By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
While other churches are decking the halls with wreaths and ribbons, one Bowling Green church has stocked up on hand warmers and a pooper scooper.
Trinity United Methodist Church will have a live nativity scene – complete with a camel – on Sunday from 4 to 8 p.m. The church, at the northeast corner of North Summit and East Court streets, will have people reading the Christmas story, people singing carols, and people serving up cookies and hot chocolate.
“We’ve been praying for no driving rain, no blizzard,” Rev. Andrea Curry, of Trinity United Methodist, said last week.
But if the weather gets bad, the church is prepared.
“We will persist,” Curry said. “We’ve got a heater for the animals.”
The humans can take breaks and come into the church to get warmed up, plus Gail Houtz purchased a bunch of hand warmers on the day after Thanksgiving, just in case.
With the help of Houtz, who has several 4-H connections, the live nativity will include goats, sheep, a calf, mini-horse, and a camel – rented from Findlay.
“We really wanted a live camel,” Curry said. “We thought that would be really cool.”
But there are concerns that come with having live animals as part of the Christmas story. That’s where the pooper scooper comes in, provided by Houtz.
“She’s the logistics queen,” Curry said of Houtz.
And there are specific concerns that come along with a live camel.
“We have to keep it away from people so it doesn’t spit on them,” Curry said.
Then, of course, there will be the classic crew of three wise men, the shepherds, and Mary and Joseph. Baby Jesus, however, will be played by a “stand-in baby doll,” Curry said.
“We’ve got some toddlers in the congregations, but we felt it could be too cold,” she explained.
The live nativity has resurrected the former theatrical history of the church – reminding some of the longer members of past dramatic events at the church.
“They are really excited,” Curry said. “We have this whole treasure trove of costumes upstairs. Everybody’s really jazzed about this.”
There are some concerns that traffic may get backed up as people drive by the live nativity. So the church is asking that motorists approach from the east on Court Street, then turn north on Summit Street. There will also be parking in the church lot off Court Street, or the county parking lot off Summit Street.
“Just come. I really think it will be an opportunity for people to get in the spirit of Christmas,” Curry said.
“We wanted to do an outreach event that shared the love of God with the community,” Curry said. “We wanted to spread the word and the love of Jesus. It has become this grand thing.”
If successful, the church may make the live nativity an annual tradition.
“It will be exciting to see what God does through this event,” Curry said. “It could be something we want to keep doing. It’s really a God thing.”
