The Journey

'The Journey' to Bethlehem comes alive at Savannah Christian Church
Dana Clark Felty Thursday, December 6, 2007 at 12:30 am

Baby Jesus, Elijah Sharp, 7 months, is in the arms of Mary, Jessica Hayes, on Wednesday as Joseph, J.D. Garletts, looks over her shoulder in a hut that is part of a scene in The Journey, an interactive walk-through production set on the day of Jesus' birth, at the Savannah Christian Church. Hunter McRae/Savannah Morning News
Karissa Kracht, 18, is a belly dancer Wednesday in the life-sized reproduction of Bethlehem that is a scene in The Journey, an interactive walk-through drama set on the day of Jesus' birth, at the Savannah Christian Church. Hunter McRae/Savannah Morning News
Skyler Reed, 14, sings "Sweet Little Jesus Child" with other angels on top of the hut where Mary and Joseph hold baby Jesus Wednesday during a scene in The Journey, an interactive walk-through production set on the day of Jesus' birth, at the Savannah Christian Church. Hunter McRae/Savannah Morning News
Skyler Reed, 14, left, sings "Sweet Little Jesus Child" with other angels on top of the huts where baby Jesus, Elijah Sharp, 7 months, is in the arms of Mary, Jessica Hayes, and Joseph, J.D. Garletts, during a scene in The Journey, an interactive walk-through production set on the day of Jesus' birth, at the Savannah Christian Church. Hunter McRae/Savannah Morning News
A life-sized reproduction of Bethlehem is one of the scenes in The Journey, an interactive walk-through drama set on the day of Jesus' birth, at the Savannah Christian Church. Hunter McRae/Savannah Morning News
Visitors are offered food and drink in the life-sized reproduction of Bethlehem that is one of the scenes in The Journey, an interactive walk-through production set on the day of Jesus' birth, at the Savannah Christian Church. Hunter McRae/Savannah Morning News
Visitors are offered food and drink in the life-sized reproduction of Bethlehem that is one of the scenes in The Journey, an interactive walk-through production set on the day of Jesus' birth, at the Savannah Christian Church. Hunter McRae/Savannah Morning News

Seven-year-old Ryan Lavrisa huddled close to his parents and three older siblings as they were corralled into a room, where each was handed citizenship papers and a shiny, new coin.
Next, they were ushered outside, where more than 20 sword-wielding men in Roman military uniforms rushed toward them and began barking orders.
"Move it!"
"Let's go!"
"Hurry up. You Jews are so slow!"
Lavrisa stopped and turned to his family.
"But we're not Jews," he said.
True, they're Catholic, replied his mother, Lois Lavrisa.
But playing along is all part of the fun in "The Journey," an interactive Christmas performance sponsored by Savannah Christian Church.
The two-week drama opened Wednesday and runs nightly from 6-8 p.m. through Sunday, then again Wednesday through Dec. 16.
This year marks the sixth re-enactment since 1999 of the biblical trek by Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born.
The Lavrisa family has attended nearly each year.
"It's pretty exciting," said Ryan's dad, Tom Lavrisa. "It's a refreshing reminder of the meaning of what Christmas is all about."
Located on the evangelical mega-church's 52-acre campus off U.S. 17 near Ga. 204, the set includes a pontoon boat ride, an encampment of Roman soldiers, the huts of Mary and Joseph and a life-sized village replica of Bethlehem.
At the beginning of "The Journey," each participant is assigned to a "tribe." Tribe members each receive a "Phoenician half-shekel" coin and citizenship papers telling them their names.
The group is ushered along the trail by belligerent Roman soldiers, some on horseback, who bark orders and ridicule them for their interest in the story about the birth of Jesus.
The production is staffed by more than 1,000 volunteers from the church who work as carpenters, set designers, costume makers, scene directors, ticket takers and parking escorts.
Within the Bethlehem scene, dozens of actors play the roles of innkeepers, blacksmiths, fishmongers, soldiers, beggars, dancers and water-fetchers.
The hour-long performance also features a petting zoo and live animals including horses, donkeys, chickens, geese and a camel.
Organizers say the scale and popularity of "The Journey" has grown each year. The production attracted more than 11,000 visitors in 2005, the last time Savannah Christian staged the production.
This year's event includes tours in Spanish on Thursday nights, featuring a Spanish-speaking Mary and Joseph.
Registration is $5 per person. However, the church doesn't profit from the event, said Senior Pastor Cam Huxford. "The Journey" is a public service and a call to Christian faith.
"We are involved in 'The Journey' for two reasons," Huxford said. "We want to share what we believe is the core message of the Christmas season, which is about God's love for everyone on this planet and how far He's willing to go to express that."
The other reason is to give families a wholesome form of entertainment.
"God's just blessed us with lots of resources and lots of talented people," said Huxford, who is serving as the congregation's fifth pastor since the congregation formed in 1964 with fewer than 150 members. "We feel like we've been blessed, and we want to be a blessing to others as well."
The church today counts more than 5,000 worshippers weekly. Sunday services take place at The Savannah Theatre and Hesse Elementary School as well as on the main campus along Al Henderson Boulevard.
Church leaders say they don't pressure anyone to pray with them or even to identify themselves.
With a production as compelling as "The Journey," the church doesn't need to, Huxford said.
"The Christmas message it presents is about God's love for all mankind," he said. "That message is going to come through loud and clear."
If you go
When: 6-8 p.m. today-Sunday and Wednesday-Dec. 16 Where: Savannah Christian Church, 55 Al Henderson Blvd.
Cost: $5 per person or up to $20 per family. Children ages 5 and younger are free. Groups of 10 or more get a 20 percent discount. Military personnel, firefighters and police officers with proper identification and their immediate family qualify for a $5 "Hero Pass" per family.
Information: Call "The Journey" hot line at 629-4765, or go online to http://www.savannahchristian.com/. Groups or individuals needing assistance should contact Yvonne Fowler at 629-4720 to make arrangements. Groups depart every 5 minutes. Visitors should dress for outdoor weather. Strollers are discouraged because the walking trail is not level.

This was truly amazing. I doubt anywhere in the country has a larger recreation of the city of Bethlehem at the time of Jesus birth.