by James Coulter
As the iconic Grinch story goes: perhaps Christmas doesn’t come from a store; perhaps Christmas means a little bit more.
Christmas is more than ribbons, more than tags, much more than packages, boxes, or bags. And Christmas is much more than simply presents.
Actually, in fact, Christmas is about gifts–because it all started with a gift of love. And that reason is why Believer’s Fellowship Church of Lakeland hosts its annual Christmas festival.
This weekend, the Lakeland church will be providing holiday arts and crafts, hot cocoa, smores, hay rides, and free food during its annual holiday event. And highlighting the evening will be the main event: a live nativity depicting the birth of Jesus Christ.
Believer’s Fellowship Church of Lakeland was founded in 1978 by Pastors Wayne and Matti Friedt. Their son, Jon, assumed the role of pastor in 2018, when he started their annual Christmas Festival and Live Nativity.
“That’s what I want people to get while they are here,” he said. “I want them to get that gift. I want them to realize that God loves them so much that he sent Jesus. And it’s not just a baby born in a manager. Every person is born with a purpose, including Jesus.”
The Christmas Festival and Live Nativity will be hosted this Fri. Dec 13 and Sat. Dec. 14 from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM. The church is located at 5240 N Socrum Loop Rd in Lakeland, FL. For more information, visit their website at: believersfellowship.com
Pastor Jon Friedt recently appeared on the Chattin on the Ridge podcast to discuss his church’s upcoming holiday event. Listen to the full episode on Acast: https://shows.acast.com/chattin-on-the-ridge/episodes/ep-50-make-it-magical-at-the-nativity-wronni-wood-pastor-jon
