Okotoks’ version of the Little Town of Bethlehem will be shown virtually this year.
For the past three years, a village has been erected in the field next to St. James Parish and the public has been welcomed to raise money for charity while enjoying the Living Nativity event, featuring everything from a stable to a blacksmith shop, bakery, candle shop, carpentry shop and more as well as live actors.
The tradition was first spearheaded by former pastor Luciano Cortopassi in 2017 and in the past two years saw more than 2,000 visitors pass through Bethlehem’s gates.
That’s precisely why it couldn’t happen this year, said virtual event organizer Noreen Linton.
“It’s a big event with a lot of community involvement,” she said. “We couldn’t have the physical Town of Bethlehem like we have in previous years, so this year we’re doing it virtually.”
There is a stable near St. James Church that is lit and ready for people to visit for personal reflection during the season of Advent, she said.
As for the Living Nativity, it’s part of a video available on the parish website that features the story The Shepherd’s Tale sung and narrated by parishioners, while images of previous years’ events play in the background.
“It’s a story to help people kind of get back in touch with the meaning of Christmas and to prepare for Christmas,” said Linton.
The video presentation is live now and will be posted until January for people to tune in and watch.
Donations are typically taken at the village gate during the Living Nativity, and this year the chosen charity is the Okotoks Food Bank. Since there is no admission or ticket purchase to view The Shepherd’s Tale, she said they’re asking people to give to the food bank of their own accord, online or by other means.
Linton said the cherished event is being missed this year and they received communication in the fall from people wondering whether the nativity would run in 2020. With COVID-19 restrictions in place the decision was made to forgo the live event.
“We’ve had several inquiries about where it is,” said Linton. “We are planning, in 2021 when we’re past all of this, the Town of Bethlehem will be back up again.”
To view the video presentation visit www.stjamesparishokotoks.ca/living-nativity
