ELSANOR – Step back in time more than 2,000 years and take a “Walk Through Bethlehem” at Bethel Baptist Church, located four miles east of Robertsdale on U.S. Highway 90 in the Elsanor Community.

Following a year’s hiatus this live, free interactive adventure of the true Christmas story returned this year beginning Friday, Dec. 14 and running through Sunday, Dec. 16.

Around 80 of the church’s nearly 100 active members participate in the drama which follows the birth of Jesus Christ, finishing with a portrayal of his crucifixion on the cross and resurrection.

A shepherd is your guide on the journey, which takes about 15 minutes walking through about 15 to 25 people at a time.

In the beginning, the shepherd guide leads the group to an area where he and his fellow shepherds are tending to their flocks when an angel appears, telling them of the birth of the Christ child in Bethlehem. Then a host of angels appears singing praises to God.

The shepherd guide then leads the group on a quest to find the Christ child, making several stops along the way to ask if anyone has seen him.

He talks to a merchant, a group of carpenters, an inn keeper and three women at a well before finally stopping at a mill where women are grinding corn. Here we learn that the Christ child is lying in a manger.

From there we find Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus in the manger, watched over by an angel and surrounded by the Three Wise Men who have followed the star from the East which can be seen hanging in the background.

But the journey is not quite ended. We follow the shepherd to a portrayal of Christ as a grown man, hanging on the cross. The journey ends at Christ’s tomb, where we see that the stone has been rolled away and the tomb where Christ should be is empty.

The vision of church members Buddy and Kaydra Taylor, the journey of “A Walk Through Bethlehem” began nine years ago and ran consecutively for seven years.

On average, between 1,200 and 1,500 walked through the journey every year, said church member Dennis Stastka.

“We’ve had people come from as far away as Mississippi and Florida to see it,” Stastka said. “Year in and year out, people come to experience what the story of Christ is all about.”

The journey was interrupted last year when it was found that the scenes were in disrepair, Stastka said.

“Through the hard work of church members we’ve been able to rebuild the sets using treated lumber and metal,” he said. “What we have now should be here for people to enjoy for years to come.”

Work to rebuild the sets began in July, using more than 30 church members to build and paint the sets on the weekends. Once constructed, it took about two weekends to put the set together, which takes up most of the back lot of the church. Total cost of the project was about $8,000, Stastka said.

The drama is open to all ages and groups of any size. Accommodations are available for the handicapped.

Homemake cookies and drinks will be served in the Christian Life Center at the end of the tour.

For more information contact the church at 251-947-5145 or visit www.bbcrobertsdale.com.