Christmas is upon us, and among all the gift buying and giving, the feasts and festivals, and time with family and friends, people often forget what we are really celebrating—the birth of Jesus.
Most often people just read about the Story of Christmas or hear it read aloud at church, but at Frankford Plains United Methodist Church, people get to experience the story through a Live Nativity.
On Sunday, December 11th, Frankford Plains UMC put on their annual Live Nativity performance, and despite the unexpected snowfall that kept some people home, it was a success. Blanketed in a sheet of white snow, family members stood together in the cold and performed the story of the birth of Jesus for all in attendance.
Each year, the audience has the pleasure of gathering around the fence that gives the animals a safe space to roam while someone narrates, and the actors perform. They get to see Mary and Joseph exit the church and enter the enclosed area with the barn, live animals, and a manger. Visitors enjoy some caroling and then gather in Fellowship Hall for refreshments and crafts. “It’s a great way to invite the community to come in to hear the Christmas story,” said church member Doris Delmont, “This might be the only time they hear it during the season, and it sparks a light for some people. You never know when that first spark will happen for someone and what that will mean to them.”
Doris herself has been a light in the church and the community for over 30 years and shared, “When Pastor Robyne Mayer came to our church in 2005, she looked at our campus and said it would be perfect for a Live Nativity, and a tradition was born.”
The Live Nativity has become a beautiful fixture in this community for people near and far, including many who return each year to enjoy this occasion. Christmas is ultimately the biggest birthday party of the year, and this Live Nativity event is one that brings all people together in good will to celebrate life and faith, to commune with each other, to share hope, and to find peace.