Nativity comes to life at Bensonhurst church
While many churches in Brooklyn like to remind residents of what Christians consider the real meaning of Christmas by displaying a Nativity scene outside their houses of worship, one Bensonhurst church takes that theme a step farther.
Instead of plastic figures representing Mary, Joseph, the Three Wise Men, and the baby Jesus in the stable, the Nativity scene on the front lawn of the New Utrecht Reformed Church on 18th Avenue featured real people portraying the key figures in Biblical history. The one exception was the Baby Jesus, who was represented by a small doll in the manger.
Volunteers from the church dressed in costumes depicting the clothing worn at the time of Christ’s birth and stood next to the manger in a makeshift stable while sheep and goats munched on the grass. Yes, the live Nativity scene also featured real live animals.