Church to feature live nativity Sunday
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on December 16, 2011 1:55 PM
Need a break from the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping.
St. Paul United Methodist Church has a stop to remind you that the holiday season is about more than wrapping paper and bows.
The church's live nativity will be Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m. on the grassy area at the corner of Spruce and John streets.
Visitors may park, get out and interact with the characters and animals or just drive through.
There will be a donkey, cow, llama, sheep, goats, a pygmy goat and even Clyde the Camel.
"Clyde seems to have his own following," said Beth Gaines, associate pastor at St. Paul. "He draws people wherever he goes."
Clyde is from Ferncroft Farms in Wake Forest and the other animals are from Oak Grove Stables in Kinston. All of the animals are from petting zoos, so visitors will be able to walk up and touch them.
Several members of the church will be in period costume at the live nativity. Visitors will have the opportunity to talk with them.
There will be Mary and Joseph, two main characters, shepherds, townspeople, angels, kings, and maybe even the Baby Jesus, depending on the weather.
The set will be a wooden stable scene with hay and straw in it. A large lighted star will hang above the stable.
"This is the first time our church has done this," the Rev. Gaines said. "It's a community outreach. We want to be available to the community and let them know the church is here and alive. And we want to celebrate the birth of Jesus with people in the neighborhood."
She said it's the place to go to see a reenactment of the birth of Jesus.
"And it's a fun way of celebrating the birth," she said.
And it's something the church will do again in future years.