journey to bethlehem crossline church

Crossline Community Church brings Christmas to…

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Crossline Community Church brings Christmas to life in O.C.

Journey to bethlehem show visitors what life was like when jesus was born.

(Photo by Ariel Amaro) Visitors enjoy the walk-through Christmas experience of Journey to Bethlehem under the night sky at Crossline Community Church

Journey to Bethlehem started in 2012 in Ladera Ranch with three experiences, the nativity, hospitality and a craft village.

“In 2014 we decided to move to our large field on our own church campus to house the event. Every year we have added new experiences, so the whole 200-yard field is being used,” said Munck.

The production, which takes over a month to build, features 16 different buildings and experiences, camel rides, a petting zoo with sheep and donkeys for the kids, a live nativity scene and an army of 12 Roman guards that make their presence known. Munck, who is also a former Marine, is one of the Roman guards.

“Being the commander of the guards, as a USMC combat veteran, I tap into those experiences,” said Munck. “The looks on faces from children to adults are the same. They are amazed how immersive the experience is.”

Upon arrival, visitors are given a bag of Roman coins which they can use to make small purchases and a map to the city. Guards with torches then escort you to the city’s gate. Music suddenly fills the air and at the top of the hill angels spread their wings and illuminate the night sky.

Journey to Bethlehem receives roughly 12,000 visitors over three nights.

You can see Journey to Bethlehem at Crossline Community Church, 23331 Moulton Pkwy., Laguna Hills, Saturday, Dec. 9 and Sunday, Dec. 10, from 5 to 8 p.m. Admission is $5 per person (children 3 and under are free or to anyone in need) at crosslinechurch.com/christmas.

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We are excited to celebrate the Christmas season with you this year with our 22nd Journey to Bethlehem pageant.

This year’s journey will take place on saturday, december 9, 2023, and sunday, december 10, 2023., we look forward to seeing you this christmas season.

Saturday, December 9, 2023 at 6:00pm-9:00pm Sunday, December 10, 2023 at 5:00pm-8:00pm

What is the Journey to Bethlehem experience like?

You will register/check in for your journey in the church lobby and be assigned to a tour group. When your tour group is called, you’ll continue outdoors where you will meet your guide for the Journey. You will visit the Magi as they follow the Star. You will go into the court of King Herod and bear witness to his evil surmising about the “new” King. Along the way, you’ll be able to visit several merchant tents and maybe even find a few surprises on the road to Bethlehem. You’ll see the faithful shepherds abiding in their fields by night and hear the angel choir as they announce with song the birth of their King. Then, you’ll visit the inn that had no room for Joseph and Mary. You’ll then continue to the stable and see the “babe wrapped in swaddling clothes.” And before your journey ends, you’ll also learn about Jesus’ life and ministry while He lived among us and where He is ministering for us today.

Preparing for your Journey

We can’t predict what the weather will be like for our weekend. We normally will hold the Journey unless it is raining, snowing heavily, or it is icy. If it’s cold, windy, or snowing lightly, we’ll still have the Journey. Be sure you dress appropriately for the weather on the evening you come. There is no heat at any of the stations along the journey, and only a few are covered. Wear warm shoes or boots that are comfortable for standing and walking over uneven ground.

If you have booked tickets, we will email you if there is a weather cancellation. You can also check our website each evening for any updates.

Reservations

• Advance tickets are encouraged, but not required (registration will open in November).
• We have reserved some walk-in spots for each tour, but there may be a wait before there is room for you in a tour group.
• There is a limit of approximately 23 people in a group.

If you have made reservations, we ask that you arrive at least 15 minutes before your tour time to allow you time to park and get registered. The tours take about an hour or so from start to finish, and there are light refreshments served after the tour in the church.

For Spanish tours, please do not book a ticket, but instead email us directly and we will let you know what tour times are available with a Spanish-speaking guide.

Para recorridos en español, no reserve un boleto, envíenos un correo electrónico directamente y le informaremos qué horarios de recorrido están disponibles con un guía de habla hispana.

For further information or if you have any other questions, feel free to email us and we’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.

  Reservations

• Saturday, December 9, 2023 – From 6-9 pm
• Sunday, December 10, 2023 – From 5-8 pm

LOCATION: Cicero Seventh-day Adventist Church

Event Information

Location: Cicero Seventh Day Adventist Church 24445 SR 19 Cicero, IN 46034

Dates: Saturday, December 9, 2023, 6-9pm Sunday, December 10, 2023, 5-8pm

Register Today!

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Love People.

Have a blast., you are welcome here.

Join us every Sunday at 9 and 11 AM for indoor, outdoor, and online gatherings. In the heart of Orange County, we are dedicated to connecting with God and each other.

Whether you’re looking to find a nurturing place for worship, engage your children in our vibrant youth programs, or volunteer and grow spiritually, you’re welcome here.

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CROSSLINE IS A SAFE PLACE TO HEAR A LIFE-CHANGING MESSAGE.

