For Ceres’ Grace Community Christian Church, the annual “Bethlehem Journey” program during Christmas may not be a miracle, but it will definitely help a lot.
The church reported that the 21-year-old free-spirited trailer of more than 200 garments was stolen from its 3754 E. Service Road location.
According to the press release, if the clothing cannot be changed, production will not continue. It is seeking donation materials, money and manpower to keep the show going.
Tamara Hult, head of the “Bethlehem Journey”, said the stolen clothing has great emotional value and costs are not small, she said. Some dates can be traced back to the original production. After all, they only wore six nights a season – if the bad weather doesn’t allow the “Journey” walking tour to be staged, it’s even less.
Hott said: “We have started this project, they have passed away, still wearing their clothes.” “No one wears them, but we still feel that they are part of us.
“Some people are too old to attend, but they will see other people in their costumes, which means a lot. Let them be happy to see others wearing it now.”
Hott said that a set of 10 dancer costumes is one of the stolen property. The way the skirts look and spin makes them cost between $75 and $100.
The trailer was stolen from August 20th to 24th. The window of time is so large because office workers do not see the vehicle entering the area where the theft occurred. “This can happen during the day,” she said. “Our door is always open to the community.”
The trailer is the 1995 Wells Cargo twin-axle model ZL. The license is 1VK4695. “But the CHP officials say it is unlikely to find it,” Hott said. Once the thief knew what the goods were, they probably just licked it.
This allowed the Grace Community Church to be attacked for time and money. Hott said it needs more than 120 pieces of clothing made before October. After that, every year we work hard to clean and repair the suit and do all the other work to present the “journey”. She said that clothing creation still exists.
Hott said, “We have been shocked by the emergence of community support.” She said that in her own congregation, the church has no sewing power to complete the work. “There are several churches saying, ‘Give us a date, we will bring people.’”
Hott expressed his gratitude to the cash donation because some companies have already offered material discounts. But she said that fabric gifts are also very popular. Even if the fabric is not suitable for “Journey,” it will be used to make a knee blanket and then sold as a fundraiser for seasonal shows.
As for other help, “If people want to be part of the program, we are always looking for volunteers to speak and not speak,” Hott said. She said that as the number of attendances continues to increase, the church also urgently needs people to monitor parking, provide security and other jobs.
Last year, there was good weather every night, the largest of the “Bethlehem trips”. The number of churches is limited to adults entering the gate. Hott said that the 50-person team has a fast journey, 90% of which are children. Last year, not counting all of these children, 12,000 to 15,000 people took part in the trip.
“The heart we touch, when I walked into the manger, was very warm to me personally, and I can hear people being touched by this experience.”
This year’s date is November 29th to 30th, December 1st and December 6th to 8th.
For donation time or clothing materials, please contact the church office at 209-531-1902. To make a donation, please mail the check directly to Grace Community Christian Church, P.O. Box 2707, Ceres, CA. 95307 or visit the church’s online donation website at https://giving.ncsservices.org/dl/?uid=ncs-2166.
Anyone with theft information should contact the Modesto Regional Office of the California Highway Patrol at 209-545-7440.
