In the second message of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” series, Pastor Sarah Sealand turns our attention to Bethlehem, an ordinary town caught up in Caesar Augustus’ census and the pressures of empire. By lifting up present day examples of violence and conflict, from losses in the Richmond community to the war in Ukraine and the history around the Berlin Wall and modern Bethlehem, she reminds us that no place and no people are defined only by their tragedies. In the midst of fear and disruption, Christ is born and God’s love persists. Pastor Sarah asks us to consider our own calling: what work are we doing to cultivate peace, and where does peace begin in us?