Church Christmas Living Nativity “I Know That Wiseman!”

Our church began a outdoor Living Nativity many years ago on a small scale back in the early 1990’s. Over the years it has grown considerably and now, weather permitting, runs three weekends (7 nights) and has had as many as 14,000 visitors come through in one year.There are 13 scenes beginning with Creation and ending with Jesus ascending into the clouds with a promise to return.

Our family has greatly enjoyed helping in many capacities from baking cookies (up to 50,000 are served each year), including running a projector, being a guide, a greeter, a “mingler”, helping to set-up/take-down, helping in costumes and being a cast member.

For many years my husband was a wiseman. In this scene, the three Magi enter from the right to inquire of Herod “where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him”.
After leaving Herod, the wisemen circle around the back of the scene and re-enter on the left where they knock on the door of a carpenter and his wife. The curtain is drawn aside and the toddler Jesus emerges with his mother, Mary.

In awe and admiration, they present their gifts to the babe.

The scene is repeated over and over as each new group arrives (about every 3 minutes)

Here John (blue wiseman) presents his gift to Jesus (our little Keri) with Mary (Keri’s mom, Jamie) by his side.

It took several times before little Keri recognized the the guy in blue!

With great surprise she, cried, “Pop-Pop!”