MOSES LAKE — Keepsake Christmas at the Assembly at Moses Lake Thursday night was a simple premise, but the message behind it was anything but simple or ordinary.

The event resembled most Christmas events a person might find at a church this time of the year. This event had a different flare to it and aimed to stress the real meaning behind Christmas, as well as bring families together. The church sent 600 invitations home with Garden Heights Elementary students, as well as invitations to people who regularly attend the church, encouraging families of all shapes and sizes to check out the special event.

“As we were working with kids in after school tutoring we realized that in six years now we were yet to find a student that could tell us who Mary, Joseph or baby Jesus was,” Assembly at Moses Lake family life pastor Kathy Jingling explained. “So this is America today and families just don’t have time or haven’t gone to the extent of explaining what the Christmas story is all about.”

Usually families are torn between sporting events, work responsibilities, clubs, friends and a number of different things, but Keepsake Christmas allowed families to sit down as a unit and take in the Christmas story. During the event actors portraying the main players in the Christmas story, like Joseph and Mary, explained the events that happened over 2,000 years ago to the crowd.

After each presentation the families created a little wooden figurine and after all of the stories were presented the figurines came together to create a Nativity set.

“The idea then is that they will hear the real Christmas story and they will be able to make something to take home as a reminder of this for every year from now on. That’s why it’s called ‘Keepsake Christmas’ because it is about keeping the real meaning of Christmas.”

But of course no Christmas event is complete without sugar cookies, hot cocoa and Christmas carols, all of which were among the more popular highlights of the evening for the many families that attended. The excitement didn’t stop there, however, as Lake Bowl in Moses Lake donated a pizza and bowling party prize for one special family at the event.

“The reason is that it’s not about one individual prize, or a kid prize, but the whole idea is family and supporting families. So we are going to provide them with an opportunity sometime throughout the holiday season to make a reservation and use that as a great family event during the holidays.”

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.