Covington churches prepare Nativity scenes

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December 5, 2008

BY DENNIS BARTLOW The Commercial-News Fri Dec 05, 2008, 01:46 PM CST

DANVILLE — Two Covington area churches will present live Nativity scenes this weekend as their gift to the area.

“We want to be able to tell about the birth of Jesus Christ,’ said the Rev. Keith Klossner, pastor of the Stringtown Church of God. This is an opportunity to give back to the community.”

Joe Gritten, who is in charge of the live Nativity at Benson Chapel United Methodist Church, agrees.

“This is an outreach ministry,” he said. “Christmas is so commercial. We want to share what God has done in our lives. You never know who you might touch.”

The two rural churches have been expanding their live Nativity scenes each year. This is the 11th year for the Stringtown church, and it is the fourth year for Benson Chapel. Benson Chapel averages 300 cars a night, while 200 cars make the trek to Stringtown each night. Some people visit both the same night.

The Benson Chapel group was back at square one this year after their stable that served as a storage area was destroyed in the wind.

“We have build a whole new set since the first of October,” Gritten said. “We kind of got revitalized and re-energized for the live Nativity. A friend said, ‘Don’t let it die.’”

Gritten said the buildings are new, the stable has been moved to the east and the Wise Men will appear from the East.

“We have added a leper colony,” Gritten said. “We have added outside volunteers.”

The youth groups from the Covington Church of the Nazarene and the Covington United Methodist Church will help portray the scenes. About 65 people are needed to put on the costumes or to help behind the scenes.

“We schedule for an hour shift unless it very bad weather,” he said. Last year, the Sunday night live Nativity was canceled because of extreme cold weather.

The church has bought some of its own animals for the Nativity. These include two Jacob’s sheep, two goats and a donkey.

“We will have a village setup live it might have been in Bethlehem when Jesus was born,” Klossner said of the Stringtown display. “We have built a new portable Nativity trailer that will make it easier for viewing.”

The Stringtown Nativity is set up so that motorists can either drive through the scene or you can park your car and walk through the village.

Klossner said more than 50 members of the church are involved in costumes or in the kitchen.

Either way the congregation invites you inside afterwards for soup, sandwiches and cookies.

“You have an opportunity to sit and visit,” Klossner said.

COMING UP

The Stringtown Church of God will have its live Nativity and Bethlehem scene from 6-8:30 p.m. EST Saturday and Sunday at the church. Take Stringtown Road from the Covington exit on Interstate 74 about 7 miles. Follow the luminaries.

The Benson Chapel United Methodist Church will have its live Nativity from 6-9 p.m. EST Saturday and Sunday at the church on U.S. Route 136 about 2 miles west of Covington. Enter the east driveway and exit from the west driveway.

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