22nd Int'l Celebration of Christmas Held
22nd Int’l Celebration of Christmas with Live Nativity held on December 18
Communities United
The 22nd Annual International Celebration of Christmas with Live Nativity was held beautifully on Sunday, December 18 at the Old World Village in Huntington Beach, Southern California. It started with one Unificationist minister, Mrs. Susan Munsell, 22 years ago with her passion to celebrate Jesus's birth which was an unknown event 2,000 years ago, to be celebrated in the community by people from all around the world. The son was given to us - to reconnect us to the Father, and restore our true relationship with God and with each other. Year by year more volunteers came to willingly work together from the Christian churches, City officials, as well as Los Angeles Family Church, a local church of the FFWPU. The following is the report by Min. Munsell.
(report by Min. Susan Munsell)
Every year for the past 22 years, the Old World Village in Huntington Beach, California, has played host to an international, intercultural, and interdenominational reenactment of the First Nativity. Inspired to share the essence of Jesus and the joy and spirit of the Christmas season, talented members from the LA Family Church, various ACLC congregations, and related ministries come together to create the angel choir, narration, cast, crew, and performance of the Christmas story. Tradition, song, and dance from around the world are highlighted in the program. The Mayor Pro Tem of Huntington Beach gave welcoming remarks. Special thanks to our musicians who invested their time and talent, Matt Ishizuka, John Holmes and Rebecca Zinke as choir director.
This year the program included participation from the American Clergy Leadership Conference, Los Angeles Family Church, Creative Artist, Inc, Danube Swabian Community, Garden Grove Church of God, Greater Grace Church of Deliverance, Iglesia Nueva Vida, Jehovah Jireh House of Prayer, The People’s Church, Talita Cui Iglesia Cristiana and the Young Christian Leadership Conference.
Admission to the event was free, however all proceeds and donations amounting to $1200 benefited American Family Housing which provides an array of services to support homeless and low-income families and adults to secure a stable home. The Old World Village provides an audio-visual technician and the Festival Hall at no cost, along with hot chocolate and cookies for the audience. In closing, the audience sang the first verse of Silent Night by candlelight in 10 different languages. Approximately 300 people were in attendance for a meaningful and enjoyable celebration of Christmas!
Thank you.
