Reliving Christ's birth

Dolly, Callie and Cletus have performed before thousands with the Ringling Bros. Circus, so playing the wise men's companions in a live Nativity at Egypt Mills Saturday night wasn't a stretch for them. They were draped in brightly colored blankets that shimmered in the light and didn't even spit on anybody.

David Hale, who keeps the three camels and about 100 more at the 5-H Ranch in Cape Girardeau, says camels don't spit despite what people have heard. "That's a myth."

The live Nativity at Trinity Lutheran Church in Egypt Mills Saturday was the first ever attempted by the church. Nativity scenes with longer histories also were mounted in Cape Girardeau at Hanover Lutheran Church Saturday night and at Mount Auburn Christian Church both Friday and Saturday nights.

Inside the churches, youths and adults served warm foods and drinks, but temperatures were mild at around 50 when the live Nativity scenes began Saturday.

About 40 people watched as Joseph (Alex Friese, 11, of Jackson) and Mary (River King, 9, of Jackson) took their familiar places next to the manger in the small farming community of Egypt Mills. The menagerie included a donkey and four Jacob's sheep, which Hale says are the only breed of sheep mentioned in the Bible. An angel, wise men and shepherds were about. The 15 children ages 9 to 13 were scheduled to trade roles as the night went on.

Halie Haman, 8, had the most precarious role, playing the angel atop the stable.

The Rev. Mark Martin said the live Nativity reminds children and everyone that Christmas ought primarily to be concerned with the birth of Jesus, not so much with Santa Claus.

The circumstance of the baby Jesus being born among the animals in a stable is significant, Martin says. "The world was expecting trumpets and a great announcement. But who was there -- shepherds ... Jesus' entire life is exactly the opposite of what you'd think."

The lesson: Salvation is not what we expect, Martin said.

With luminarias lighting the way up the road to the live Nativity and 120-year-old church, its youths created a tiny silent scene that evoked serenity.

By contrast, the Nativity scene at Mount Auburn Christian Church ran the width of the parking lot. Some people walked up to view it, others did a drive-through. Recorded Christmas music played, a change this year from the usual brass ensemble. Most of the roles in the Nativity were played by adults, and as many as 80 participated in shifts.

Organizer Mike Ruggles, who portrayed a shepherd Saturday night, built the stable with donated materials. Where it once took all day to put together, now it can be done in an hour.

Ann Bauer brought in two horse trailers filled with horses, donkeys, sheep, mules and doves loaned by friends and neighbors. Bauer isn't even a member of the church but has been helping out at the Nativity all seven years it has been presented. The Oak Ridge woman also plays a shepherd in the Nativity.

It warms her. "People come up and tell you, This is Christmas," she says.

At the Mount Auburn Road Christian Church Nativity, children want to know whether the baby Jesus is real, said Drew and Tanya Griffin, who played Joseph and Mary Saturday night.

Children have questions for the angels too. "They ask if you're real angels or pretend," said Heather Jones, one of the angels.

Their answer is: "Real to us."

sblackwell@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182