Hi-Line Living: Continuing the spirit of Christmas with Live Nativity

The Van Orsdel United Methodist Church Live Nativity has been a long-standing tradition for the Hi-Line, with many people coming out every year to look at the volunteers and the animals who come every year to bring the true meaning of Christmas to the community.

"It kind of gets in your blood. Something about standing out their in that scene, it's meaningful," organizer Ray Toth said.

He added that the church has been putting on the event for more than 23 years, and, during that time, a number of people have pitched in to make the event a the tradition it is. He said that he has been helping organize the event since it came to Havre.

The event originated in Chinook with Pam Murphy and her husband, Steve Parsons, putting on the event, Toth said. The event has always had a large number of animals included in the nativity, including a donkey, miniature horse, sheep and llamas. Toth said that they decided to move the event to Havre after the Chinook Area Chamber of Commerce wanted to commercialize it.

Parsons was adamant about the event not being commercialized, Toth said. Parsons wanted the event to be more of a religious experience than just another holiday event. Toth added that Parsons has since died but Murphy is still heavily involved in the event, bringing the donkey, Dolly, and the miniature horse, Molly, to the event.

Toth added that Dolly has been a volunteer since the beginning and Molly only missed the first few years.

Toth said that having live animals at the event makes the Nativity more real for people.

"It's just the same as having a person standing out there, it's meaningful," he said. "It's a very solemn-type deal. ... We try to be a postcard of the scene of Bethlehem."

He added that another couple who were major parts of creating the Live Nativity event in Havre were Ron and Betty Knudson. Toth said that he, Ron Knudson and another long-time volunteer, Gerald Anderson designed and built the stable, which is used every year in the display, out of old barn wood. Knudson has since died and his wife, Betty, is in a care center and is no longer able to attend the event.

Anderson said he has enjoyed his time participating in the event every year and also thanked the other long-time volunteers who have helped keep the event going.

Toth said that without the volunteers and the community support the Live Nativity wouldn't have been as successful as it has been. He added that one year someone had proposed the Live Nativity take a collection, donating the money to the Havre Food Bank, but he wanted to keep the event a free, stand-alone event for the community.

"It's kind of our gift to the community," he said.

Although many things have remained the same throughout the years, the event has gone through some slight changes, he said. Previously, the Live Nativity had sheep in halters at the event, but because of their wool sheep were able to slip out of the halters. One year, he said, one of the sheep slipped out of the halter and ran all around town. Volunteers had to chase the sheep across town and capture it, he said, laughing.

After that incident, the sheep and a few of the other animals are now kept behind wire panels, so people can still see them but they cannot run off.

Jerry Davidson was a long-time volunteer at the event with his wife, Pam, bringing livestock to the event.

This year's Nativity was dedicated to Jerry Davidson, who died in September. 

Pam Davidson said that she and her husband have brought a number of animals in for the Live Nativity over the years including llamas, alpacas and sheep. 

This year, she said, she brought her llama, Annie. She added that she was also planning to bring an alpaca, but the alpaca did not want to come.

Annie enjoys going to the Live Nativity event and has been a long-time volunteer like herself, Davidson said.

"I think she looks forward to coming every year," she said.

They first became involved with the Havre Live Nativity event after Toth had approached them, she said. Her husband had tried to sell Toth an alpaca or llama and Toth said he wasn't interested in buying but if they wanted to bring them to the Live Nativity they could. She added that neither she nor her husband were members of Van Orsdel but they were happy to participate in the event.

"It's just a neat deal," she said, adding that it is a fun, family-friendly event for the community to have.

She said that she didn't know that the event this year was going to be in memory of her husband, but she was happy that it was. Jerry Davidson loved coming up and visiting with people, eating and had a good time every year at the event, she said. A few years she was unable to attend because of medical reasons, but her husband always came.

Now that he is gone, she said, she has mixed emotions, but it is good to see people enjoying something she and her husband always enjoyed together.

