Good news of great joy...
A local tradition returned this month when live Nativity scenes were again on display at churches in Butler County.
The Rev. William Gilligan, pastor of Nixon United Methodist Church, 334 Airport Road in Penn Township, said his church has been staging the Christmas tableaux for 24 years with one interruption.
“The church has been doing the living Nativity for 24 years. Well, it's been 23 out of 24 years. We missed last year because of COVID,” said Gilligan.
But the seven scenes staged by 15 church members costumed as angels, shepherds and the Holy Family and backed by live farm animals returned the evenings of Dec. 4 and 5.
The motionless figures represented a scene from the story of Christmas.
The actors staged the scene from the Bible for an audience driving past in cars.
Gilligan said the church supplies the costumes to the actors, but the animals come from the Reichhold Farm.“The Reichhold Farm, they support us every year and bring animals,” said Gilligan. “This year we had a pony, goat and donkey, and that's what we usually have.”Gilligan said they had more than 80 cars drive past each night.For the onlookers, Gilligan said, “I hope they get reminded of the real reason and meaning of Christmas.”It's just as meaningful for the actors, Gilligan added.“They get the joy of serving and being part of it,” he said.
Concordia Lutheran Ministries has been staging its live Nativity scene for the past nine years, also skipping 2020 because of the COVID pandemic.Frank Skrip, the director of public relations for Concordia, 148 Marwood Road, Jefferson Township, said Concordia's production features 10 to 15 actors and live animals.Visitors walked through the display in front of the Haven II building during three different showings Dec. 12.Skrip said, “The narrator is reading the Christmas story. The scene is unfolding in front of you. It's almost like a little play.”Between performances, visitors enjoyed Christmas music and hot chocolate.The Nativity's participants were made up of Concordia residents and staff with perhaps one or two outside volunteers, said Skrip.“Joseph was one of our chaplains” this year, said Skrip. “Mary was Robin Peters, one of the HR people.”The animals — a camel, donkeys and goats — came from the Barnyard Petting Zoo in Eighty Four.Skrip added Concordia had parking help from the Saxonburg Fire Police, and the youth group from St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Hannahstown aided in setting up the luminaries.
“Christmas is a huge part of life at Concordia. The volunteers get the satisfaction of being part of it,” said Skrip.“As the world celebrates Christmas, Concordia inhabitants join together to proclaim the meaning of this event,” said Skrip.Pastor Dana Opp of the Presbyterian Church of Portersville said the weather was a factor during his church's presentation of a live Nativity on Dec. 11 and 12 at the church at 1297 Perry Highway, Portersville.
Opp said, “Saturday it was windy and my tent wanted to take off.”He said that Saturday “didn't have a big crowd but it was pretty steady.” He added the indoor petting zoo brought a good crowd as did the spaghetti dinners for sale.Sunday's weather which was dry and crisp was a great night, according to Opp. The live Nativity ran from 6 to 8 p.m. each day.“Volunteers were cautious about participating but our church family did,” said Opp.
This year's Nativity included a Mary and Joseph, an angel, three Wise Men and two shepherds, as well as two sheep and a calf.The live Nativity was set up at the edge of the church parking lot to allow the audience to walk up.Inside the church was a Christmas fair, the petting zoo, children's activities, food and cookie decorating.
The Presbyterian Church of Portersville has been staging a live Nativity since 2014. The church accepted donations from attendees who felt so inclined. “It was a passive donation,” said Opp. “Some people, especially in Western Pennsylvania, don't want to come unless you give them an opportunity to pay for it.”
