Actors, animals bring life to Christmas story

FINDLAY — The Christmas story will come alive again this holiday season at St. Marks United Methodist Church. A live Nativity is scheduled on the church's front lawn, 800 S. Main St., from 6-8 p.m. Saturday. Costumed church members will portray Mary, Joseph, the three wise men, shepherds and angels. Camels, cows, sheep and a donkey will also be part of the performance. "We are excited to share this event with the community as it allows everyone to connect in a meaningful way with the true message of Christmas," said Outreach Director Kellie Bibler. "In today's fast-paced world, it's a chance for families and individuals to pause, reflect, and be part of a beautiful reminder of hope and joy." The reenactment - which attracts several hundred people annually – has become a holiday tradition, noted senior pastor, the Rev. Dan Metzger. According to former newspaper stories, the church held a live Nativity featuring just a manager scene in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The event was then dropped a few years and restarted in 2003. During COVID, the church had to make some changes, said Metzger. "We actually had a drive-thru Nativity that year. And that was the first time we introduced some live animals, just to make the experience a little bit more fun for people," he explained. The event was held in the parking lot. Now it's back on the front lawn. "And we've added even more animals including a couple of camels and a donkey and at least one or two cows and sheep and other animals that may have been a part of the first Nativity story," said Metzger. The animals come from Patterson's farm in Arcadia. "It's fun to watch people as they're driving down Main Street looking out the window of their car and craning their neck, did I just see what I thought I saw?" he laughed. Bibler said the event is an immersive experience. "You have those live animals and you have all the actors playing the parts. Our hope is you feel like you were there," she said. Church members volunteer to perform the roles. One family that had a baby this summer will portray Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. "I love the fact that its people who are ordinary people who have ordinary jobs from all different walks of life, and that's kind of how it was back then," said Metzger. "It was a carpenter and his finance and it was shepherds and foreign dignitaries and all sorts of different kinds of people coming together for this one thing, that God had come to earth in human form." "It's just ordinary people telling an extraordinary story," he said. Some of the actors have speaking parts although the story will actually be posted on banners, said Metzger. "But we like people to interact with the actors and talk with them so it's not scripted necessarily. It's just a chance to come and see and to reflect, just in the middle of hustle and bustle of everything, to remember what Christmas is really all about," he said. The Nativity itself is self guided. Visitors can spend as much time as they want there, said Metzger. People are encouraged to read a little bit about the Nativity story before they come, said Bibler. So when they do experience it, they'll understand the meaning behind it. "I'm usually out there with people as they're getting ready to come through. One of my favorite things is to hear parents talk to their kids about, hey, do you see Mary and Joseph, do you see the baby, see the shepherds? And being able to tell their kids a story as they're watching, as they're seeing it in front of them, is really special," Metzger said. People don't have to attend St. Marks to come to the Nativity. "This is a way people can experience the Christmas story. A lot of churches are doing a lot of different things this time of year, and my hope is whether it's our live Nativity or the things going on at other churches, that people are able to take some time to pause in the middle of the season to remember why we do Christmas and what it's really about," he said. "It's always one of the highlights of the year for us to invite the community in to this." In addition to the Nativity, the church will host a holiday concert, "Christmas Gloria For a Newborn King," at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 15 featuring the choir and the praise band. On Christmas Eve, the 5 p.m. Family Fun Christmas will include a children's play titled "A Christmas Journey" in the DOCK. The 7 p.m. candlelight service will be held in the sanctuary. "All these things are part of the traditions of the year, but this is one that usually comes at the beginning of December and when the live Nativity happens, I feel like, OK, now it's Christmas," said Metzger. "It feels like just a great way to put people in that spirit, not the hustle and bustle but the real meaning of Christmas. And we just try to keep it going throughout the month." After viewing the Nativity, visitors are invited inside the DOCK for family-friendly activities such as refreshments, crafts and games for children and a photo booth. The event is free and open to all ages.