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By NOAH WORTHAM | Staff Writer

NORTH SHELBY – Asbury United Methodist Church will rein in the holidays with its first ever live nativity.

On Sunday, Dec. 4 Asbury UMC will host a live nativity and festive, family fun event from 4-8 p.m.

“It’s an outdoor event,” said Amy Gonzalez, communications director at Asbury UMC. “We have an area that is under the tent outside of our sanctuary that is all the festive fun things that you think about Christmas.”

Asbury will offer an ornament making station, a photo area with Santa and Mrs. Claus, free cookies and hot chocolate.

“On the other side of the tent is the reason for the season,” Gonzalez said. “The magic of the season is celebrating the birth of Jesus, and we wanted to showcase that and give people a chance to reconnect with their faith at this time of the year. So, we have a live nativity, and what will happen is it’s not only a live nativity but we’ve staged a Bethlehem marketplace so families can walk through our marketplace and see the booths that may have once lined Jerusalem streets.”

The following food trucks will also be present at the event to sell concessions to attendees: Hey Bebe, Southern Coffee and Waffles and HawgTide Bar-B-Q.

“We’re very excited,” Gonzalez said. “It is just a time for families to be together and to celebrate all the things that they love about Christmas all in one place.”

This is the first time Asbury is holding this event, but if there is good feedback the church may make it an annual event, she said.

“We are honored to do this,” Gonzalez said. “We are honored to be in such an amazing community, and we can’t wait to welcome our church family and extended church family here.”

Those who wish to learn about all upcoming holiday events at Asbury UMC can visit its website at Asburybham.org/Christmas.