DECATUR - Stay away, rain. Stay away, ice.

After the past couple of years, those are the thoughts of the organizers of St. John's Lutheran Church Living Nativity who want some fair weather for this year's production, "Journey to Bethlehem."

Two years ago, the Living Nativity was cancelled because of the massive ice storm that paralyzed Central Illinois. One night was canceled last year because of foul weather.

"We hope for decent weather," said Debbie Weise, the Living Nativity director for the first time. "We put in a lot of work."

As a hedge against the weather, the date has been changed to Saturday, Nov. 22, and Sunday, Nov. 23, from its traditional spot on the first weekend of December. There's a walk-through with guides from 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. each day and a drive-through from 5:30 to 8 p.m. It's free. The church is at 2727 N. Union St., behind the Decatur Family Y. The Living Nativity usually draws about 1,200 spectators each day.

From 150 to 200 people are involved to pull it off. Volunteers include Mike Colbeck, who handles the electric work, and Ed Highcock, who helped build the original sets 19 years ago and will help set up the sets this time.

"We started with a few crude scenes and added more every year," Highcock said. His wife, Linda, and Nancy Klebe collect wildflowers and brush from the woods to decorate the sets.

"St. John's circular drive and church grounds will be converted into a Judean countryside," Weise said. "Ten scenes with narration will be featured, scenes that are reminiscent of the first Christmas and the first Easter. More than 50 participants dress as characters in homemade costumes to re-enact the story. Live animals are on the scene - three camels, donkeys, cows, sheep, goats and a llama."

This is the 19th year of the nativity and improvements this year include reorganizing the child care area into activity rooms that will include crafts, games, movies, food and music; authenticating the visitation of Mary scene by making the flat walls take on the appearance of a stone building.

The inside of the church is changed into a back stage "green room" with black plastic so that lighting from the church building does not disturb the beauty of the Living Nativity scenes.

The purpose of the Living Nativity, Weise said, is "to advance the Gospel (1 Philippians 1-12); branching out to the rootless, sharing with others about Jesus' birth, death, and resurrection so that they may know that Jesus died for their sins and rose again so that we might live eternally."

LIVINGNATIVITY SCENES

-Prophets

-Angel Visits Mary

-Travelers/Shepherds

-Wise Men

-No Room at the Inn

-Manger

-Jesus Teaches Children

-Gethsemane

-Crucifixion

-Empty Tomb

LIVING NATIVITY CAST

Mary and Joseph: Jill and Phil Applebee; Holly and Tom Nord; Jennifer and Mark Patzwitz; Kim and Andrew Rummer; Wendy and Jeff Salefski; and Jennifer and Brad Swartz

Mary in the Angel Visitation Scene: Rachel Barter; Halley Salefski; Caitlin Salefski; Katie Salogga; and Michelle Whitehead

Children Angels in the Manger Scene: Jack Applebee; Mickey Applebee; Joey Calando; and Gillian Stehr

bfallstrom@herald-review.com|421-7981