More News

But backup generators provided electricity, more than 1,000 people braved the elements and, 11 years later, the live-action, interactive trip through a bazaar at the time of Jesus’ birth has become a local holiday institution. The production returns for five nights beginning Saturday. ‘‘Walk Through Bethlehem” was not held last year as the church transitioned the event from annual to biannual beginning with this year’s production. But last week, the lobby of the church’s headquarters was again being transformed from the atrium into ‘‘Bethlehem” for thousands of expected visitors.

‘‘We thought it was going to blow the doors off the community,” Neslund recalled of the first time the church put on the event. ‘‘Nothing had been done similar in the area.”

Neslund, a retired church official who now lives in Mission Viejo, Calif., returned to Silver Spring at the request of the church to help with this year’s production, his first since 2001.

Neslund still vividly recalls the production’s origins. In mid-1996, church leaders wanted to open their headquarters to the public. When Richard Stendbakken, the show’s co-creator, mentioned a Nativity scene with live actors he saw once in Hawaii, Neslund came up with the Bethlehem bazaar concept, the ‘‘kicker” being the Nativity.

The first year’s production took two weeks to set up across four conference rooms, with props and scenery mostly hanging from the ceiling. The current production also takes two weeks to set up but involves shipping in canvas and Styrofoam backdrops and other props, including tall blue columns for the temple, from a church warehouse in Baltimore.

What has not changed is the use of headquarters staff to fill a variety of roles in the production, from Roman soldiers to tax collectors to regular citizens of Bethlehem walking against the crowd to create a true bazaar feel. More than 100 people from all different departments fill roles in ‘‘Bethlehem,” wearing one of more than 300 robes, dresses or coats of armor kept in a storage closet along with fake beards, hair and weapons, sandals and head coverings.

Steve Chavez will play the shepherd by Jesus’ manger for the fourth consecutive year. ‘‘You put yourself in the shepherd’s place — he must’ve been blown away,” said Chavez, managing editor of the ‘‘Adventist Review⁄Adventist World” publications. ‘‘I try to capture the enthusiasm of witnessing the miracle [of Jesus’ birth].”

Chavez can recite the monologue he repeats every few minutes by memory. The production can be grueling for staffers, particularly after a full day of work, but Chavez said it is worth the effort because it brings the church closer to its neighbors.

‘‘We want to be known in the community as spiritual people who believe in something,” he said. Plus, he has a legitimate reason not to shave for a few weeks, the goateed Chavez added with a laugh.

Parents have also thanked actors for showing their children there is more to Christmas than reindeer and presents.

‘‘We attempt to bring people back to the true meaning of the season,” Chavez said.

To reach Chavez, visitors first wait in the building’s auditorium, where holiday music plays, until it is time to be ‘‘transported” to ancient Bethlehem. Visitors then wind their way through the narrow streets, passing various shops and artisans, including a carpenter making a wooden cross. As crowds pass the innkeeper with no vacancies, they find Jesus in the manger.

Before leaving Bethlehem, visitors enter another room where the Second Coming is discussed, with Jesus on the throne serving as the grand finale.

Following ‘‘Bethlehem,” visitors can give to various children’s causes, an outreach project Neslund started with the first production that has continued ever since.

While Neslund has enjoyed watching people exit ‘‘Walk Through Bethlehem” with smiles on their faces, it is the people with tears in their eyes or declaring their faith restored that stick with him.

‘‘Every year something happens that is miraculous,” he said. ‘‘It is an experience that changes people’s lives. That’s why we do it.”

If you go

‘‘Walk Through Bethlehem” will be held 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Dec. 15-16 at Seventh-day Adventist Church World Headquarters, 12501 Old Columbia Pike in Silver Spring. Tickets are sold in half-hour blocks to control crowds. Admission is $4 for children and adults, free for children age 3 and younger and $1 for children age 12 and younger on Tuesday only.

Tickets can be reserved by phone or online. They can also be purchased at the door or at Potomac Adventist Bookstore, 12004 Cherry Hill Road in Silver Spring. For more information, call 301-680-6122 or visit www.bethlehemwalk.info.