Here’s some more on our Christmas celebration at the Maryland State Fair.
The Cow Palace, where we’ll be, is huge. So big, in fact, we actually only use half of it. Half is seating, 3800 seats, and the other half is used as a backstage area for ministers and musicians. Besides the regular seating, there will be a special seating section for families with small children, so they can more freely move around. There will be three stage areas, one for the Altar, one for the band, and a third for the choir and orchestra.
This Christmas we are offering a Children’s Liturgy of the Word, for the first time ever, and there is a large space for this gathering as well. We will have a spacious lobby and there is also a large area for the crèche display.
Technology will make the great big space intimate; the sound system is awesome and everyone will have a great view thanks to a multiplication of video screens.
Outside, there are acres of parking and our parking ministers will be on hand to preserve good order and keep everyone in the Christmas spirit despite the traffic. Insider tip: park on the “Park & Ride” lot on Greenspring Drive, which is actually directly behind the Cow Palace…it is a shorter walk to the front door and you’ll likely encounter less traffic…plus you will avoid York Road altogether, which is especially helpful if you’re coming from I-83.
We love the fact that we move off our campus on Christmas Eve and not only reach out, but get out into our community. From the first year we went to the fairgrounds, in 2006, we made the decision that Christmas Eve would no longer be all about us and instead would be all people we don’t even know, people who are not in the pews the rest of the year, people otherwise lost to us the rest of the year.
If you know someone like that, invite them to join us this Christmas Eve.
