FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Redwood City, CA - September 15, 2009 - For the sixteenth year, diverse church and community groups have come together to present "Bethlehem A.D." as a unique Christmas gift to the San Francisco Bay Area.  With lavish sets and costumes, a cast of 200 actors, and a menagerie of exotic animals (about 85 in total), Bethlehem A.D. recreates the ancient village of Bethlehem on the night of the first Christmas.

Unlike other "Living Nativity's" where the viewer is only allowed to gaze at a tableau, Bethlehem A.D. is a totally interactive experience, where "pilgrims" enter the village by foot and are immediately brought back in time to encounter Roman centurions marching in formation, census takers acquiring signatures, tax collectors gathering gold coins for Caesar, townspeople cooking over open fires, folk dancers, craftsmen, and Jewish sages discussing prophecy at the synagogue.

Children especially love mingling with the live animals that wander through the village; including camels, llamas, Brahma bulls, donkeys and sheep in the field where shepherds watch their flock by night.  And, everyone enjoys spotting the three Wise Men as they carry gifts in search of the newborn King.  A sense of anticipation builds as visitors journey past the crowded Inn and reach the place where Wise Men and pilgrims alike encounter "THE event" that changed our calendar and the dates of history.

Outside the village, the mood is as lively as within, as Roman centurions on horseback help with Redwood City police to direct traffic, costumed villagers mingle with modern-day sojourners, and a searchlight crisscrosses the night sky to illuminate angels on high.  Music fills the air and feelings of joy permeates the entire city block, while a deep sense of "community" unites people of diverse cultural, religious, and economic backgrounds.

After leaving Bethlehem, visitors receive a Certificate of Pilgrimage and can choose to cross the street to Tapestry Church (formerly Peninsula Christian Center) where FREE refreshments are served.  The church sanctuary is warm and provides a place to relax while continuing to enjoy the experience of Bethlehem via a ‘live feed’ video coming from the village.  Once you've made your first "pilgrimage" to Bethlehem, it will become part of your most cherished Christmas traditions.

1. •Dates:  December  21, 22, 23
   

2. •Times:  Walk Through 6:00-9:30pm
   

3. •Location:  1305 Middlefield Road, Redwood City, CA (Look for the Searchlight!)
   

4. •Cost:  FREE to the San Francisco Bay Area community
   

5. •Sponsored:  Tapestry Church (formerly Peninsula Christian Center) and 25 other church and civic groups
   

6. •Seen by:  Increasing numbers of people since first opening in 1992.  Close to 30,000 in 2005!
   

More information, photographs and maps can be found at www.BethlehemAD.com

CONTACT:

Tapestry Church: 650-368-3821

Paula Dresden: 650-368-3821 ext. 1302

Email: info@BethlehemAD.com