She added that she plans to continue participating in the event in the future and everyone at the event is really nice. This year she did not have a vehicle to get to the event, but volunteers picked her up and helped transport Annie.

Annie is also held by the same person every year, she said. She added that she was told that the volunteer and Annie have a good connection.

"I have a good time," she said. "I think it's a good time for everybody and gets them in the spirit. This is Christmas, this is what Christmas is all about."

Along with the long-time volunteers, new volunteers join the ranks to help bring the Nativity to life.

First-year volunteer Charlene Lowen said that she has been a member of the church for a number of years, but this was the first time she decided to participate in the Live Nativity event. She said it is always hard to find people to volunteer for things, so she decided to write her name on the dotted line.

"As a congregation we really enjoy it, and I think the community enjoys it, too," she said.

This year, she was playing one of the shepherds, she said. She added that she believes it is a great tradition for the community to help people remember what Christmas is all about.

"The nativity scene is what Christmas is all about and it is great to make it more real for people," she said.

Big Sandy United Methodist Church interim minister Laverna McGrew, wife of Van Orsdel United Methodist Church Pastor William "Mac" McGrew, said she has enjoyed seeing the Live Nativity for the years she and her husband have been in Havre. She said her favorite part is seeing people from all around, including people who may not attend Van Orsdel, come and enjoy the event.

She said the event is a proud tradition of the church and it's great to see the congregation come together every year to put the event on.

Mac McGrew said it is only his third year being the pastor at the church but he enjoys helping out wherever he can.

"They have been doing it for so many years they know what they are doing," he said.

He added that the event is a great thing, not only for Havre, but for the whole Hi-Line.

He said that, though the Nativity is not not unique to Havre - other places do something similar - Havre's Live Nativity is unique to the Hi-Line.

"They have been doing it for a number of years and people still come out to see it," he said.

The Live Nativity is a great way to make the Nativity more real for people, he said. People know the stories and hear them every year, but it is a rare opportunity to actually be able to see something live and in person.

Gifts and trees are great, but the reason people celebrate Christmas is because of the birth of Christ, he said.

"It's the reason for the season," he added.

He added that it is also great to see so many young people volunteering to help with the event. He added that many of the youth involved are from the youth group, which meets Wednesdays, and are not necessarily all members or have parents who are members of the church. 

Barbara Fournier, who was helping other volunteers with costumes said she and her husband, Ted, have been volunteers since the beginning, except for last year when she was sick. She added that she usually plays a wise man, as she did Saturday, and loves to get all dressed up and be a part of the event.

"It's beautiful, it's just beautiful," she said. "It gives such a good feeling. I love it, it gets you in the spirit the true meaning of Christmas."

She said that it is great that it's not only a tradition for the church but a tradition for the community. 

"I love that so many people comment on it and look forward to it every year," she said.

She added that it is also good to see young people attending and participating in the event. Even if church or being part of the event isn't important to them now, Fournier said, they can see it is important to their parents or grandparents, so one day, when they are grown up and have their own families, they may feel it is important, as well.

Van Orsdel United Methodist Church Secretary Edna Gregory said the Live Nativity is a special event.

"I love it all because you get to see the preparation and the excitement and the joyfulness of the participants as they get ready to go out and see the people observing," she said.

She said that as long as there are people who are willing to volunteer the event will go on. 

"It also brings the whole community together," she said. "Any time the community comes together it builds the community. It just makes you stop and realize the true meaning of Christmas."

Temina Olson and her daughter, Makina, and son, Gaven came to view the Nativity.

She said she came out because one of her friends was volunteering in the event. She added that she and her family have driven by the event before but never stopped to take a closer look. This year was the first year they did, she said. 

Olson and her family are not members of Van Orsdel but said the event is a great way to bring out the spirit of Christmas and the spirit of giving. Olson added that the event helps bring out the kindness in the community and puts it on display.

"I think it brings us all together for the holiday season," she said.

Makina Olson said that she enjoyed seeing the animals and people at the event.

"Christmas is about Jesus' birth and they are here representing that," she said.