Memory Lane!

From 2013. . . A joyful moment, to see my home church in all of it’s glory during the holidays with the creche below, here is my Dad’s story:

A Moment in St. Thomas History (Battle Creek Michigan)

It was the day before Christmas, Father James, Helen James and Father Dixon were inspecting the sanctuary and the chapel to see if all were in readiness for the family service at 5 p.m. and the Midnight Eucharist.

The rector was bewailing the creche which was traditionally plopped in front of the pulpit.

“Can’t we do something better than this?” he exclaimed.

The assistant piped up and said, “How about putting it under the altar?”

“What would our older members say about this?” he asked.

He went into the chapel to have a consult with Helen.

He emerged and said, “We’re going to try it”

And so it was that when the congregation gathered, there under the alter were the hay and animals beside Joseph and Mary beholding the baby Jesus lying in a manger.

The children were excited and came closer to get a look. All the assembly expressed their approval wtih smiles and rejoicing.

What began in the early 1970s has been continued to this Christmas celebration.

*A creche is a nativity scene, a group of figures arranged to represent the birth of Jesus Christ

–Don Dixon (The Assistant)