Bethesda participated in Unionville’s “Old Tyme Christmas” Candlelight Parade on Friday, December 5, 2014. This is the first time that Bethesda has participated in the winter evening parade.  We have participated in the summer parade for several years now.

Bethesda, along with its sister congregation, St. Paul, presented a float depicting the Nativity of Our Lord.  Our float was carried on a truck/flatbed trailer combination.  The truck carried our Nativity scene that we place outside the church at Christmas time.  The children of the two congregations were on the trailer dressed as Mary, Joseph, angels, shepherds and Magi.  Our group, carrying candles, sang traditional Christmas carols along the parade route.  Many adults were also part of the float.

We wish to thank Lorne Smith for making his truck and trailer available to the church for the parade and Dave Smith for driving the vehicle.  We also which to say thank you to Erich Lattner who helped with decorating the float, especially with the technical aspects such as lighting, Arthur Schickedanz for supplying the straw bales, the Sunday Church School teachers for mobilizing the children, and the children as well as adults who participated.

Christmas is about the birth of Christ.  This was the message we wanted to let people remember.