Lampeter-Strasburg townlively.com
DECEMBER 6, 2023
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LX • NO 31
A county-wide call to help neighbors in need BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
Wesley UMC’s choir will sing a series of traditional Christmas songs. Once the music has concluded, the story of the Nativity will be portrayed by a cast of congregation members. The actors will play the parts of angels, shepherds, village children, King Herod and the Holy Family, and the performance will begin with a depiction of the Annunciation. Although none of the actors have any dialogue, each scene from the story will be told by
As winter rolls around each year, food banks and community outreach programs across the country are often met with a stark increase in the demand for their services. While the holiday season is a time of celebration for many, the cold weather and additional ex penses that accompany this time of year can prove challenging for others. To combat this seasonal challenge, Water Street Mission launched its annual food drive on Nov. 1, and the organization is once again calling on Lancaster County residents to band together in support of their neighbors. “We already started to see an increase in demand for our programs in September, and we’re expecting another influx as the months get colder,” said Matt Clement, director of marketing for Water Street Mission. “We didn’t quite meet our goal last year, but we’re thankful that we got close. It really helped us make it through the winter.” The goal of this year’s drive is 110,000 pounds of food. Until Friday, Dec. 22, donations of nonperishable food items may be dropped off directly at Water Street Mission’s facility, which is located at 210 S. Prince St., Lancaster. Donors can bring items to the building’s loading dock during its regular hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. Donations may also be taken to any of the 30 drop-off locations that have been established through partnerships with businesses and organizations across the county. To view the list of requested items and drop-off
See Christmas pageant pg 2
See Food drive pg 4
Christmas pageant will return to Strasburg BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
ithin each community is an abundance of unique traditions that its residents carry on to celebrate the holiday season. Certain towns have a history of annual celebrations that span decades, such as Strasburg’s annual Christmas pageant. After a hiatus that lasted several years, the pageant returned in 2022 to Wesley United Methodist Church (UMC),
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40 W. Main St., Strasburg. “People were so excited. Our church was filled for all three performances,” said Pat Lewis of Wesley UMC. “All of the feedback I heard was that everyone was absolutely thrilled.” The pageant will return this year through a partnership between various members of the community, inside and outside of Wesley UMC’s congregation. The church will still host the event, which will take place on Friday, Dec. 8, and Saturday,
Dec. 9, at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, Dec. 10, at 4:30 p.m. Seating will be
“For many area residents, the production is a tradition that heralds the Christmas season.” offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Prior to the start of each pageant,
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The tradition of holding an annual Christmas pageant was revived in 2022, due to young members from around the community volunteering to play the necessary parts.