St. James Episcopal Church Youth Group will present a living Nativity this weekend.
For those tired of the hassle of shopping, the St. James Episcopal Church Youth Group is offering a change of pace this weekend.
The group, students in grades 6-12, will present a Living Nativity from 6-7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10 on the front lawn of the church, 11815 Seven Locks Road, Potomac.
“The kids are very excited,” said Rachele Donnelly, director of the youth group. “This is our very first year doing it and every child has one or two lines.”
Donnelly said she grew up in Olney where Oakdale Emory United Methodist Church did a Living Nativity. Going to the event each year is one of her favorite childhood memories.
“There was such a sense of community,” she said. “It brought people together. You stand out in the cold, under the stars, it was a beautiful experience.”
She said she hopes the St. James Living Nativity also will be a memorable evening, the beginning of a St. James tradition.
“I want people to really enjoy it and I want people to make memories,” she said.
The Nativity will feature traditional Christmas carols and live animals including a donkey, some sheep and some goats, borrowed from David D Farms in Frederick County.
The farm takes in animals with special needs, Donnelly said.
“They all have something about them that is different and would probably mean they would be slaughtered,” she said. “But they are taken in and provided with a loving experience. That is why they are so gentle.”
The animals will be available after the performance in a petting zoo.
“We will have little pens off to the side,” Donnelly said.
The Sunday event is free but if anyone wants to make a free will offering that will be fine, Donnelly said. Any money raised will go to help fund the Youth Programs annual mission trip.
Audience members are encouraged to bring lawn chairs for sitting and to dress warmly for the outdoor performance.
For more information visit www.stjamespotomac.org.