The gospel of Matthew 5:14-16 reads, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
And so, the youth groups of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Daleville, along with Boy Scout Troop 211, are constructing a lighted city on the hill this holiday season, one filled with thousands of lights to bring joy during a time of uncertainty.
The church’s youth groups, led by Kelly Berry Gilly, wanted to bring joy to people during trying times. After thinking about a project for a few months, the group decided on a festival of lights drive through during the evening hours of Dec. 18,19, 20.
“People are burned out, filled with anxiety … this is to bring joy to people, let them know there is light ahead,” explained Barbara Wiley, a volunteer on the project.
Without a budget or a light bulb to the youth groups’ name, a call to the church’s congregation went out. As of last week, said Wiley, the groups have more Christmas light bulbs than they can count. “There is just no way to count all the lights that are here,” she said, adding there are bins of 3-D lights, tubs of net lights and even more string lights.
Wiley said the event should be an extravaganza. If all goes as planned, there are four project areas, a Nativity scene with six sets of participants, and free-standing displays.
For two days last week, church members hammered, nailed, unstrung unknown yards of lights, including about 50 members of St. Mark’s youth groups – divided into three sets, kindergarten to second grade, third to fifth and sixth to 12th grades.
Wiley said given the impact of COVID-19, viewers are not allowed out of their cars. The hours are 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. each night.
“Everyone is invited,” she said. “This is a reminder of the reason for the season, the blessing of our Savior’s birth.”
