AGAWAM – With the holiday season fast approaching, Bethany Assembly of God will be hosting a narrated drive-thru Christmas experience that will be free to the public.

The event, titled “A Bethany Christmas,” will take place on the first two weekends of December – Dec. 4, 5 and 6, and 11, 12 and 13.

The times are Friday from 6 to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 5 to 8 p.m.

According to an event summary posted online, the drive-thru will contain “displays, characters, carolers and thousands of lights, as well as live scenes, sharing a message of hope and faith.” It will also replace the church’s yearly “Singing Christmas Tree” event, which included an orchestral performance across a 25-foot tall Christmas tree.

“Bethany has been doing the ‘Singing Christmas Tree’ for 46 years, but this year due to COVID-19, this was not a possibility,” said Camellia Grace Matthes, the worship pastor at Bethany. “So we just got a team together to brainstorm what we could do for the community that would be safe and socially distanced, but would also reach out to them, and be able to present the Christmas story.”

Matthes said residents will be greeted by people in “fun Christmas costumes,” and as they go through the drive-thru event, they will see the story of a shepherd boy and his journey through Bethlehem to find Jesus. The story will be told through a recorded narration that people hear. Live actors will also be included as residents venture through the event.

“All of it [the event] is essentially outside around the church,” said Matthes.

Although the drive-thru is free to the public, Bethany will be accepting monetary donations, which will be used to build schools for children in Latin America.

“When you come, we will have a donation station,” said Matthes. “But we will also be handing out a program that has a QR code that you can go too, and you can donate to online.”

Usually, according to Matthes, Bethany would send a team of people to Latin America to help build schools, and the church would use the money they raised from the “Singing Christmas Tree” event to help provide supplies for these specific schools. Due to COVID-19 however, Bethany has to take a somewhat different approach.

“Obviously it doesn’t look like we can send people to Latin America,” said Matthes. “But, we are still using this money to contribute towards supplies [for the schools].”

Matthes believes that this event is a great opportunity to bring hope to the community back at home, as well. Their message this year through this production is “fear not.”

“I think right now there is a lot of fear out there because what is happening in the world,” said Matthes. “So we just want this to be a gift to the community, so they can come, and have a fun time.”

Residents will also be asked to stay in their car when they arrive at the location, so as to adhere to safety guidelines for COVID-19.

For more information on the event, visit the Bethany website at https://bethanyassemblyofgod.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/625016.