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Trinity Lutheran seeks audience participation
‘OH COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL’
The project began with a confirmation class.
NILES — The live Nativity presentation at Trinity Lutheran Church has a special drawing card. Audience participation is encouraged.
While other Nativities may be beautiful with scripted presentations, the Nativity at this Niles church invites those coming to see it to participate in it.
“We’ve had a 6-week-old baby Jesus and a 94-year-old lady as Mary,” said Danell Koenig, a church member “since I was born.”
Bonnie Hoso, Christian education director at the church, said the 36-year tradition at the church began as a project of the confirmation class.
“The class did the Nativity and neighborhood kids wanted to know if they could be in it,” Hoso said. From year to year, church members were involved along with neighborhood residents. “If it snows or the weather is bad, we limit the time for people to be out there and someone else taking over,” she said. “But even if it’s cold, you’d be surprised how people want to continue and not give up their position.”
But that switching of people naturally led to the audience participation. And it’s been that way for years.
“We collected old bathrobes for some of the characters to wear and make smock-type robes. We use a piece of cloth for the headdresses,” Hoso said.
The cast of characters includes baby Jesus (a toy doll may be used), Mary, Joseph, angels, shepherds and the Three Wise Men.
Hoso said she and Koenig communicate with walkie-talkies as they send people into the church to get into costume and come out and relieve other participants.
Hoso said they’ve had a small miracle and a mishap. “We had a lamb born here,” she remembered. “One time one of the goats got out and the kids were chasing it down the street.” (The animal finally was corralled and brought back to the manger, she said.)
“We have a spotlight on the creche,” Hoso said. The illumination, sometimes complemented with snow, adds up to a nice scene.
“It’s nice to participate,” she said. “I think people get a good feeling ... they can feel and touch it ... it’s a living,” she said of the Nativity scene.
“It makes your heart feel good” is how Hoso described seeing and participating in the Nativity. She also noted that when people are involved, it also makes them think about the story of the birth of Jesus and what it means.
The Nativity project will continue as long as the church is able to present it. “Danell took over about 10 years ago. She was godsend,” Hoso said, noting the project experience a bit of a rough patch when it looked as if it might be discontinued. “We needed someone to step in and she did,” Hoso said.
For Koenig, the Nativity was an important project of the church. “It was about involving the kids. They felt good about it and that’s what it’s all about,” she said.
Koenig said a local farmer, Junior Bacorn, has supplied the animals the last few years. There have been a donkey, goats and sheep and lambs. This year there will be a donkey and goats.
“I think people feel closer to God when they come and participate,” Koenig said.
She said Trinity Lutheran is involved in Trumbull Area Lutheran Coalition with Grace Lutheran in Hubbard, New Life Lutheran in Liberty and Trinity Lutheran in Girard. “The churches try to help each other out,” Koenig said.