DECATUR - St. John's Lutheran Church in Decatur believes in telling the whole Christmas story, including the bloody but triumphant ending.

So visitors who flocked to the church's live Nativity on Saturday and Sunday evening saw 10 tableaus portraying not only Christ's birth but his death and resurrection, too.

"People need to see the full story," explained Debbie Weise, who oversees the Nativity and is the wife of St. John's pastor, the Rev. Russ Weise. "That's important."

The newborn Savior was lifelike but faux (too cold for a real baby in the manger off the church's sweeping driveway), but the crucified Christ being nailed to a horizontal cross by Roman soldiers was flesh and blood. And the sounds of a hammer striking home carried far on the November air as visitors either walked by in guided tours or drove through, with a loaned CD offering narration.

"Oh, it's not too bad," said Doug Norris, 47, one of two actors who lie on the cross and worked the role in half-hour shifts. "But my arms do go numb." Clutched surreptitiously in his crimson-stained fingers was a chemical hand warmer. "It does help," he added.

The church estimated it had 700 drive-through visitors Saturday evening and 150 pedestrians, and was expecting similar numbers Sunday in this, the live nativity's 19th year. The cast numbers more than 70 of the congregation, ranging from children of 5 to adults old enough to be their grandparents. A supporting staff of hundreds provide food and refreshment for the actors and take care of the elaborate props and costumes.

Scott Tavarczky stands 6 feet 4 inches tall and looked dazzling in a vivid green outfit capped with a gold crown. Getting ready to head outside, he wasn't sure which of the three kings he was - he thought either frankincense or myrrh - but he knew what he would be thinking about: "We're asked to pray for the people who come through," said Tavarczky, 52.

It costs about $4,000 to stage the nativity, and a big part of the cost is bringing in the animal stars: The full critter cast included camels, donkeys, sheep and goats.

The four-legged participants also provided some interesting moments. There was a donkey whose braying call sounded eerily like Chewbacca from Star Wars, and then there was the sheep that was loose at 3 a.m. Sunday and had to be corralled by the pastor, who chased it for several hours.

"But it played right into the sermon we had today," said Weise. "The text was how God searches for the missing sheep."

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