Bethlehem Baptist Church offers immersive Easter experience

People enjoying a display at the Bethlehem Baptist Church Easter Journey walk-through in 2023. Photo / Charl Louw

• Bethlehem Baptist Church’s Easter walk-through opens April 17, featuring multi-sensory displays of Christ’s life.
• Volunteer Dorrie Jones says the event aims to help people connect with the Christian story.
• The presentation includes creation, Old and New Testament events, and a café with free tea and coffee.

A visually stunning, reflective walk-through of the Easter story at Bethlehem Baptist Church is being opened to the public again this year.

The doors at Bethlehem Baptist Church open at 3pm Thursday, with a new and fresh presentation of the Easter story overtaking and engulfing the building with its multiple displays and multi-sensory experiences depicting Christ’s early life, ministry, death, and resurrection.

Bringing the event back to life, volunteer Dorrie Jones said the aim is to give people a chance to connect or reconnect with the Christian story.

“We know there are a lot of faiths out there – but, for us, this is the chance to show what we believe in, given to the public in an interesting way which may prompt you to think ‘where are you at?’ And ‘what do you want out of life?’

“It’s an experience for people to understand Easter from a Christian viewpoint.”

The church debuted the walk-through presentation in 2003 and held it annually until 2015, with a gap before it was held again in 2023.

This year the presentation is open from 3pm-9pm on Thursday, 9am-6pm Friday and Saturday, and 9am-2.30pm on Sunday.

Jones said the walk-through is a series of displays, with each telling part of the Easter story or featuring poignant periods of time in Christianity.

“Each display has a different time zone – first you walk through the initial creation, then through some of the Old Testament events, then into the New Testament when Jesus was born, some of the miracles he performed, his work, etc. The total area of the display covers more than 800sq m.

“There is an actual crucifixion scene, where we have real-life Jesus on the Cross – but there is a bypass for people who don’t want to see it.”

There are contemplation and reflection areas dotted among the displays, and at the end is a café with free tea and coffee, Jones said. “Also, we will run our barista cafe with food and coffee for sale.”

Jones said planning began back in November, with 25 volunteer set directors responsible for individual scenes, providing a variety of talents and creative input.

“And during the last two months, more than 300 additional volunteers have helped making props, and setting up the display this week. It’s a wonderful opportunity to let people show their creative talents, some of the installations will be absolutely breathtaking,” Jones said.