The story is the same as it was 2,000 years ago, but Capital City Christian Church is preparing to tell it again this Christmas season.
In its 27th year, the Jefferson City church's Journey to Bethlehem program will take thousands of travelers back in time to the birth of Jesus Christ this Friday and Saturday.
"We tell the Christmas story; that has stayed the same," said Jerry Lane, who with his wife, Rosie Lane, has been involved in the annual program's planning and execution since its conception.
"That's not going to change," Rosie added.
Journey to Bethlehem guides visitors along a quarter-mile path on the west side of the church's property, through Nazareth and to the village of Bethlehem. All who walk the path do so as part of a Jewish family who has just learned of the census requiring them to travel to pay taxes. One biblical family, of course - that of Mary and Joseph - made the journey under special circumstances.
"You've got the having to go pay taxes, Mary being pregnant and having to make that trip, encountering the angels, encountering the shepherds, encountering the wise men, and then the finale, of course - actually being there for the birth of Christ and seeing the newborn child," Jerry said. "It gives me goosebumps to think about. It's a great experience."
To the church faithful who continue facilitating the annual journey, it's a timeless story whose message rings true today.
"As I think about that journey and what they were doing - they were paying taxes - we're doing it today," Rosie said. "We're still paying taxes, and people are still concerned about being taxed too much and getting too little. There's a lot of unrest in the country today, just as there was back then.
"Basically, we still have the same human problems that they did, but the big difference is that we now have Jesus in the world with us, and so we have the hope of salvation - which they didn't have at that time. They just had the promise, but they didn't have the fulfilled hope that we have."
And just as the original storied journey was arduous, the path to Bethlehem in Jefferson City is longer and harder than it might look - and the work begins long before December.
Church volunteers have spent the past three Saturdays setting up for Journey to Bethlehem - clearing brush from the trail and cutting wood for the many fires along the path.
Today, longtime volunteer Mike Little will begin his work decorating the church's gymnasium, where people gather for hot chocolate and cookies after completing their journey.
"Monday night, I'll start putting up lights. Tuesday and Wednesday, we'll put up Christmas trees; I think we have 25-30 trees in there," Little said.
The church's auditorium keeps people out of the cold before their journey begins. With about a few thousand guests expected over two nights, the wait can sometimes take hours; and the church has added entertainment including musical performances, puppeteers and more to keep people's spirits bright.
"There's been years that, Friday and Saturday night, we got home at 3 in the morning because the last group went down the trail at 1:15," Little said.
"If you're in line, we will stay," Matt Kremer, one of the program's directors, assured. "Even though we talk about the numbers - 2,500-3,500 is what we expect - we don't do it for that. We do it for one - one person. If all we can do is change one person's life, we do it all for that one person."
In all, the program culminates the efforts of some 200 volunteers.
Some are busy today baking cookies - 630 dozen of them.
"That's 7,560 cookies," Jerry emphasized.
"We probably go through 50 gallons of hot chocolate," Little added.
"And probably that in cider," Kremer tacked on.
It's not just the food orders that have grown over the years. The church tries to add at least one new element to the experience annually.
"When we first started, some of the stations were no more than an old swing set frame with black tarp hung behind it to block some wind," Kremer said. "Now, we've got most of the stations where they've got some shelter that they can get into, and that shelter looks rugged and rough, so it kind of fits the theme. The new one we did this year is a fisherman station (while) you're walking by the Sea of Galilee."
Also new this year is Journey to Bethlehem's very own camel. The church has always rented a camel, but this past year they bought one.
His name is Leroy, and he lives at Where Pigs Fly Farm in Linn, his other part-owner. Those who attended Living Windows in downtown Jefferson City on Friday might have already met him in front of Cole County Abstract on High Street.
"The camel took about 80 percent of our budget to rent - because you had to rent the camel, then you had to pay the camel handler, you had to pay his hotel bill while he was here, and you had to pay their fuel to get here," Little explained.
At just over a year old, they hope to have Leroy around as one of the 40-50 animals in the Journey to Bethlehem for years to come.
Many of those elements simply serve to set the scene. But there's no mistaking what's most central to the story's plot.
"There's just something about that closing scene in the manger that just drives it home about 'this is why Jesus came,'" Jerry said.
He's especially partial to a closing line recited by a shepherd: "Jesus has come to be your shepherd and mine. Oh, how frail and helpless we would be without a shepherd."
Journey to Bethlehem is free and open to the public from 6-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Those who wish to attend should park at Goldschmidt Cancer Center, 1432 Southwest Blvd., and a shuttle will take them to Capital City Christian Church on Swifts Highway starting at 5:30 p.m.
The path is not handicapped-accessible; and the event is primarily outdoors, so people should dress appropriately for the weather.