43
Triplets fill the role of baby Jesus in Journey to Bethlehem
By LINDA M. LINONIS
WARREN
The miracle of Christ’s birth continues as a gift God gave humankind.
Another miracle of sorts, the triumph of determination over logistics, will be showcased during a Journey to Bethlehem this weekend at Central Christian Church. Brian and Charlotte Campbell’s triplets are rotating in the role of the star of the show, baby Jesus.
The nearly 12-week-old girls, Brynnley, Graycelynn and Payton, each will fill the role of Jesus for an hour during the event. The Campbells, who will play Mary and Joseph, are church members.
Susan Stoddart, director of religious education at Central Christian, said using a real baby “is more effective” than a baby doll.
“They’re sleeping or squirming ... it just adds to the scene,” she said. “One year we had a toddler, who waved to everyone.” That kind of interaction was a big hit among those who took the journey.
While each of the triplets takes her turn, the others will be cared for by their grandmother, Shirley Campbell. “You never know when there will be an emergency diaper change,” Stoddart said.
Brian Campbell said participation in the live Nativity “will be a new experience for us.” “We thought it would be something nice for the girls to look back on ... that they were part of this,” he said.
The Campbells said that multiple births, twins, are on the both sides of the family. Initially, the couple did not know they were expecting triplets but found out in March. “We didn’t know what to say; we were in shock,” Charlotte Campbell said, adding she asked the doctor to “look again and make sure.”
The addition of three babies has made life more interesting for the couple. “If I have an appointment, I need a baby sitter, and if I go out in public, I need an assistant,” Charlotte Campbell said. Her husband said, “Everything is a schedule with triplets. One kid is hard but triplets ... wow.”
“We went big for Lucas (their toddler son) this year because it will be the last year he doesn’t have to share it with the girls,” Charlotte Campbell said.
Stoddart estimated that the Journey to Bethlehem took place from 1982 to 1992 and restarted in 2002. “We got some phone calls from people who attended, and it was part of their Christmas tradition,” she said.
Stoddart said the challenge is getting enough people to fill the roles. The event does demand a time and effort commitment. About 35 are in the cast.
For those who take the Journey to Bethlehem, Stoddart said they will be greeted by Roman soldiers and “enrolled in the census.” The census to be taxed is what brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, to be counted in the House of David.
Visitors will see angels; talk with the Angel Gabriel, outfitted in a white tuxedo; have an audience with King Herod at the palace; see shepherds tending their flock, the Three Wise Men and innkeepers; then follow a star to the manger to see baby Jesus. There, the Scripture passage from Luke 2:1-7 is read. It reads in part, “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”
Stoddard said, “They travel around the church and the lights are dimmed,” Stoddart. The sanctuary, which has the manger, is dimly lit, and visitors follow a star to the Holy Family on the approximate 40-minute journey.
After the tour, refreshments are offered in fellowship hall.
“We do this as part our community outreach,” Stoddart said. “It focuses on the real meaning of Christmas.”
Contributor: Katie Rickman