Hometown Rankin - December 2015 & January 2016

Camille Anding
For the 160 members of Shiloh United Methodist Church in
Pelahatchie, Christmas becomes a church-wide journey to Bethlehem.
Young and old, along with a few non-members, volunteer their time,
talents, and animals to fully recreate the birth of Christ for two nights
in December for all to come and see.
The significant event was the brain child of the ladies’ Explorer’s
Sunday School class in 2008. Even though that first year was a much
smaller model, news spread rapidly about the drive-through tour of
Bethlehem. The ladies followed with a similar production in 2009.
The task was so daunting that the class decided to take a break the
following Christmas. Debbie Rhodes, a major team member on the
planning and production, said, “The community threatened to tar and
feather us if we didn’t continue the event.”
The class agreed to the challenge but turned to the entire church for
help and support. Pastor David Slaughter of the Shiloh congregation
was a first-time participant in 2014 but still recalls his shock in seeing
the scale and quality of the now annual pilgrimage.
Hometown Rankin • 41