Living Nativity, 57-year tradition, on Dec. 15

It is that time of year again. The time to be jolly, sing Christmas carols, give gifts, and gather with friends and family. The most important thing about this time of year is to remember the reason for the season. The Nativity reminds us why we celebrate Christmas---especially the living Nativity that is presented by Cumberland Presbyterian Church as a gift to the community. Volunteers will portray the night when Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

Cumberland Presbyterian Church member Clifton Key said the Nativity began in 1962 when they moved to the new church. The tradition will continue Dec. 15, at 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. You may drive by or park and view for free. The church is at 210 S. Avenue M in Olney.

“Neva McClatchey’s mother, Winnie Dunagan Evans, started the living Nativity. Her sister, who grew up in the church, lived north of Corpus and got the idea from the place where she lived.   It was originally on the east side of the building when it started, which has a flat roof that allowed the Angels to climb on top of the building. For safety reasons, we discontinued the angels on the roof. Now we’ve moved it to the south side on Cactus Avenue,” Key said. “The robes the volunteers wear came from the Masonic Lodge and could be dated back to World War II or earlier.”

Organizer Carla Inge said she had been involved since 2011, and she is responsible for recruiting participants from the community and school. She said there is a lot of excitement behind the scene to ensure a smooth presentation, especially when the Nativity used to last for two hours during a threenight period. Now, it is held for 90 minutes on one night.

“The Nativity is one of Olney’s Christmas traditions, and it’s important because Jesus is the reason for the season. It is also our gift to the community. It is free and does not take a lot of time to drive by to view. When you drive by, stop and think about the real meaning of Christmas. We all get in such a rush; we sometimes get away from the true purpose,” Inge said.