It began in 1995, simply as a way to bring Christmas joy to our neighbors.

St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church is situated at one of the busiest intersections in West Omaha, Neb. The traffic on both Pacific and 120th Streets is constant, having grown greatly since the founding of the parish in 1966. At Christmastime, especially, the flow of vehicles in both directions increases as life becomes more frantic and to-do lists get longer. We had often thought about all these cars passing by on their way to somewhere: cars with Christmas trees on top and tired children inside, in a hurry to reach a destination; people caught up in the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping, partying and always having someplace to be.

At this particular time of year, when everyone seems to be in a great hurry, we pondered whether it would be possible, or even practical, to get them to slow down. We hoped to inspire passersby to take a detour through our large parking lot for a close-up vision of the first Christmas and how it began. What if we could project a likeness of that first holy night? What if we could recreate for them a scene so calming and inviting that people would be willing to make a deliberate effort just to experience it? For some folks, this could be as close as they might get to church at Christmastime.

After conferring with our pastor, Msgr. Eugene Kerwin, about the possibility of such a venture, we were somewhat disappointed to hear his concerns about insurance liability and potential traffic issues. We were disappointed, but we agreed to address those concerns and invited the local police to review our property. Happily, the police were agreeable to us proceeding as long as we had the vehicles enter from 120th Street, thus likely avoiding any traffic backup. Then the insurance company felt comfortable having us proceed, and we were ready to go.

So, in the summer of 1995, we presented the Living Nativity project to the family life committee. The group was on board and plans began in earnest. Several seamstresses from the parish were solicited to sew costumes using fabric donated by parishioners. Though this was summertime, we knew Nebraska winters could be brutal, so the costumes were made with plenty of room for winter coats to be worn underneath. We also needed a stable to surround the cast and give some protection from the cold. We were able to obtain several tall slats from a parishioner’s backyard fence that had been taken down, and these were used to form the stable.

We decided to keep the scene simple, limiting the cast to the Holy Family, two angels, three Wise Men and two or three shepherds. We designated two separate casts, so one could rotate being outside for 20 minute intervals, while the other could warm up inside with hot beverages and food provided by generous parishioners. All in all this project went forward with the help of many parishioners who wanted to be part of this new venture.

December finally arrived and we were well prepared for our opening night. Unfortunately, the weather had turned extremely cold and we were worried that the cast would freeze outside, and also that the wintry conditions might keep people from viewing the scene. But everyone was excited about our “grand opening,” and hardy souls prevailed. We were grateful for the ability to wear coats under the costumes, and gloves were provided to all. Some cast members decided to wear trash bags over their coats (but under their costumes), thus providing another layer to ward off the blustery wind.

We had secured animals from a local 4H group to complete the scene—a donkey, some sheep and a very active and loudly bleating goat, which added color and fun (and a moment of terror when the goat stepped on the power strip and briefly turned the lights off).

So now it was time. We said a quick prayer of thanks and hope that we could bring something new to Christmas for our neighbors. When we stepped outside to position the cast in and near the stable, we were overwhelmed with what we saw. The line of cars waiting to drive through was very long. The men’s group in our parish, dressed in shepherd costumes, had lined up vehicles in several rows to keep traffic from backing up on the street. Plastic milk jugs filled with sand and a candle beautifully lit the parking lot and guided the cars to the stable. Several hundred cars passed through that night.

Watching the movement of traffic from a distance, we saw the cars go by slowly and in respectful silence, some stopping briefly to capture the scene on film. It was very reverent and powerful to see. Some drivers parked their cars and walked back to stand and view the scene from a distance.

Several cast members later commented on how holy and real it felt to be there. Many passed the time in private prayer and didn’t seem to be bothered by the cold at all. We were amazed that so many people didn’t seem to mind waiting in line 20 minutes to spend one minute with the Holy Family.

Our families spearheaded this project for the first 10 years, until our youngest children went off to college. Our children had been such a huge part of this project that it didn’t seem right to continue without them.

Luckily other families stepped forward after that, and they have enabled the project to continue for 20 more years. In that time there were a few changes made, but the scene remains mostly the same each year. (We were able to add a camel for a few years, and that was a treasure.)

Now we have reached the 30th year and the project continues, as an important tradition of St. Robert’s parish. We are grateful to the many parishioners who have had a part in presenting this simple scene to the Omaha community and who have helped all of us to truly slow down and remember the heart of the season.

Brenda Clark and Lois LeFebvre are longtime parishioners of St. Robert Bellarmine parish in Omaha, Neb. They remain very active in the parish, and when working together on their many chosen projects, the duo is known as Lois and Clark.