MORGANTOWN — Like the Biblical Magi following the Star of Bethlehem, a steady crowd followed the lights of Westover’s Kingdom: A Community Church through a representation of Bethlehem to see a baby in a manger.
The church kicked off its live nativity Friday — the eighth year of what’s quickly become a local Christmas tradition.
It began as a small undertaking tucked away in an outdoor corner of the church building. It now encircles nearly half of the building’s upper parking lot and features between 80 and 100 reenactors nightly.
From live camels, donkeys and sheep to historically accurate baking in a recreation of a Bethlehem market, the yearly undertaking took on a life of its own, according to Senior Pastor Kevin Cain.
“What they do is they walk people all the way through what we believe to be the scriptural feeling of the City of Bethlehem at the time of Jesus’ birth,” Cain said. “Over the years,
it’s just expanded and expanded and expanded.”
Cain said it takes hundreds of church members to pull off the display, which they begin planning in July and building in September.
Deloris Clayton, of Clarksburg, was on hand Friday with Aletha Gray and Carla England. The trio hasn’t missed a year yet.
“We come every year. It’s just something — all the scenes and the activity. We really enjoy it. It’s beautiful,” Gray said. “We wouldn’t miss it.”
Cain said he’s glad people enjoy it, and he hopes visitors walk away with more than just an enjoyable evening.
“There’s just a lot of folks in this day and age who are just looking for some hope,” he said.
The live nativity continues from 6-8 p.m. tonight as well as Dec. 7th and 8th.
