Bethlehem Walk Grows Each Year

SEELEY LAKE – The Bethlehem Walk, now in its third year, has become a Seeley Lake Christmas tradition. Faith Chapel's Pastor Gary Wayne credits his wife Heather Ann Wayne for originating the idea. Her vision was for it to become a non-denominational community event. That vision is slowly coming to fruition.

Pastor Wayne contacted the other churches in Seeley Lake and issued an invitation for them to participate. He told them, "I would love this to be a community message instead of one church putting on a nativity."

This year the Faith Chapel congregation was joined by the Mountain Lake Presbyterian Church and Mission Bible Fellowship congregations. The parking lot of Glen's Automotive was the starting point of the nativity pageant. Singing Christmas carols, the group followed Joseph and Mary to the area next to Blue River Station where shepherds and angels stood waiting. As Pastor Wayne read the nativity story the characters enacted their parts.

New to the pageant this year was singing and keyboard accompaniment by Chelsea Cahoon and Abram Pocha. Each of the pastors spoke a few words, offering thoughts for the attendees to meditate upon. Candles were distributed and lit, more carols were sung and the nativity pageant concluded with many placing their lit candles in the snow to commemorate the event.

When the pageant was over, the Butcher family invited everyone to Blue River Station for warm drinks.

Blue River Station's owner Nancy Butcher said when Pastor Wayne asked to use Blue River Station's green space for the nativity scene, "We decided that was really an awesome thing." She added, "That's what we want to do with that green space. Use it for more and more purposes for community activities. We're trying to make it warm and welcoming and also add some atmosphere and beauty to the town."