Mt. Kisco Church Maintains Tradition With Outdoor Living Nativity
The pandemic has caused so many events to be canceled this year but congregational leaders and parishioners at the United Methodist Church of Mount Kisco found a way to keep a popular Christmas tradition alive.
With some ingenuity and reconfiguration, the church held its living nativity early last Saturday evening, telling the story and re-enacting the birth of Jesus with music, live animals and narration by Paster Elaine Pope-Joffrion.
The socially distanced event on the church’s grounds – luminary candles were placed six feet apart to help families adequately separate – was a welcome sight for many after nine months of COVID-19 that has forced services at the church and most houses of worship to be held virtually.
“It’s just a way that we can come together and really understand the meaning of the season, and that’s just so special, especially this year,” said parishioner Bobbie McCann, who helped organize the event.
With a fresh layer of snow on the grounds from last week’s storm on a crisp, cold evening that added to the seasonal feel, the roughly 40-minute event featured a pen set up that contained a few donkeys and sheep as well as a goat.
Pope-Joffrion said the congregants worked hard to make the event a reality after much uncertainty. Previously, portions of the living nativity were held inside but that wasn’t feasible this year.
The pastor mentioned that she was “absolutely ecstatic” that the church was able to hold the event because it’s important to maintain tradition during difficult times.
“I think it means everything to be able to continue the tradition in spite of the circumstances,” Pope-Joffrion said. “The congregation worked meticulously to make sure that this could continue this year and to do so very safely. I’m so proud of them. It’s just amazing.”
Having the entire event outdoors allowed members of the community to stop by if they wished and take in the festivities. Pope-Joffrion also said that there is more to a church than the building where weekly and holiday services take place.
“This was just an incredible labor of love, a love of community, a love of church, love for God,” Pope-Joffrion said. “But I will tell you this, it was important for us to be able to show that churches aren’t just four walls and that community and being of service to the community is critically important to us. We just went all out to make sure we were able to do that tonight.”
McCann said she was pleased with the turnout, which appeared to approach about 100 people. It has been one of the few ways people can celebrate together.
“I think we really enjoy being together and singing outside a little bit,” she said.
The church will hold two services on Christmas Eve online. A family gathering is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the second service with a candlelight vigil will begin at 11 p.m.
For more information, call the United Methodist Church of Mount Kisco at 914-666-5014 or visit www.mountkiscochurch.org.
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