'Sharing the Creche' show in Greensburg features 250 nativities
Throughout three rooms of the First United Methodist Church, 15 E. Second St., Greensburg, 250 creches are displayed, on loan from church and community members.
The 12th annual “Sharing the Creche” show is open to the public 4-8 p.m. Dec. 7 and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 8, says Ruth Hughes, who has been involved with the show from its beginning.
There is no charge to view the creches. “We always treated this as a gift to the community,” Hughes says.
“We never started it as a fundraiser. We just wanted people to bring the creches so people could share them,” she adds.
Nativities come from many parts of the world and are in many media, she adds.
Some nativities are small enough to fit inside an eggshell-shaped mold, on tree ornaments and lamps, or bracelet links and earrings.
Others take a substantial amount of display space, including one 80-piece creche.
Nativities are incorporated into paintings and quilts, made of paper and wood, stained glass and fabric, even crocheted and knit by nimble fingers.
The show’s history dates to Hughes overhearing someone mentioning helping out at another creche show.
“I got really nosy and asked her about it,” Hughes says, laughing. That show was at the First United Methodist Church in Monongahela.
“I got a couple of people together and said I’d heard about this show, and wondered if they thought it would work here,” she says.
Organizers from the Monongahela show shared some planning tips as the Greensburg church’s tradition began.
This year’s show is dedicated to Martha J. Nash, who died on Dec. 2. Nash was a lifelong church member, according to her obituary.
“She honchoed our little store with nativities. The idea was children could buy inexpensive gifts for their parents,” she says.
“She was there from the beginning. She was one of the absolute biggest supporters we’ve had,” Hughes says.
The creche show includes viewings of the 30-minute animated film “The Savior Is Born,” narrated by Morgan Freeman.
Children’s activities and refreshments will be available, and gifts are available for purchase.
Details: greensburgfirst.org
Mary Pickels is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Mary at 724-836-5401, mpickels@tribweb.com or via Twitter @MaryPickels.