Our ministries, upcoming events.

Click below for a complete list of Crossline Events.

Men’s Get Healthy Launch Tuesday, April 16

Women’s Get Healthy Launch Tuesday, April 16

High School Friday Fun: Beach Bonfire Friday, April 19

Funny How Marriage Works with Comedian Michael Jr. Saturday, April 27

Crossline Preschool Gala Friday, May 10

2024 TVBS Monday, June 24 - Thursday, June 27

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Exploring Catholic Moscow: History, beauty and where to worship

Catholicism has become such an integral part of Moscow and the lives of its inhabitants, that even many non-Catholics have added Catholic Christmas on December 25 to their list of winter holidays. These days the winter holiday hustle and bustle in Moscow begins in the middle of December and continues until mid-January when Russians celebrate one of their most mysterious holidays – Old New Year.

Many of Moscow’s Catholic sights emerged in the 18th century. These include Gothic Roman Catholic cathedrals, old mansions and Orthodox church dedicated to Pope St. Clement I .  

1. Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Holy Virgin Mary (27/13 Malaya Gruzinskaya ul.)

This is the  largest Catholic cathedral in Russia . It was founded at the beginning of the 20th century on Malaya Gruzinskaya ul. where a large Polish diaspora community lived. During the Soviet period this cathedral shared the fate of many houses of worship: at first it was closed down, and later reformatted into a Soviet secular institution. Only in 1999 did this Roman Catholic church reopen to its congregation in its original Neo-Gothic form.

Today concerts of spiritual music are regularly held, there is an acting congregational choir and Christmas is celebrated according to Catholic rules: They put up the nativity scene, decorate fir trees, build booths for a charitable fair and organize concerts of organ music. On Christmas Eve a solemn mass and a parish dinner are held.

2. Vatican Embassy in the Russian Federation (7/37 Vadkovsky pereulok)

The Vatican Embassy in Moscow is notable first and foremost for its building, a gorgeous Art Nouveau mansion. It opens up to the public twice a year, both during the Days of the Historical and Cultural Heritage of Moscow in April and May (guided tours are provided). Despite the numerous contacts between the Vatican and the Russian Empire, official diplomatic relations between the two states were only established in 1990 and at the time only at the level of permanent diplomatic missions. In 2009, after the visit of then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, the mission’s status was upgraded to full relations with an embassy.

3. St. Clement’s Church (26/1 Pyatnitskaya ul.)

Snuggled in between Malaya Ordynka and Pyatnitskaya streets, St. Clement’s Church is dedicated to this Roman Pope, a saint revered equally by the Orthodox and Catholic churches.

The blue and golden domes of this church overlook a recently renovated area of Zamoskvorechye, an old Moscow district that has retained much of its charm. You should definitely have a walk along the European-style promenade with its cycling trail, access to pedestrian streets and many trendy cafes.

4. Vvedenskoye cemetery (1 Nalichnaya ulitsa)

The Vvedenskoye cemetery (also referred to as the German cemetery) in southeast Moscow is full of mausoleums and monuments created by famous architects. Up until the Soviet period the cemetery was the final resting place for members of the capital’s Catholic and Protestant population, as well as foreign soldiers that died during various conflicts. Since its opening in 1771 this cemetery has become a site of cultural heritage and today guided tours are offered in English, German and French.

Great scientists, actors, writers and artists have been buried here, along with Peter the Great’s associates Franz Lefort and Patrick Gordon , French soldiers that died in Moscow during Napoleon's invasion and pilots from the Normandie-Niemen Regiment (in the 1950s their remains were transferred to France, but the memorial is still preserved).

5. Duchess Zinaida Volkonskaya’s mansion (14 Tverskaya ul.)

It's a paradox, but the luxurious Yeliseyevsky store on Tverskaya ul. is also connected with the history of Catholicism in Moscow. The market where you can buy replica Fabergé eggs filled with vodka and the most expensive baguette in the city used to be the center of Moscow's cultural life – the secular salon of Duchess Zinaida Volkonskaya , a representative of high nobility and a patron of arts. Volkonskaya, who lived here in the 1820s, was known for her conversion from Orthodox Christianity to Catholicism, a very brave move at a time when changing religious confessions was considered a crime punishable by the confiscation of property.

6. The Church of St. Louis of France (12A Malaya Lubyanka ul.)

The Church of St. Louis of France is hidden in the backyard of a district that was once famous for housing the KGB headquarters. During the Soviet period it was the only place in Moscow where Catholic services were regularly held. The U.S. Consulate chaplain Leopold Braun, who conducted mass here while living in Moscow from 1936-1945, was something akin to a head of the Catholic Church in the Soviet Union for a time.

Today the cathedral is thriving: Catholic masses are held in seven languages ranging from Italian to Vietnamese and every year on March 26 during the Days of the Historical and Cultural heritage of Moscow guided tours are organized. These tours come highly recommended, as many interesting events have occurred here since its founding by order of Catherine the Great in 1789.

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