Beech Tree News Network

Members and friends of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints displayed over 400 individual nativities depicting the birth of the Savior Jesus Christ the past two weekends. There are some very large and some very tiny, some that take on many different themes from comic strips to different types of toy figures. Nativities have been collected from around the world some of the countries represented are Nigeria, Guatemala, Japan and one was especially unusual coming from Tanzania, East Africa carved from the black wood of the ebony tree.  The carving is called makonde carving after the tribe thatinhaabits the area who are especially skilled in hand carving this very hard and dense wood.  It has been donated to the display by Dianna Ray whose son Heath served in this area while in the United States Peace Corps.  Another was from Honduras made from red clay of the country and baked in the sun.  One of the nativities is made from corn husks, another represents the Native Americans celebrating Christmas .  There is one that has been carved from KY coal.  Thomas Kinkade art is represented in the nativity with the most pieces, each piece has a painting that depicts the birth of Christ.  Several of the members have contributed their own artwork depicting the birth of the Savior in different mediums vix paintings and needle work.  All nativities are privately owned and are donated by the following people:  Marsha Brooks, Darlene Burgi,  Laura Crafton, LoRei DeWeese, Gloria Gates, Christy Havens, Ellen Larsen, Karen Larsen, Rylee McKee, Anita, Minton, Jerelyn Muth, Vickie Pape,Marianne Pieper, Georgia Lavern Romans, Helen Smith, Heather Tuck. We wish to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and hope that we remember that “Each of us is an innkeeper and we decide if there is room for Jesus.”