How did the Christmas Pageant Start at Bethany?

(As told by the man who first proposed that Bethany produce a Christmas Pageant - retired pastor Bill Anderson)

Many years ago my wife Carol and I were pastoring in Hamilton. It was there that one Christmas a local Hamilton church portrayed the Christmas story in their parking lot.  It wasn't very big, but a good effort by the church. I never forgot it.

When we came to Pastor at Bethany in 1992, it was during the time the school boards where wrestling with the whole issue about the story of Christ's birth, in our ever increasing multi cultural society. When it was decided the children could no longer sing the Carols which told the story of the Birth of the Saviour, I said somebody has to tell the story. It was then that I remembered the church in Hamilton and I suggested to some folks at Bethany, what I would like to do. As the concept of a pageant was discussed, I recall two young men saying, "Pastor, you tell us what you want and we will build it."

The thought that kept coming to me was that some children and grandchildren will be sitting, watching the pageant, and ask, "What is this all about?", and the story of the babe in the manger, that a Saviour has come, would be told again and again.

Now, yet again this year, the story is told once again. They say over 100,000 people have watched the pageant. God has been good to help us keep the focus.

I credit Roger Braun, the Pageant Co-ordinator for getting the pageant to where it is today, bigger and better than I had ever dreamed. He has a wonderful team of workers behind him, and a church that has caught the vision of telling the story. The wonderful people that make up Bethany Church have worked together to make it happen year after year.

Thanks be to God for all he has done. May He continue to use the pageant to tell the GOOD NEWS, that a Saviour has come..

          And now I would like to invite you to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate and a cookie or two.

Bill Anderson