Living Nativity On Our Farm

 

I wrote the following journal entry on December 13^th, 2003 but the actual Living Nativity took place around 1985.

Our living nativity was a beautiful event.  It was staged during the time when  our 4-H Club was fairly new.  Most of the members during our first year came from our church (Faith Community United Presbyterian – Novi).

Larry and I fixed up the sheep shed.  We put a star on top and had a light shining on it.  We set-up a record player for music and in the shed we rigged up a manger.  We put a board across the door to keep visitors on the outside – they could look in and observe the stable and its occupants but couldn’t enter. 

I made ice lanterns which were placed at intervals from the house to the stable.  To make the lanterns, I filled large pails with water and let them sit outside all night and in the morning, I ran water on the bottom of each pail and the ice slid out.  The ice lantern was the same size as the pail but was hollow on the inside because the water wasn’t frozen all the way through.  When the water was dumped out, a space was created for a candle.  The light shining through the ice was beautiful. 

 The shepherds – Brian Molloy, Mike Everett and probably Jon Henderson, started a small bonfire and stood by the sheep which were fenced in behind the shed.  Colleen Fahrner was the baby Jesus (a large baby Jesus), Anna Schmidt was Mary and Jason Everett was Joseph.  Suzanne Everett, Joan Fahrner and Jenny Henderson were the Three “Wise Ladies” and Sarah Schmidt, Jenny Wroe and Julie Fahrner were Angels. The church gave us permission to use the costumes that had been made for a previous Christmas Pageant. 

That night, it was extremely cold but the moon cast its light on the farm, the record player began to play Christmas music, the star was lit, all the participants were in place and it was beautiful.  We had a nice size group of very appreciative people gather for the event.  They endured the cold and stayed till the end when Larry read the story of the birth of Jesus. 

It was a very simple setting but everything came together and provided all of us with memories that we will always carry with us.

I wrote down some of my thoughts later – “Silent night, holy night” – cold – snow sparkling – half moon – jet stream – angels proclaiming Jesus was born – Shepherds fighting over crook - spotlight on star – record player playing Christmas Carols – way too cold - lanterns from ice – sheep at fence – people around bonfire – We Three “Wise Ladies” – Care Bear gift for Baby Jesus (not for keeps) - all coming together for a very special evening.  It was magical.