Dinner theater a hit

Audiences got the chance to take a trip back to Bethlehem during the Christmas dinner theater performance of “In Bethlehem Inn,” which was organized by the Plains United Methodist and ELCA Lutheran churches.

The play, which was held Dec 12 at the United Methodist Church, told the story of an innkeeper and his guests on the night Jesus was born.

According to director and event organizer Mary Lou Hermes, both the afternoon and evening performances were completely sold out.

“There were 50 spots for each performance, and they were full,” Hermes said. “It was a nice full house.”

Food for the event was provided by members of the Lutheran church, and were dishes inspired by Middle-Eastern cuisine, such that might have been served at the time.

“The food was outstandingly good,” Hermes said.

Pastor Thomas Hall saw the collaboration between the churches as a very positive thing.

“The Lutherans and the Methodists getting together to do something that is part of a vision that is larger than themselves is a win,” Hall said. Too many times, we’re in our own little worlds doing our own thing. It’s great to team up.”

Hall was also impressed with how members of the community of all ages came together to work on the production.

“From an intergenerational standpoint, we have young kids acting, who are really great actors, as well as grandmas,” Hall said. “The community has really worked together to produce this piece.”

The performance served to support both churches’ mission trips to Africa. The United Methodist Church, through their previous mission work, has raised money to build a housing structure in South Africa.

“What we do is take seven to eight kids out of literally a corrugated steel shack and we have surrogate parents and we help them all move into this structure,” Hall said.

Hall said that the church also grants microloans to members of the family, which help them start businesses and help them get work.

“What we get is this self-sustaining loop, so they create their own economics,” Hall said. “Too many times, churches just throw money into the situation, but this really doesn’t do that.”

Hall’s intent through this program is to empower people to not be dependent on another country.

In addition to being a great event in preparation for the coming holiday, Hall hopes that the theater production helped to get people thinking about the churches’ mission programs.

“We call these events Change the World events, just as part of our way to raise awareness,” Hall said.

Hermes was very impressed with the work of the actors during both performances.

“They were good in the afternoon; they were fabulous in the evening,” Hermes said. “I couldn’t ask them to do better.”