Angels in Our Community - The Spectrum Magazine

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O Little Town of Bethlehem Comes to Redwood City for 19th Year A ny day now, the empty lot on the corner of Middlefield and Cassia in Redwood City will start to transform into the ancient village of Bethlehem on the night of the first Christmas. Bethlehem A.D., mounting up for its 19th year, has become a cherished holiday tradition for thousands of South Bay residents who appreciate the opportunity to celebrate the true “reason for the season.” The phrase “living Nativity” is inadequate to describe the interactive sights, sounds and experiences of Bethlehem A.D., where visitors, called “pilgrims,” walk through the Bethlehem village and are immersed in the life and vitality all around them as they interact with a cast of 200 costumed characters and a menagerie of animals A South Bay newspaper once declared Bethlehem A.D. “the Disneyland of Nativities.” Joy to the World Especially in today’s economy, any reminder of the true spirit of Christmas is a source of real hope and good cheer, and the gift of the Messiah was a free gift. Bethlehem A.D. is likewise free to the public. It can remain free of charge due to the donations of money and time from a large group of volunteers representing members of Redwood City’s Tapestry Church (which owns the Bethlehem A.D. lot and hosts the event), Peninsula Covenant Church in partnership with Tapestry, and Templo La Luz as well as volunteers and sponsors from many other congregations, civic groups, corporations and businesses in the South Bay. www.SpectrumMagazine.net Deck the Halls Bethlehem A.D. brings together diverse people from all faiths and ethnicities to strengthen the sense of community and camaraderie so appropriate at Christmas time. Through the years, Paula Paulin and Karl Dresden, of San Carlos, have taken on the roles of creative and technical directors. It’s akin to mounting a large-scale theatrical production, complete with elaborate sets, costumes, lights, sound and myriad technical details, made all the more challenging because the event is held outdoors in any weather! In 2010, a huge storm threatened to prevent Bethlehem A.D. from opening its gates, but miraculously the clouds moved away at the last minute and the show went on as scheduled. It may rain over Bethlehem A.D., but it never rains for long! The Friendly Beasts It’s been warned, “Never work with children or animals,” but at Bethlehem A.D., the animals are major attractions and the baby is the star of the show! The animal cast can include alpacas, llamas, sheep, goats, calves, Brahman bulls, a zedonk (zebradonkey) and several camels. The menagerie lives on the Middlefield Road lot for three days, and in the afternoons before the show starts, they are a pop-up petting zoo for Redwood City residents. Some years there is even a blessed event such as the birth of a baby goat in the middle of a performance! Volunteers from the 4-H Club — organized by Redwood City’s Penny Richardson — make sure that all animals are well cared for, under the direction of Richardson’s husband and chief animal wrangler, Jeff Richardson. Anybody watching Jeff Richardson walk a camel to its pen would not guess that his day job is as a pilot for American Airlines! All skill sets and talents come to play amid Bethlehem A.D.’s diverse cast and crew. Away in a Manger Three special babies (and their parents) get to be the stars of the show in the role of the baby Jesus and the Holy Family. And it’s an equal opportunity manger where the Christ child is played by newborns of all ethnicities and occasionally even by baby girls. If anything, the manger is partial to Redwood City civic leaders. For 2011, the parts of Mary and Joseph will be played by Jeri Richardson-Daines, who has served on Redwood City’s Housing and Human Concerns Committee, with her husband, Colton, and baby Brady. On another night, the manger will feature Shawn White, who serves on Redwood City’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission, with his wife, Robyn, and baby Olivia. From year to year, the babies and their parents experience something very blessed about being in the manger at Bethlehem A.D. Babies don’t seem to cry in the crèche. Parents share a precious bonding time with their infants, despite the gaze of thousands of spectators. Spectators who view the manger feel deeply moved by the recognition that the King of Kings came into the world so humbly as a baby. And a reminder that “the king of the Jews” was born a Jewish baby in a Hebrew town under Roman rule.
