I'm guessing the shepherd on the far left, because he looks the most like Chuck Norris.

btw, Chuck Norris really was present on that night, and gave the gift of beard.

I think you're in the middle.

salesortonscom wrote:

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Your the one with the staff, right?

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LOL

Good one.

Roper... nope, but I'm sure that member of our Stake High Council would laugh to be compared to The Chuckster!

Yes, I am the one with the staff... If it helps any, I made all the staffs (or is it staves -- what exactly is plural of staff?).

Crazymom is correct... I've never been one of the wiseguys... er wisemen... Crazymom, if you stopped by Friday or Saturday night, you would not have seen me in the shepherd's room this year. By way of hostile takeover via leveraged buyout, I became the proud owner of the Inn in Bethlehem... ETA, Oh, 8 1/2 years and counting... our family has been involved with this every year from the beginning in some fashion. It started out as just our ward thing the first year with music in the chapel that some folks invited their non-member friends to. The next year, we expanded it a little, and every year since, it has become bigger and better.

Rayb was closest, but he didn't specify which of the middle two...

This year, I think the official count was 950 in the door. That is said to be a little higher than last year. I thought we were in the 980 range last year, but maybe it was only 920 or so (I have been known to get some numbers mixed up). We didn't get as many folks Friday night as expected due to a forecast for bad weather that didn't actually end up occuring.

One of the ushers (our stake young men's president) told me between one of the tours that the mayor of the city had come through with all his family! That is great because the city gave the church a real hard time about even building our chapel (it took nearly a decade from the time the land was purchased until building could be built and occupied). The Rochester College Accapella Choir that performed last night in the concert almost didn't at first because they thought we were some sort of cult (they are a Christian college), but after some research decided we weren't and agreed to take part. They were tremendous, and a lot of the college kids in that group went on the tour as well.

I'll be working on a DVD of the event with another man in ward (combining elements from this and the past years) hopefully. Will let you know if anyone is interested in obtaining a copy. Is truely a very spiritual event and great way to start the season out right!

If nothing more, I'll try posting some photos and the like to my blog, but it will be a bit before that happens, so be patient.

-- Edited by Cat Herder at 10:11, 2006-12-03

What a great program Cat!  Sounds like a great way to celebrate the holidays in your ward.  I wish our ward did something like that.  We did a living Nativity in front of the ward building when I was in YMs.  We got a lot of people from the community to come by for it.  Then we did a night in Bethleham where the cultural hall was turned into a part of Bethlahem with markets, an Inn, Roman Soldiers, etc.  Really a nice event and got the kids into the whole Christmas story.  That was chucked and now we have "Breakfast with Santa" as the December ward activity.    I never have attended this out of a sense that it is wrong.  Maybe I'm just an old stick in the mud.  The Assembly of God Church in the neighboring town has a complete pageant that you drive through complete with live animals and a huge cast.  They even have their choir singing and the music piped over a short range radio station so you can listen to the music.  I wish we could even do something a tenth as nice, but no.  We can have breakfast with Santa though!

-- Edited by salesortonscom at 11:45, 2006-12-04