“You brought a light to our whole family this afternoon with the hand bells! That’s the reason I come here with my children!” The woman was excited as she visited the living Nativity three times after having heard the hand bells on the Christmas Market in Amberg, Germany. Such was the impact of the Valley Grove Hand bell Ensemble led by Margie Bowman, that its influence went from the mayor’s office out to the entire Oberpfalz region of east Bavaria! Through their service, God opened doors of opportunity so wide that even International Mission Board church planters Dr. Steven and Susan Jett were blown away with excitement! “The doors to evangelism in this whole region have been blasted open; we’ve never seen anything like it!” Steven said. “It’s so much, we can’t recount all God has done!” added Susan.
Valley Grover Handbellers Melanie Mitchell, Jimmie Norton, Jenni Fleming, Kathy Singleton, Sue Catlett, Joyce Dowdy, Kim Spangler, Jeff Moore, Don Foltz, Chad Rittenhouse, Paul and Margie Bowman not only played hand bells, but also wore costumes and stood in a living nativity on the Amberger Christmas Market. They, along with a sheep, a two-weeks-old lamb called Sugar, a goat and a very stubborn donkey named Hansi, presented a living picture of the stable in which the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ took place over 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem. Braving temperatures that dipped into the teens, they greeted hundreds of visitors to the Christmas Market. They also presented the mayor of Amberg with a letter from Knoxville mayor Victor Ashe. So popular was the group that the whole town was buzzing about their visitors from Knoxville. One merchant visited by members of the ensemble said, “You are coming back next year aren’t you?” The director of the Market said, “We have never had so many visitors to the Market, and it’s all because of your living nativity and hand bells!” The candy merchant in the hut beside the nativity remarked, “You folks have brought life to this whole Market! Thanks!” With tears in his eyes, an old man quietly spoke to those standing in the nativity, “This is beautiful. I am deeply touched.”
Missionaries Steven and Susan Jett, Sarah Green and German nationals Viktor and Eleonore Albrecht took over 1,000 Polaroid pictures of children visiting the nativity, which they presented them as gifts, plus over 1,500 packets with the Gospel of John and other goodies that Southern Baptists donated for the project – the first ever evangelism project of the church planting team of Amberg. Also, several boxes of “A Richmond Christmas” CDs and tapes were distributed without cost, with Bavarians asking for more.
Regional and local television crews and several newspaper reporters visited the Market and reported in all of east Bavaria about the nativity and the music. One newspaper caption found under a picture of the hand bellers read “A magical spell was cast over the whole Christmas Market by the beautiful music of the hand bells.”
Among accomplishments of the hand bellers’ efforts listed by Dr. Jett: 1) Contacts were established with thousands of lost Bavarians and their city officials; 2) Existing relationships have been deepened; 3) Goodwill has been shared in the city and region; 4) Credibility for church planters has been established; 5) The emphasis of keeping Christ at the center of Christmas activities has been maintained; 6) We have served the city with love; 7) A curiosity has been awakened in many lost Bavarians to know more about us, but more importantly some have expressed a hunger to know more about Christ and the Bible that tells about Him; 8) Counseling has taken place with many disenfranchised and lonely Bavarians. “One man who was about to commit suicide told us of his despair and promised to talk with us further,” Steven said. “We believe it will not be long before several in-home Bible study groups are established which will develop into a local Baptist church.”
One businessman who recently bought an old movie theater even said spontaneously in the presence of two other city leaders, “You know, Steven, it just came through my mind that you could hold one of your Baptist worship services in my theater when I get it renovated!” The other two wholeheartedly agreed! Unusual for the predominantly Catholic town, which has long held Baptists to be a sect!
Church members stated, “God is clearly at work. City leaders have asked that the living nativity and hand bell project be repeated in 2003 with the addition of a Christmas concert presented jointly by the American hand bellers and German nationals from the schools and local clubs in Amberg. The church planters there are praying and planning so that it will take place. Truly the Light has come to Amberg. May He continue to shine brightly to God’s glory and for the salvation of lost Bavarians, especially in Amberg.”

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