Local church celebrates Christmas with live nativity
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SCOTTS HILL, Tenn. — A local community comes together to highlight the true meaning of Christmas in a unique way. The Scotts Hill Baptist Church took on a huge undertaking for the first time this year — re-creating the little town of Bethlehem by putting a new spin on a Christmas tradition. “It’s just something we wanted to do, to tell the true meaning of Christmas,” Pastor Tim Buffaloe said. Costumes, props, even live animals were used to bring Bethlehem to life in Scotts Hill’s first live nativity. “We’ll walk through old-time Bethlehem, and a narrator will take each group through and tell the story as it unfolds,” Buffaloe said. They tell the story, thousands of years old, by celebrating Jesus’ birth through live scenes. “The more people we get to see, the more lives we get to touch,” narrator Dotty Smith said. “The more people get to know about Jesus that might not have heard about him in the way before.” Buffaloe said he hopes this live nativity scene will allow people to get away from the usual stresses of the holiday season. “We just really wanted to share with our community what the real meaning of Christmas is,” Buffaloe said. “Let everyone slow down and relax.” With more than 200 people coming out for their first night, organizers believe the interactive experience allows visitors to connect more easily to Jesus’ story. “Coming together as a family,” narrator Wesley Chatan said. “It’s because we want to see lives changed for the glory of God, and this is a different way that we can do that, and I think it’s a new way.” Organizers said everything from the costumes to the animals were donated and that they hope to make the scene even bigger next year. If you want to visit the live nativity for yourself, Tuesday is the last night. It is free to the public and runs from 6:30 p.m. until 9 p.m.
