Despite being unable to use the barn at Zimmerman’s Kill Creek Farm for its Christmas Eve services, the Kaw Prairie Community Church isn’t abandoning its barn theme.

For the past six years, the church has performed its Christmas Eve services in the barn, which was destroyed by storms in May. This year, the church will be having “Rebuild-the-Barn” services in its facility at 9421 Meadowview Drive, Lenexa, at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. on FridayDec. 24. At each of the four services, a free-will offering will be collected and proceeds will go toward rebuilding the barn.

“Our first thought was to find another venue and go in a new direction with the theme,” said church worship leader German Portillo. “But then we realized we liked the barn theme and we loved Zimmerman’s barn and decided to help.”

The services will keep with the barn theme as much as possible in the indoor setting at the church. Straw bales will be set up not only for decoration but also for seating and pens are being brought in to house a selection of animals from Kill Creek Farm.

“It may be crazy, but we’re going to have most of the animals around anyway,” Portillo said. “Darrel really wanted to bring some in so we’re going to have some sheep and a goat and maybe even the donkey and the cow, just like we did when we were at the barn.”

The services have attracted a lot of attention within the church’s community, people want to know how they can help. E-mails and phone calls from those with memories of services at the barn have been coming in for a while now, asking how they can donate if they can’t come to the service and how they can help in other ways.

“People are really looking to the church to see how to help and that makes us feel great,” Portillo said. “It’s wonderful that we have this opportunity to help Darrel and the farm and to give back just a little of what they have given us over the years.”