{"id":55509,"date":"2025-12-08T20:57:09","date_gmt":"2025-12-08T20:57:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/55509\/"},"modified":"2025-12-08T20:57:09","modified_gmt":"2025-12-08T20:57:09","slug":"st-johns-lutheran-church-brings-bethlehem-to-park-rapids-park-rapids-enterprise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/55509\/","title":{"rendered":"St. Johns Lutheran Church brings Bethlehem to Park Rapids – Park Rapids Enterprise"},"content":{"rendered":"

St. Johns Lutheran Church in Park Rapids welcomed local families to a free \u201cbreakfast in Bethlehem.\u201d<\/p>\n

After registering for the census, whereupon you could be assessed taxes in 4 B.C., guests could enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of the Christmas story.<\/p>\n

Scenes replicating a traditional bazaar and home in Bethlehem were arranged in the entryway.<\/p>\n

\"StJohnsBethlehemMarket120625.F.PRE.jpg\"<\/p>\n

A recreation of a Bethlehem market greeted guests at St. Johns Lutheran Church on Saturday, Dec. 6. “This is the closest replica we can get to what a bazaar would’ve looked like,” said Pastor Chad Berg. He poses with the scene creator, Renee Ahmann. On the other side of the market, there was a replica of a home. <\/p>\n

Shannon Geisen\/Enterprise<\/p>\n

Connie Fondow said St. Johns typically holds this event every other year. The church\u2019s board of evangelism coordinates the affair, now in its third year.<\/p>\n

They anticipated about 140 people, she said of the meal served by \u201cBethlehem townspeople,\u201d garbed in realistic costumes. \u201cOur board of parish fellowship cooked the breakfast,\u201d Fondow said.<\/p>\n

About 40 volunteers helped in total, according to Fondow.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe costumes were mostly created by Laurie Kimball,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Congregation members told the Christmas story through a drama called \u201cThe Savior is Born!\u201d<\/p>\n

Mary was played by Paula Eischens, Joseph by Jerry Eischens and the angel Gabriel by Steven Stromme.<\/p>\n

Doug Kingsley, Rod Helm, Jeff Hilgemann portrayed shepherds, while Mike Poole, David Vik and Tim Ranisate were the Three Wisemen.<\/p>\n

The narrators were Pastor Larry Harvala and Pastor Don Fondow.<\/p>\n

The brief play included musical selections by vocalists and musicians, including Matt Kaufenburg, Melissa Koch, Lynn Just, Cheryl Hilgemann, Sarah Kaufenberg, Donna Neumann and Mary Harvala.<\/p>\n

Children, ages 4 to fourth grade, were treated to their own Christmas story, craft making and cookie decorating. Each received a gift bag.<\/p>\n

\"StJohnsStainedGlassNativity120625.F.PRE.jpg\"<\/p>\n

About 40 congregation members displayed their Nativity scenes in the church’s sanctuary. <\/p>\n

Shannon Geisen\/Enterprise<\/p>\n

A gallery of Nativity scenes filled the sanctuary. Fondow said 40 congregation members shared these collections for the day.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome are from around the world, are heirlooms or personal treasures for families,” she said.<\/p>\n

A family photo opportunity with a Bethlehem-themed background was also available.<\/p>\n

\n 1\/7:\u00a0The Three Wisemen \u2013 portrayed by Mike Poole, David Vik and Tim Ranisate \u2013 carry gold, frankincense and myrrh and greet visitors to St. Johns Lutheran Church.
\n Shannon Geisen\/Enterprise<\/p>\n

\n 2\/7:\u00a0The angel Gabriel speaks to the shepherds in this dramatization by St. Johns Lutheran Church.
\n Shannon Geisen\/Enterprise<\/p>\n

\n 4\/7:\u00a0About 40 congregation members displayed their Nativity scenes in the church’s sanctuary.
\n Shannon Geisen\/Enterprise<\/p>\n

5\/7:\u00a0Children’s activities included decorate Christmas cookies at St. Johns Lutheran Church.
\n Shannon Geisen\/Enterprise<\/p>\n

\n 6\/7:\u00a0
\n Shannon Geisen\/Enterprise<\/p>\n

\n 7\/7:\u00a0
\n Shannon Geisen\/Enterprise<\/p>\n

Guests left with a gift box and devotional book \u201cto prepare for God\u2019s birth,\u201d said Pastor Fondow.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"St. Johns Lutheran Church in Park Rapids welcomed local families to a free \u201cbreakfast in Bethlehem.\u201d After registering…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":55510,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[153,155,154,30755,30756,30757],"class_list":{"0":"post-55509","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-bethlehem","8":"tag-bethlehem","9":"tag-bethlehem-headlines","10":"tag-bethlehem-news","11":"tag-breakfast-in-bethlehem","12":"tag-nativity-scene-collection-in-park-rapids","13":"tag-st-johns-lutheran-church-in-park-rapids"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55509","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55509"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55509\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/55510"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55509"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55509"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55509"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}