Drive-thru Advent event in Randolph

RANDOLPH  Through twinkling lights under the stars, Resurrection Parish here will host Drive-Thru Advent in Lights on the First Sunday of Advent Nov. 29, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the parish’s parking lot.

This special light show will be held for families to enjoy the start of the Advent season during a time of social distancing during the pandemic. It will feature teen-agers from the parish presenting a life-size Advent calendar, a living Nativity and an Advent wreath. Giveaways will be offered for children who visit.

Lorrain Scandariato, coordinator of religious education, and Shannon Civetta, assistant of the children’s ministry, came up with the idea of the drive-thru light event. Scandariato said, “We are doing this to evangelize the Good News of Jesus to our parishioners and surrounding faith communities.”

Through different “stations” on the campus of Resurrection parish, a group of adults will create different themes to highlight Advent and the true meaning of Christmas — the birth of the newborn King, Jesus Christ. Thousands of lights will shine during the event. A team is gathering spotlights, mini-lights and other lighting needed to brighten the night at each station so spectators can view it from the safety of their cars. The committee also hopes to include live sheep and a pony (as a stand-in for a donkey). The environmental committee of the parish has also been involved in coordinating and setting up the event.

“We are taking people through the high points of the Advent season and we are including a blazing Advent wreath and an enactment of the First Sunday of Advent to ‘watch and be alert,’” Scandariato said.

Another enactment will be themed “to be prepared” and feature St. John the Baptist in the desert, the reading for the Second Sunday of Advent. Another station will have a life-size Advent calendar with the message on preparing for the coming of Jesus by doing good deeds.

“Our last stop is with Mary and Joseph as they travel to Bethlehem. It will feature the road they traveled on their journey with a backdrop of the city of Bethlehem and the crèche as their final destination,” Scandariato said.

Teens, who are Confirmation candidates, will be heading the stations and acting out important scenes from Bible readings for Advent and Christmas. Mary and Joseph, St. John the Baptist, shepherds and the Three Wise Men are some of the characters that will be portrayed.

The Drive-Thru Advent in Lights event will only be on display for this one day.

“We hope this is a way to help our parish families have a sense of belonging since due to the pandemic, many are not physically present at Mass but have opted to participate online,” Scandariato told The Beacon. “The drive-thru is a safe and fun way to do this. It is designed for all ages.”