The Church at Litchfield Park will share the magic of the Christmas season with a free drive-thru living Nativity pageant Sunday, Dec. 20, and drive-in Christmas Eve candlelight services Thursday, Dec. 24.

Drive-thru Nativity

Visitors can witness the pageantry from the Angel’s visit to Mary all the way to final Nativity with costumes, music and live animals, including a camel, donkey and sheep, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 20 in the church’s north parking lot at 300 N. Old Litchfield Road.

In the past, children of the church have staged a Christmas pageant under the direction of Children’s Ministry Director Kristin McNamara, but due to rising cases of the novel coronavirus across the state, church officials opted for an outdoor living Nativity this year.

READ: Cities get into 2020 holiday spirit despite pandemic

Church staff and volunteers from the congregation have been working together to get ready for the pageant, with the actors rehearsing via Zoom, and Men’s Fellowship members assembling set pieces.

Many of the costumes feature items donated by the church’s thrift shop, which is managed by the Women’s Fellowship and has been closed since spring because of the pandemic.

The free event is open to everyone. To mitigate the risks of COVID-19, volunteers will wear masks and socially distance.

For more information, visit churchatlitchfieldparkorg or @ChurchAtLitchfieldPark on Facebook.

Christmas Eve services

The church will hold drive-in candlelight services at 6 and 8 p.m. Christmas Eve.

There will be no indoor services this year, but as in years past, volunteers will set up luminarias in front of the church grounds and the sanctuary, in addition to the  parking lot. They usually set out 400 luminarias, but expect to double the number this year.

Those planning to attend the drive-in service are asked to register at the church’s website by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 23.

Entrances to the parking lot will open at 5 and 7 p.m. Christmas Eve to allow everyone to get situated and tune their radios to FM 91.3 before the service is projected onto a 40-foot screen.