United Methodist Church Live Nativity Tonight

United Methodist Church Live Nativity Scene

December 21-23 At Sixth Avenue and Fayette Street

By Jack Coll

December 21, 2019

    My records indicate that the United Methodist Church located at West Sixth Avenue and Fayette Street will be presenting their 61^st Annual Live Nativity Scene, set in a manger set-up in front of the church facing Fayette Street starting today, December 21 and run thru Monday December 23.

       When this event began in 1958 Dwight Eisenhower was President of the United States, Paul E. Chreiman was Pastor at the Methodist Church, Edmund K. Williams was Burgess of Conshohocken, most of the houses along the avenues in the borough could be purchased for under $9,000, a new car at E. F. Moore Chevrolet could be purchased for under $2,000 and a ticket to get into the Riant Theatre was still 50 cents.   

     With the closing of SS Cosmas Church, effectively shutting down the century old celebration of the annual feast a few years back, the Methodist Church live Nativity display is one of the oldest running traditions in the borough.

     The Nativity will feature Mary, Joseph, three wise men, a shepherd and a baby Jesus.  The scene will be played-out all three nights from 7 p.m.-9 p.m.  Jillian’s Café will offer different musical programs, a miniature “Christmas Village,” a photo booth, children’s activities each night and light refreshments.   Pastor Tim Duchesue will hold a 7 p.m. candlelight service.

     A new twist to this event tonight, December 21, will be the debut of Christmas Parrandera.  The Parrandera is an old tradition from the islands, south of the United States, a tradition that started in the countryside among the poor.  As legend has it people would walk from one house to another and create songs around their lives, a way to preserve tradition that goes back to when Spaniards conquered the natives in these lands.

     When the Parranderra is recreated tonight at 6p.m., a band of musicians from Puerto Rico and Venezuela will gather at Second Avenue and Fayette Street, and march up Fayette Street to the Methodist Church at Sixth Avenue where they will provide music for the Nativity scene tradition.  It’s important to know that residents and spectators are welcomed to join-in the procession and march with the musicians as they make “Merry” headed up Fayette Street.

     It would be a wonderful thing to see a permanent procession added to the 61 year old Nativity tradition, something we can all be proud of in years to come.

     Men, women and children are all welcomed to sing and march in the procession helping make this event a success.  I’ll see you at Second Avenue at

6 p.m. to take a few photographs and march along the parade route.