A display of 10,000 bulbs awaits visitors at Linwood Covenant Church, 6565 Viking Blvd. NE. A free show will run every evening this month. (Photos by Clint Riese)
Linwood church’s display spreads Christmas message
Clint Riese
News Editor
A congregation in Linwood is local proof that holiday joy doesn’t come from a store, but, as Dr. Seuss’ Grinch said, Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.
Those traveling on Viking Boulevard during December evenings will find it hard to miss a massive display of Christmas lights at Linwood Covenant Church. The congregation’s 10,000-bulb spectacle is a first-time production designed to spread the Christmas message of hope and joy, said Dave Ostercamp, the church’s lead pastor.
“It’s a celebration that a light has come into the world and the darkness has not overcome it,” he said.
Signs pointing to Bethlehem and Jericho add to the display, which also features a nativity scene and a custom-made star set above the roof.
The lights blanketing the church are part of an elaborate show. They flicker in harmony with music being broadcast over the parking lot to radios tuned to 88.7 FM. The tempo is often upbeat and the flashing can be intense, but the production has a softer side, as well. A nativity scene is prominent, and the customized sound track includes plenty of serene, traditional hymns.
Ostercamp brought the idea for such a show with him when he came to Linwood Covenant from seminary in 2011.
“I had seen a similar display at a house a couple of years ago and always thought it would be great to have at a church,” he said.
Congregation members Steve Reedy and Erik Stream string lights from a cross atop Linwood Covenant Church. (Photo submitted)
However, he lacked the knowledge for how to set it up until he recently met Garett Hanson at church. Hanson installs a sophisticated display at his East Bethel home. With Hanson on board, Ostercamp brought the idea to the church’s leadership team.
“They really rallied behind it,” Ostercamp said.
On a mid-November afternoon, about 20 Linwood Covenant members spent five or six hours stringing lights. The congregation had raised funds for the LED lights and members donated the significant amount of power cords necessary for the job.
Daryl Kirschenman, Rich Gabrick, Dan Pignato, Pat Daninger, Bob Fedderly and Emily Ostercamp help string lights for the church’s Christmas display. (Photo submitted)
One member even arranged for a fire truck from his employer, Wyoming’s Rosenbauer America, to help volunteers light up the roof, including a star custom-built by Steve Reedy and Chris Kleinhuizen and hoisted 20 feet above the church.
Erik Stream took the lead on the software end, tweaking the pre-programmed timing of the lights to match the church’s setup. The software allows for 32 lighting combinations that can be assigned to every tenth of a second.
“All the people who have given money and time is a long list,” Ostercamp said. “A lot have done something with the project.”
The congregation celebrated the show’s opening Sunday with bonfires, popcorn and cider in the parking lot, where a crowd of 100 gathered for the premiere.
Many more opportunities remain. The 23-minute show will take place on the half hour from 5-10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 5-11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The free show will run through December, and the public is invited. The church’s address is 6565 Viking Blvd. NE.
“Just seeing the vibe on Facebook, people are pretty excited about it,” Ostercamp said.