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel It is important to Bethlehem A.D. to represent ancient Bethlehem with its Jewish roots intact, complete with Jewish prophets discussing the prophecies of the promised Messiah. A small “Hebrew school” is set up, where rotating groups of children (called “the tribes” after the tribes of Israel) spend some time with teacher Dennis Logie (a Redwood City retired pastor), who keeps the children hanging on his every word as he teaches them some Hebrew words, tells them the Hanukkah story and lights the Hanukkah candles, and imparts to them the meaning of the Ten Commandments. March of the Bethlehem Soldiers Children also get to spend time in the Roman legion campsite, where they are shown authentic Roman armor and weapons by the men of Legio X Fretensis (a California group that re-enacts a first-century Roman legion). Among Bethlehem A.D.’s own centurions, the chief centurion is played by Todd Hurst, a member of the Redwood City police force. Even Steve Penna, the publisher of The Spectrum magazine, plays a centurion at Bethlehem A.D.! Roman centurions march through the village and along Middlefield Road, even helping with crowd control. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen The liveliness of the Bethlehem village is due in big part to the large cast of costumed “villagers” who take the roles of craftspeople (carpentry shop, metal shop, pottery) and marketplace vendors, and even as cooks, preparing chicken and lentils at outdoor stations. There may be “no room at the inn,” but there is hot soup inside the inn. While only the costumed cast can partake of this food, free refreshments are served to visitors in the courtyard of Tapestry Church across the street. Bethlehem A.D. has become famous for its homemade doughnuts! There is also a warm place to sit in the sanctuary, where the “Angel Cam” broadcasts live video from the manger. We Three Kings (from City Hall) Although the Bethlehem A.D. animals may “come from the east” (from ranches in the Central Valley of California), the “kings from the east” come from just down the block — from Redwood City’s own City Hall! It has become tradition for the roles of the Wise Men to be played by civic leaders, including current and past mayors of Redwood City, council members, the chief of police, the fire chief, the superintendent of schools and the sheriff of San Mateo County! When that group includes a woman, she is not required to wear a beard, but she’s nonetheless a Wise Man for the evening! For decades this illustrious group of Wise Men has been organized and recruited by Will Richardson, a former Redwood City “Man of the Year” and “Citizen of the Year” honored for his community service and philanthropy. Richardson also plays a Wise Man and has recruited an impressive lineup to join him in following the “star” to the manger in 2011: Jeff Ira, mayor of Redwood City Jim Hartnett, former mayor of Redwood City Diane Howard, former mayor of Redwood City Barbara Pierce, current Redwood City council member Ian Bain, current Redwood City council member Carlos Bolanos, former Redwood City chief of police and current undersheriff, San Mateo County Bill Butler, owner of Butler Construction O Come, All Ye Faithful This year, if you embrace the true spirit of Christmas, it’s a good time to visit Bethlehem A.D. as a spectator and it is a good time to join the cast and crew in helping them mount up the ancient village on the corner of Middlefield and Cassia. No experience is necessary and all skill sets are welcome. They say “many hands make light work,” and the Bethlehem A.D. cast and crew could use some new hands this year. If you can hammer a nail or sew on a sewing machine, or if you enjoy acting, your skills and help would be welcome. Every Saturday at 1305 Middlefield, there will be other like-minded people building and dressing the sets or helping sew and organize the costumes. With last-minute needs, a lunch is served at noon for all volunteers. There is a great sense of camaraderie and accomplishment among the Bethlehem A.D. extended family of volunteers. If you have ever been blessed by the gift of Bethlehem A.D. to you and your family, this would be a great year to give back a donation of your volunteer time. If you are a business, your donation or financial sponsorship would be very welcome, and your company name and logo could appear on signage and programs as a Bethlehem A.D. sponsor. Bethlehem A.D. has been sponsored in recent years by Cargill Salt, San Mateo Credit Union, Terrace Heritage and many other local businesses. If you have goods that could be donated, there is always a need for lumber, hay bales, pita bread and loaves of rustic bread for the marketplace, or coffee and napkins to serve visitors in the church refreshment area. We Wish You A Merry Christmas 2011 promises to be another wonderful year to awaken the true spirit of Christmas on a vacant lot at Middlefield and Cassia, and to keep alive a South Bay tradition in its 19th year of blessing the residents of Redwood City. Bethlehem A.D. starts on Dec. 22 at 6 p.m. and runs for three consecutive nights, from 6 to 9:30 p.m. nightly. For more information, contact Paula Paulin at paulapaulin@juno.com or 650-281-9170, or visit www.BethlehemAD.com. The Spectrum 9
Page 2 and 3: Season’s Greetings The DMB Saltwo
Page 4 and 5: Inside The Spectrum: Cover Story Ph
Page 6: As I Was Saying… Publisher | Stev
Page 11 and 12: Cultural Events The Main Gallery 10
Page 13 and 14: Angels in Our Community In November
Page 15 and 16: people discover restaurants and oth
Page 17 and 18: Real Estate: Michelle Glaubert at C
Page 19 and 20: Upsize your LIFE A choice of floor
Page 22 and 23: Never late for the Theatre when you
Page 24 and 25: 6 5 0 368-2660 Corrin Rankin 234 Ma
Page 26 and 27: A Minute With: Shawn White Shawn Wh
Page 28: Happy Holidays from our family to y

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