Insights & Information

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Each year, Jeff Oberlin and his wife Ewnet enjoy treats that continue holiday traditions from their respective U.S. and Ethiopian families.

This year, the time in the kitchen was different. Daughters, Karlie, 9, and Katelyn, 11, learned a new cookie recipe and experienced the Christmas story and its message anew with Ewnet’s guidance through “Dough Holy Night.”

Produced by the Go! Curriculum, “Dough Holy Night” was a video-directed, hands-on activity that explained each element of the birth of Jesus Christ as children followed the recipe provided by “The Cookie Crew” and made cookies.

Just like Triad Baptist’s “Faith Lab @ Home” Vacation Bible School, Children’s Ministry Assistant Jeff Chandler said the church offered “Dough Holy Night” to families as a safe, socially distanced alternative to the annual in-person children’s Christmas program amid COVID-19.

“We’re hoping it was a fun activity and sweet family celebration together to celebrate Jesus’ birth,” Chandler said. “The idea of ‘Dough Holy Night’ is that the ingredients to cookies alone aren’t very good. But when mixed together and baked, they make a really great treat.

“In parallel, the people in the nativity scene alone are average folks (aside from Jesus), but God brought each of those ‘ingredients’ together in the birth of His son Jesus Christ to create an amazing story — sending His own son to earth to save everyone from sin.”

The Oberlins decided to participate as soon as they saw the church’s first promotional video message about “Dough Holy Night” Dec. 10. They joined Triad earlier this year after attending since 2016.

That afternoon, Karlie and Katelyn enjoyed learning the new sugar cookie recipe along with their family’s annual chocolate chip and gingerbread Christmas cookies and Middle Eastern and Ethiopian sweets.

“We learned that the Christmas story is not just about the angels or the shepherds,” the sisters said. “Most of all, it’s about Jesus.”

Karlie and Katelyn went the extra mile with the experience — sharing the love of Christ by giving the cookies away to neighbors and to co-workers at Ewnet’s employer.

Check out the photo collage below or the Kids Street Facebook page to see other children and families participating in “Dough Holy Night” too.

“The recipe showed the girls how to carefully measure the ingredients to make a dough that came together perfectly,” Ewnet said. “We enjoy being a part of Triad. The people are so nice and the activities they have are great because they get the kids involved in the community.”

Jeff said his family treasures Christmas, its message and traditions even more because they can now enjoy it freely.

“Christmas was never an official holiday in any of the countries we lived including Bahrain, Kuwait, Syria, and Yemen,” he said.

A Sweet Celebration of Jesus’ Birth

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