Church gathers 76 nativities

A nesting nativity contributed by Rachel Hatch. (Dec. 13, 2019) Photo by Zachary Snowdon Smith/The Cordova Times
A nesting nativity contributed by Rachel Hatch. (Dec. 13, 2019) Photo by Zachary Snowdon Smith/The Cordova Times

On Dec. 13-14, a Cordova church was crowded with 76 baby Jesuses, 76 miraculous virgins, 228 wise men and a multitude of angels, sheep and donkeys.

The spectacle was part of a nativity display hosted by Cordova’s Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The event assembled nativity sets from Palestine, Spain, Egypt, American Amish communities and elsewhere. The pieces on display ran the gamut from traditional representations of the birth of Jesus to a set of egg-shaped nesting dolls.

Rachel Hatch and her family members contributed 14 nativities to the display.

“As a little girl, my mom didn’t have a lot of expensive things,” Hatch said. “The nativity she had — I don’t know if it was expensive, but it was just the most beautiful thing. They were always treated with reverence in my home. It’s a sentimental thing, but most of all they’re special to me because of my love of the Savior… I think that, first and foremost, when we celebrate Christmas, we’re honoring and remembering him.”

Other notable sets were contributed by Jacqueline Harris, whose family crafts olive-wood nativities in Bethlehem.

A nativity set on display at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Cordova. (Dec. 13, 2019) Photo by Zachary Snowdon Smith/The Cordova Times
A nativity set on display at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Cordova. (Dec. 13, 2019) Photo by Zachary Snowdon Smith/The Cordova Times

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints reached out to other local churches to contribute to the event, said lead organizer Nattilee Kinsman. As this was the inaugural event, Kinsman was uncertain how much of a response to expect. However, by Dec. 13, the church had received enough nativities to fill their cultural center, including several contributed by St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.

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“I thought, how cool would it be to get the whole community together and get Christ back into Christmas?” Kinsman said. “It’s wonderful to see and hear everyone’s different traditions.”

The church hopes to expand the event in future years, possibly including a living nativity and a choir performance, said organizer Becky Niles. Anyone wishing to participate in next year’s nativity display should contact cdv.communitynativity@gmail.com.

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