Oak Ridge Church Makes Room for Everyone at Santa’s Wonderland
By Sharon Mager
SALISBURY, Md. — For thousands of families on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Oak Ridge Church’s (ORC) Santa’s Wonderland in mid-December has become a much-anticipated annual tradition.
The free Christmas extravaganza offers something for everyone — including Christmas characters, free cookies and hot chocolate, classic Christmas movies, story time with Mrs. Claus, family carriage rides, Christmas crafts, photo stations, visits with Santa, and even a live Nutcracker performance by the Eastern Shore Ballet Theatre.
Heather Smith (left) said her whole family participates in Santa’s Wonderland each year — her husband, Chris (Santa), serves as one of the Santas, and their children (daughter Sophia in the middle) have been involved in performances and volunteering.
Though the church strives to welcome families with special needs at all of their services and events, this past Christmas, they offered a sensory-friendly night designed for families who often find large holiday events overwhelming.
Crowds were limited. Sound levels were reduced. Lighting was softened, and volunteers were trained to let guests lead interactions at their own pace. Heather Smith, Oak Ridge Church’s PEACE* director, said, “We had 150 (free) tickets per hour, and all of them were taken. And honestly, we could have done more — but we wanted to protect the integrity of the experience.”
Even the Nutcracker performance, a favorite activity, was modified to be sensory-friendly. Smith said many families don’t attend public shows because they’re concerned about how their children will respond to the noise or lights, and they worry they might have to leave, which could disturb others. Smith said, “This allowed them to see a show and be themselves.”
Families enjoyed taking photos in front of a variety of Christmas backdrops. One mother, who visited with her five-year-old son, told volunteers it was the first time she had been able to take a family Christmas photo. She had always worried about taking her son to get pictures in crowded, noisy environments, unsure how he would respond. At Santa’s Wonderland, the mom said she felt safe and welcome, with no judgment.
Smith paused. “That really stood out to me because she said her mama’s heart needed this more than we could know. And that brought tears to my eyes as a mom. When you can give something like that and capture that memory, it fills your heart with so much joy — mom to mom.”
Another highlight was the cozy story time with Mrs. Claus (aka Cheryl Bush, ORC’s children’s ministry director). “Families especially enjoyed sitting with Mrs. Claus and having her read a book to the children.”
Smith said parents were overwhelmingly appreciative, expressed gratitude for the church’s recognition of their needs, and for the care and compassion shown to them.
Familes enjoyed fewer crowds, and less noise and lights during sensory night. (Photo courtesy of ORC)
She emphasized that the church wants all visitors and members to feel loved — to experience God’s love through the church’s love.
All attendees receive invitations to the ORC’s annual candlelight Christmas services.
Each year, visitors attend, some make life-changing decisions, and many stay connected.
In fact, that was the case for Smith and her family. The event changed their lives.
“Twelve years ago, my family came to Santa’s Wonderland for the first time,” she said. “We were a blended family of just brokenness. And we came to Santa’s Wonderland, fell in love with the church, and changed our whole life. In 2014, my husband, Chris, and I, along with our two youngest children, were baptized on Easter.”
“I decided to go back to school when I realized how much God loved me, forgave me, and that my life had purpose. I became a first-year teacher at 40. Five years later, I became an administrator in the school system. My whole life has changed because of this outreach event, where I learned about the love of Jesus.
“And so I stand on the idea of showing love and welcoming you in a way that meets you where you are through our Christmas event. Then we invite you back to the candlelight service, where we hope you will hear the whole story of how much God loves you.”
“That’s really the whole mission behind this event. That’s why I got behind it as strongly as I did.”
ORC Executive Pastor Tim Hastings said just like Heather and Chris, people visit Santa’s Wonderland each year, then attend the candlelight Christmas service, and make decisions to follow Jesus. Hastings said 40% of attendees at Santa’s Wonderland were first-time registrants, and since the outreach, the church has seen over 100 first-time guests. “During candlelight services, we saw 124 people accept Jesus, and 11 people got baptized. This is why we do this bridge outreach for our community,” he said.
Smith said, “I believe in the power of invite. I believe in redemption. And I believe Jesus changes lives — sometimes starting with something as simple as a Christmas invitation. This is what our church does. We love our community.”
Heather and Hastings will lead a breakout session on community partnerships and bridge events at the church’s annual DREAM Conference on March 5–6. They will share about Santa’s Wonderland and other events and activities the church holds to bless their community and grow the Kingdom.
*PEACE stands for Partnering to advance the gospel; Equipping servant leaders to impact the world; Assisting the poor with a hand up, not just a handout; Caring for the whole person; and Educating the next generation.
Feature Photo: Story time with Mrs. Claus, played by Cheryl Bush, ORC’s children’s ministry director. (Photo courtesy of ORC)
Sharon Mager serves as BCM/D Content & Stories Editor