Event offers passports to Bethlehem

By Mark McKenzie

Grab the kids, gather the grandchildren — the whole family if possible! — and come to Wilshire Baptist Church on Friday, Dec. 19, for One Starry Night, a free interactive Bethlehem experience with something for everyone.

The first stop will be the census table, where, just like Mary and Joseph, visitors will register and receive a passport and some coins. From there, they’ll enter the village, finding a tented market bustling with hands-on activities: baking, carpentry, painting, herbs and spices, pottery, weaving, music and dancing. Passport holders will enjoy interacting with craftsmen and vendors while roving musicians fill the air with sounds of the season.

While in the village, sample first-century delicacies at Bethlehem Inn, pet the sheep at the shepherds’ pen and search the sky for the Christmas star at Stargazer Hill. But visitors better be on their toes when the tax collectors and beggars come around — and at Herod’s Palace where the king and his scribe hold court.

Before leaving the village, visit the Memory Making area, where people can dress up like the villagers for a group photo to remember the night. And, of course, all roads lead to the stable, where the Holy Family is waiting quietly and reverently.

One Starry Night opens at 6:30 p.m. and closes at 8:30 p.m. It’s all free and is Wilshire’s holiday gift to the community. Wilshire is at 4316 Abrams Road in Dallas.

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