It was a real surprise when Grandma Anderson told us that her ‘posterity’ had been asked to be the cast for the first annual Live Nativity for the Taber Stake in Southern Alberta. Three of Grandma’s six children live within the Stake so their families were easily able to fill the fifteen roles. Rehearsals involved everyone and so no one had to be away from their family during the busy holiday season. We were truly together! A newlywed granddaughter and her husband were Mary and Joseph for one night and a soon-to-be-married grandson and his fiancé played those roles the next night. How romantic.
A group from the Stake made beautiful costumes and another group created and erected a wonderful set. A delicious supper was served to the whole family before each evening’s performance. All the family had to worry about was to feel the spirit and set the tone of love, peace and joy for the sacred event that we were presenting. Accompanied by a beautiful soundtrack and sophisticated sound system, the Live Nativity attracted over 1,500 people.
The cast members ranged in age from four to fifty with Grandma in the wings making sure we were all playing our parts and enjoying this special opportunity to commemorate the birth of the Saviour. The event was especially meaningful for our family as a 12 year-old granddaughter had just completed a year of chemotherapy and was on the road to recovery. She was able to participate in all eight performances.
Members of the Taber Alberta Stake reenact the nativity scene.
While each year the material things of our world seem to play a bigger and bigger role in our lives, the account of the birth of our Saviour stays the same and cannot be improved upon. It is the scene of a humble birth, yet more magnificent than anything we could imagine or hope for. Being part of the Taber Stake Live Nativity was a spiritual highlight for our whole family and a wonderful way for the community to remember the Saviour’s birth and the true meaning of Christmas