California UMs stage Las Posadas in gold rush town

United Methodist News Service
It’s 2 p.m. Dec. 2, and Faye Fyock is checking items still to be completed before the evening’s festivities.
“At 3, about 30 people will start making luminaries,” she said. “The lights will go up around 5:30. We’ll gather the angels.”
Faye and her husband, Bob, are members of Sutter Creek UMC, part of historic Sutter Creek, Calif., since miners made it famous during California’s Gold Rush.
Downtown Sutter Creek’s postcard-ready looks haven’t changed much since the 1870s. The white-steepled United Methodist church has been part of the scene since 1862.
The church has played a significant role in the town’s Christmas celebrations in the past. This year is no exception. The annual Christmas tree lighting was on the church’s front lawn. Bob and Faye Fyock, the reigning Santa and Mrs. Claus, helped transform the church fellowship hall into a Santa photo op for kids.
But the Fyocks wanted more. So this year, the church offered something special—the first ever Las Posadas. The event is based on a Latino tradition of re-enacting the journey by Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem.
The Fyocks had seen a Las Posadas in a neighboring community, so they talked to their pastor about it. He responded with enthusiasm.
The event grew to include the Episcopal and Roman Catholic congregations. Even the mayor of Sutter Creek gave his blessing.
“I’m from Los Angeles, and Las Posadas is something I grew up with,” Bill Hepworth said. “This is a way of bringing together the entire ethnic community of Sutter Creek. We’re proud that the churches approached us to be part of this. Together we’re putting Christ back in Christmas.”
The celebration of Las Posadas, which translates to “lodging,” originated in Spain, according to Fiesta Cristiana, written by Bishop Joel N. Martínez.
In Mexico, it consists of a ceremonial procession that traditionally takes place Dec. 16 to 24. Each night for nine days a group walks through the streets, stopping at homes where it has been pre-arranged that they would ask for shelter.
The procession stops along the way to sing songs and read from the gospel story, asking for shelter. At each door the group is turned away and not until the ninth night do Mary and Joseph finally find shelter, arriving at the doors of a church.
The Sutter Creek version of Las Posadas lasted only one night. The procession stopped at three houses.