Emanuel’s Live Nativity program celebrates 50 years!

Emanuel Church’s Live Nativity, 2024. Photo courtesy of Vicki Eisele.

submitted by Vicki Eisele, Emanuel Church

Celebrate with Emanuel Church as they present the Christmas Story Live Nativity as it marks its 50th year on Thursday and Friday, December 18 and 19. Members of the community are invited to join the Emanuel congregation in observing this event from 7pm to 9pm in the courtyard between the church and the fellowship hall at 324 W Main St.

On these evenings the Nativity set silently comes to life with a live human and animal cast. This year there will be a special addition to the cast … a live camel!

This annual tradition has become a staple of the Manchester Christmas season; the Live Nativity began in 1976. Emanuel’s pastor, Pastor Joseph Wise, had grown up in North Carolina where his home church had a live nativity. He headed up the effort to recreate it here. Church members worked the entire year to construct the stable and manger and make the costumes. The Live Nativity went on for four nights and was accompanied by a large repertoire of Christmas carols.

The Live Nativity’s history includes the donkey that fled the scene in 1977 and spent several hours roaming around the streets. He was eventually captured and returned. The infrastructure for the current Live Nativity set was constructed in 2015 by church member Sutton Jacobs as an Eagle Scout project.

Come by on the evenings of Thursday and Friday, December 18 and 19, to welcome the camel and see the Christmas story come to life for the occasion of the 50th longstanding Manchester tradition. This shouldn’t be missed!

Emanuel Church’s Live Nativity, 1976. Photo courtesy of Vicki Eisele.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.