Symbols of the season Live Nativity by Belfast congregation draws kids, adults, but takes hard work, even if the sheep are fiberboard

The star shining above the stable at the edge of the parking lot was more to westerly and not really a heavenly object. More precisely, it was a star-shaped cluster of multicolored electric lights.

Though people traveled from afar, they came by car.

There were Mary and Joseph, a few shepherds, the Wise Men, even some innkeepers and their guests, talking and standing, sitting and posing, joking and thinking.

It was a live Nativity produced last week by the people of Little River Baptist Church, just south of downtown Belfast along U.S. Route 1. Such images, reproduced in countless sculptures and miniatures and pageants, are a popular and enduring symbol of the season. They are also a lot of hard work, requiring construction, planning, publicity, costumes – and endurance.

Attracting the most attention last week were the stable with Mary, Joseph and the (doll) baby Jesus and the inn with a sign informing passers-by that there was no room within.

But many of the enactors were content to tend the “sheep” grazing on a nearby hill. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that the shepherds had a nice warm fire to keep them company.

“I just volunteered,” said shepherd Travis Milner, 7, of Lincolnville. “The sheep are not too hard to take care of – they’re fake.”

Shepherds Cecil Armstrong and Travis’ father, Alvin Milner, stood close to the fire, leaned on their staves and weighed the benefits of one type of pickup over the other.

During the waiting, Milner son and father engaged in a spirited discussion about the piglet Travis captured at a scramble during a summer fair. The piglet has since grown to a 110-pound porker that soon will grace the family table. “I picked him up and threw him over the fence,” recalled Travis. “You have to muckle right onto it because if it falls out of your hand, someone else will get it.”

Meanwhile, scores of people checked out the Nativity scene over the course of two evenings of presentation.

“I think it is a great idea,” said a visitor who identified himself as Dan, newly arrived in Belfast. He saw a notice of the live Nativity in the newspaper and decided to drive by with a friend. “I never heard of it anywhere else, so we thought we’d come by and take a look. It reminds me of when I was in school as a kid dressing up as a shepherd.”

The humble wood-framed stable and inn were built by some of the adult male church members. The children made sheep of fiberboard with cotton batting pasted on the sides to represent wool. The garments were fashioned by the women, except for one, a genuine Saudi robe worn by Richard Caron of

Lincolnville, who picked it up during the Gulf War, when he served as an Army chaplain.

“I think this is wonderful. I think it’s nice to put in a religious program the children can take part in,” said Jennifer Green, who drove over from Appleton with daughters Rein and Angel to view the Nativity.

The Rev. Dave Puchot, pastor of the Little River church, said the Nativity program represents part of the congregation’s spiritual outreach as well as simply a lot of fun for the members. He said the church’s adults enjoy taking part in a pageant involving children, and the children are just as enthusiastic about being part of the Christmas story.

People who circled the church parking lot while taking in the scene from the comfort of their cars were offered a free Bible and some religious writings.

“We really enjoy what we’re doing and love meeting the people,” Puchot said.

“The only thing missing this year is live animals,” he said. “We like the animals. We had them here last year, and everyone had a pretty good time. We just couldn’t do it this year.”

But the human enactors did do it this year as the chilled night air colored their cheekss.

From time to time, laughter from the stable and inn echoed across the parking lot as shadows of bouncing children flickered against the long, white church nearby.

“I really, really like this,” said innkeeper Josh Cushman, 7, of Northport as he walked by, clutching a cup of hot water. “I really like being part of it. The only thing you have to do is just stand there. It’s fun and I wanted to be here with my dad.”