and horses to make an appearance with Mary, Joseph, the shepherds and the angels.
The event, which will be performed "tableau style", is a Christmas pageant with scripture readings, reflections and children in costumes that will include Christmas carols, led by Faith Lutheran Music
Director, Dave Hansen.
Director, Dave Hansen.
It is also a gift to the community from Faith Lutheran Church. No monetary donation is expected, just an interest in participating in a live community event of a Christian Christmas tradition as it shares Christ’s birth in a stable.
“Christmas In The Barn is Faith Lutheran Church's gift to the Windham community,” stated Jane Field, Pastor of Faith Lutheran. “It's a tradition that's been carried on at the Hartwell farm for more than 20 years. It offers folks the chance to come together in a setting that recalls the stable in Bethlehem where Jesus was born; it's a real working barn, with hay bales, a donkey, a horse, goats, chickens, and cows. There, in that very simple and humble place, we tell the story of the first Christmas as children in costumes portray Mary, Joseph, shepherds and angels. Adults from the Faith Lutheran congregation will serve as narrators, reading scripture passages from the prophet Isaiah and the gospels of Luke and Matthew.”
Children from Trinity Lutheran Church in Westbrook will play the roles of Mary, Joseph, the
shepherds and the angels. Three men from Faith Lutheran will play the Wise Men while three adults from Faith Lutheran will act as the narrators. “Pastor Karen Indorf [of Trinity Lutheran in Westbrook] and I will offer brief reflections and explanations after each scripture reading,” explained Pastor Field.
Based upon past attendance, over 125 people from Windham, Raymond and the surrounding communities enjoy listening to the story of that famous birth in Bethlehem that occurred approximately 2000 years ago. Individuals enjoy the pageant while sitting on hay bales, singing to popular religious carols and sipping hot chocolate to keep warm. “Dress warm,” warns Hartwell. “There is no heat in the barn."
Whether you are a Christian or not, the mission is to bring the Windham and Raymond communities together during the holiday season. “People are invited to come and enjoy the ambience of the barn, the Christmas story and to join in with the Christmas carols,” stated Melinda Zimmer-Rankin, parishioner of Faith Lutheran. “Everyone can enjoy the simple things of drinking hot chocolate and embracing the season – whatever the holiday season means to them.”
For more information regarding the Christmas In The Barn event, contact Hartwell by phone at 671-2189 or by email at jojohartwell@gmail.com.
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