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The Live Nativity Scene is an annual
tradition at
Grand Avenue Presbyterian Church. The tableau depicts true meaning of
Christmas
and has been performed on the Church lawn for the benefit of Sherman
residents
since 1954.
It is a time of reverent celebration of the
holiday season,
and a time of warm fellowship for participants.
The members of Grand Avenue Presbyterian Church present to
the Grayson
County community the Live Nativity Scene each year. The productions are
typically presented the Saturday, Sunday and Monday evenings (6:30 -
8:30
pm) approximately one week prior to Christmas. Each of these evenings,
twenty-two children, teens, women and men will portray the persons in
this
familiar scene that reminds us of God's gift of His Son to a troubled
world.
Before these nights, dozens of other persons will have worked with set
construction, music, make-up, food for cast/workers, etc. Multiple
generations
of several families have participated in the Live Nativity Scene over
the
years. The Live Nativity Scene reunites church family members of all
ages
and generations.
In the fall of 1953, the pastor of Grand Avenue Presbyterian
Church
issued a challenge to his congregation. The Rev. John Minter challenged
members to make the Christmas message of Christ's birth visually alive
to Sherman and the surrounding area by presenting an outdoor tableau.
Minter
believed the reason for Christmas was being lost as people scrambled to
finish their shopping. The Rev. Minter and Mrs. Minter began this
tradition
with the purpose of reminding and emphasizing the true meaning of
Christmas
... God's gift of His Son to the human race. It would seem that this
reminder
is now needed more than ever.
It
is encouraging
to the members of Grand Avenue Presbyterian Church to know that our
fellow
Christians look forward to seeing the Nativity Scene each year and that
our work aids in emphasizing the true meaning of a sometimes overly
commercialized
Christmas. |
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