The village of Bethlehem came to life Saturday inside the walls of New Bedford Presbyterian Church for "Breakfast in Bethlehem," a program intended to show young church-goers the true meaning of Christmas.

After stepping through the door, visitors were whisked off into Biblical times as they toured Joseph's carpenter shop, Mary's kitchen and Jesus's stable birthplace.

An open-air market, a synagogue schoolroom and basket, pottery, leather, net repair and bakery shops added to the effect, along with a live lamb, donkey and cow.

"Some of the kids, that's the first thing they ask about," said Diane Bell, an elder with the church. "They say, where are the animals?"

This is the third year the church has held "Breakfast in Bethlehem." It all started with an idea from church member Marty Marshall.

"My daughter and I were invited to one in Erie," she said. "We thought it was so neat we decided we needed one in the area."

"She had a revelation in the middle of the night," said Lillian Fulkman, Christian Education Director at the church, who helped bring Ms. Marshall's idea to life. "She woke up remembering something she'd been to in another city. I said, 'Oh, we should do this.' It was meant to be."

Last Sunday, after church services, volunteers began the process of turning the church into the legendary village. Cardboard and paper painted to resemble stone went up over the walls. Paper over the doors made them appear wooden.

Each booth in the village was crafted with painstaking detail, right down to the wood shavings in Joseph's carpenter shop.

"Each year it gets a little bigger," Ms. Marshall said. "We try to add something new each year."

The newest additions this year were the potter and the fur and leather shops.

Church members staffed the booths, and a majority of them were from the church youth groups.

"The youth are very important," Ms. Marshall said. "They painted the scenery, they painted the booths ..."

Ms. Bell's daughter, Natalie, painted all the stone walls, Ms. Marshall said.

"I think this is a great program," said 17-year-old Justin Bell, a first-time "Breakfast in Bethlehem" volunteer. "I hope it goes on for many years."

Pastor Doug Runyan said he was pleased with the attendance. By 10 a.m., the miniature Bethlehem had nearly 160 visitors.

"It's going very, very well," he said. "We have a wonderful crowd."

The event also included two craft rooms, a movie room and a puppet show by Heaven's Hands, a puppet troupe made up of youth group members from the church. Breakfast was served in the fellowship hall.

Besides having fun, the event's creators want "Breakfast in Bethlehem" to help kids see the deeper meaning behind the holiday season.

"What we hope comes out of this is the children see the real meaning of Christmas is not just gifts and Santa Claus," Ms. Fulkman said.