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Benicia church hosts COVID-friendly holiday light show
A North Bay church is providing a little bit of light and holiday cheer amid all the darkness the pandemic has brought this winter season.
BENICIA, Calif. - A church in Benicia gifts the community with a light show this holiday season.
Northgate Church's lead pastor Larry Davis describes it as a pivot to safely bring people together during this pandemic.
The show is free and open to the public. It's open nightly and it's held in the church parking lot.
In the shadow of the Valero refinery, Northgate celebrates the holiday season with a light show to the community.
"It's good to have something that seems normal," 13-year-old Ashlynn Ybarra, who attended with her family, said.
The side of a building is the canvas for a 20-minute display designed to bring light in this moment of darkness brought on by the pandemic.
"It makes me feel really happy," 8-year-old Sophia Austria said. "I feel like I'm in the North Pole."
Since December 9, there've been 10 shows a night with 40 vehicles per show. That adds up to 400 shows every evening.
They provide a respite from stay-at-home orders.
"As you can see back here it puts smiles in these little guys' faces. Gets them out of the house to experience Christmas like they've been told they wouldn't. This year, Northgate found a way," said Matt Ybarra, a father of four.
Northgate found a way with the help of volunteers.
"What is a way that we can be COVID-friendly, but give people in the surrounding communities an experience when there's just not a lot going on," said Larry Davis, lead pastor with Northgate Church.
Davis said it took weeks of work to make put on the church's first ever light show, a gathering with social distance.
"We gather thousands of people from all over the bay to make an impact locally in the community that's not just about the lights, just to bring some light into people's lives."
The show is free but donations are accepted. The pastor said the church has partnered with RIP Medical Debt, a nonprofit to pay off medicals bills for Bay Area low income families.
Davis said the church is close to reaching its $1.5 million goal.
"We gather thousands of people from all over the bay to make an impact locally in the community that's not just about the lights, just to bring some light into people's lives," Davis said.
One man said he's celebrating his birthday here and that his joy comes from being with his children and seeing their reaction to the lights.
"I was trying to take pictures, but it's hard. You have to be there in person to see it. Just look out the moon roof and see their expressions is awesome," said Tim Swords, a father of four.
The light show will be available through Christmas night.
The pastor said it's been so successful he plans to do it again next year on a larger scale.
For information on show tickets and donations: www.thisis.church