Carolina Beach church looking for volunteers to help set up living nativity

The living nativity will run the first three weekends in December from 5 pm to 9 pm.

CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WWAY) — Thanksgiving is just days away and one Carolina Beach church is preparing for its Christmas festivities.

The congregation at Seaside Chapel has been setting up for their second annual living nativity for months and they’re finishing up this weekend. Pastor Jerry Vess says they will arrive at the church around 9 am on Saturday and work until dark. They’d love to have members of the community be a part of it.

“We think it’s very important that not only do we want the community to come and participate once we’re done and doing the live nativity, but we want everybody to come out and feel like they can have a part in it and they can see the final outcome and maybe as they’re walking through it they’ll know they had a part in setting it all up.”

Last year, just days before opening night, the living nativity came crashing down after a storm with strong winds blew through the area. Several members of the community rallied around the church to get the set ready, working to replace months worth of preparations in only days. Despite the challenges, the nativity opened on schedule and ran successfully.

Vess says they expected about 500 people last year but ended up seeing about 1,400.

The production is interactive, so people who come to see it will be able to be involved in the show. Vess says it will take about 20 to 25 minutes to walk through and there will be a cow, chickens, and a ram. There will also be refreshments and the entire event is free.

Vess says they hope the event will be a blessing to everyone and he hopes it reminds people of the true meaning of Christmas.

It will be open the first three weekends in December on Saturdays and Sundays from 5 pm to 9 pm at Seaside Chapel at 105 Dow Road in Carolina Beach.