By STEPHEN HAMMILL

On a recent Saturday morning, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Lutz-Lake Fern Road welcomed volunteers to its grounds as construction began on a live nativity scene entitled “Night in Bethlehem.”

This is the first year the 5-year-old church will put on the event.

On the church’s grounds there is room for a small city, and Jennie Johnson, director of “Night in Bethlehem,” stresses this will be “not just a manger. It’s the whole scene.”

Johnson pointed out a shaded area that will be a re-creation of Bethlehem. Visitors will be guided through streets of Jerusalem, where they will be asked to pay “taxes” – a donation in this case.

“They pay canned goods to get in,” said Johnson. Donations will go to local food banks.
Johnson says the volunteers are doing their best to achieve historical accuracy.
“We’re trying for that,” she said.

The last stop will take visitors to the manger, where live animals will mingle with the three wise men.

“We have neighbors supplying a donkey, a pony, and three sheep,” commented James Gillen, media relations assistant for the church.
Congregation members Emily and Kevin Packard will play the roles of Mary and Joseph, respectively. Emily and her husband are both musicians and students. The two moved to the area from California two years ago and have been church members since their arrival.

“We did a smaller version of the nativity scene last year for just the congregation,” she said. “They asked my husband and I if we would do it.”
Emily said the point of the show is “not just to get people to come to our congregation. We want to show we have faith and belief in Christ ... and to celebrate a nice Christmas.”

“Night in Bethlehem” will run every half-hour beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, Dec. 7-10.

“For the first year, we’re going to do it one weekend and see how it goes,” said Gillen.

For free tickets, the church can be reached by phone at 838-3497 or by e-mail at .

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is located at 7851 Lutz-Lake Fern Road.