Pageant Retells Christmas Story

For close to 50 years, the churches in the area of Wardlow Road and Bellflower Boulevard have come together to tell the story of the birth of Jesus Christ through the Portraits of the Prince of Peace pageant.

The free outdoor event drew thousands of visitors last Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. Guests dressed warmly walked on candle-lit paths in the crisp night air to view scenes from the Bible depicted by costumed volunteers, live animals and artistic props.

 

The silent actors stayed still, as if displayed in portrait paintings. Written explanations accompanied the scenes. 

 

“It’s fun to do this every year,” said Tom Basch, a St. Cornelius parishioner who played one of the three wise men. 

 

It was open-house for the five churches close to each other; St. Cornelius Catholic Church on Wardlow, The Neighborhood Church on San Anseline Avenue, St. Luke’s Lutheran Church on Wardlow, Long Beach Christian Reformed Church on Wardlow and University Baptist Church on Chatwin Avenue.

 

Guests could enter each church and hear musical performances, reflect and enjoy refreshments with others.

 

Members of Calvary Chapel Long Beach also were present as well as other congregations.

 

“It’s all the churches in this little area,” said St. Cornelius parishioner and pageant volunteer of 15 years, Judy Garvin. “It’s a wonderful way for all of these Christian churches to share in our common celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.”

 

Garvin said the pageant used to run every night for two weeks in earlier years but later shrunk to a weekend. She said everyone’s a volunteer, “And we all love it.”

 

Garvin estimated that 5 to 6,000 people turned out during the recent three nights from all over Long Beach, Lakewood and other places.

 

The Christmas story’s first four of 16 scenes took place at St. Cornelius and included Prophet Isaiah’s foretelling in the Old Testament of the Messiah’s birth and New Testament scriptures according to Apostles Matthew and Luke.

 

The biblical journey and festivities continued through the other churches and concluded with a manger scene at the University Baptist Church.

 

“Thus was He born. Behold! The Lord of life!” reads the event’s program, followed by Apostle John’s testimony: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.”

 

Walter Carter, a member of The Neighborhood Church, listened to a contemporary gospel choir performance by ABC Alliance Church, one of the congregations that meet on the grounds of The Neighborhood Church campus.

 

“I love it,” he said of the concert. “It’s just an awesome thing.”

 

Randle Carter, also a member of the Neighborhood Church, agreed.

 

“It’s a wonderful community fellowship.”

 

St. Luke’s late pastor, Roger Magnuson, had the idea to bring the churches together and start the Portraits of the Prince of Peace, said current St. Luke’s Pastor Garry Moore.

“This is an exercise in true ecumenism,” Moore said.

 

Moore said the program is at least 47 years old, perhaps 48. He said records would be researched to determine the correct number.

 

He said the founding pastor’s grandchildren are a part of the pageant every year.

 

Regarding church services at St. Luke’s, Moore said he allows dogs inside and that the church is dog friendly.

 

“When we have communion, the four-legged friends get a treat as well,” he said.

 

Moore said his middle name is Francis and St. Francis of Assisi helped the animals.

 

“I try to live up to that as well,” he said.

 

Steven Hauptmann, whose grandfather helped physically build St. Luke’s, grew up in St. Luke’s and played many roles in the pageant as a boy. His father used to volunteer too.

 

Hauptmann visited the pageant last Sunday while in town from Texas.

 

“My dad did it and passed it down,” he said. “I liked being in the manger with the live animals.”

 

kirt@beachcomber.news