Parishes find unique ways to celebrate Christmas
With Christmas fast approaching, parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Newark are finding ways to bring their congregations together in celebration. And while there have been plenty of tree lightings and holiday concerts as always, some church communities are commemorating the yuletide season in a particularly unique fashion. Here are a few examples:
The Church of St. Theresa in Kenilworth
Nativity scenes are a hallmark of Christmas celebrations, but the creche at the Church of St. Theresa is Kenilworth is unlike most. In addition to displaying life-sized statues of Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus inside the church building, the parish’s Nativity scene features a live donkey, llama, and sheep outside. All are welcome to stop by and feed the animals at any time on December 24 and December 25 until the conclusion of the parish’s 12 p.m. Christmas Day Mass. Additionally, some of St. Theresa’s youngest parishioners will don costumes and perform songs at the site of the creche prior to the 4 p.m. children’s vigil on Christmas Eve.
The Church of St. Theresa’s Nativity scene featuring live animals has been a beloved tradition in Kenilworth for approximately 10 years. (Photo courtesy of the Church of St. Theresa)
The Church of the Little Flower in Berkeley Heights
Beyond its traditional sharing tree benefiting children, the Church of the Little Flower in Berkeley Heights hosted an Adopt-A-Family program enabling parishioners to purchase Christmas presents for entire families in need. Participants donated clothes, toys, and gift cards to more than 40 families who likely would not have been able to afford presents otherwise. Separately, the congregation contributed 22 complete Christmas dinners to the parish’s food pantry.
Our Lady of Peace Church in New Providence
For the first time ever, Our Lady of Peace Church in New Providence created a Christmas Memorial Garden in tribute to its congregation’s deceased loved ones. More than 200 Christmas trees paid for by parishioners were placed around the church’s exterior, where they will remain through the Feast of the Epiphany. Each tree was decorated with an abundance of lights and a star bearing the name of the person its donor wished to honor. The end result: an illuminating holiday display that doubles as a reminder that the memory of those who have died can never be extinguished.
More than 200 illuminated Christmas trees were placed outside Our Lady of Peace Church in New Providence as part of the parish’s first-ever Christmas Memorial Garden honoring the congregation’s deceased loved ones. (Photo courtesy of Our Lady of Peace Church)
The Church of St. Anne in Fair Lawn
This holiday season, the Tuesday Angels ministry at Fair Lawn’s Church of St. Anne — which provides faith formation to children with special needs — wanted to make sure its students understand Christmas is about more than getting gifts. So, at each of their meetings during Advent, the youth have been placing one piece of straw in a basket for every good deed they complete. That way, their creche figurine of baby Jesus will have a soft bed for Christmas. And the children learn the best birthday present they can give Christ is the love they show for their neighbors.
(Photo courtesy of the Church of St. Anne)
Featured Image: Each tree in the Christmas Memorial Garden at New Providence’s Our Lady of Peace Church is topped with a star bearing the name of loved ones who died. (Photo courtesy of Our Lady of Peace Church)
