Live Nativity 2023: Ten Years of Telling the Christmas Story! [Photo Gallery]

Hundreds of people attended Concordia at Cabot’s 10th Annual Live Nativity on Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023 to hear and celebrate the story of Jesus’s birth, set against a backdrop of a chilly (and thankfully dry) winter evening.

Beautiful handmade luminaries lined Marwood Road leading to the event, donated and set up by the St. Luke Lutheran Church Youth Group, Rev. Brian Bocian, Concordia Visiting Nurses Cabot, Jason & Tammy Young and Travis & Stacy Mathers – we thank this group for their dedication and hard work!

Once at the Bethlehem stable in front of our Haven II retirement living community, guests were able to enjoy three performances of the birth of Jesus, which included residents, family members and staff as actors; live animals from Barnyard Petting Zoo; live music performed by Concordia team members Wendy Moore and Hope Rouda; Christmas hymn sing-a-longs; and more!

There was even more festive music both inside and outside between the performances by groups from St. Luke Lutheran School, Redeemer Lutheran School and the Pittsburgh Lutheran Chorus. Inside, Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus visited with and gave a free gift to all the children. Kids of all ages enjoyed hot chocolate and Christmas cookies.

For anyone who couldn’t make it to the Live Nativity, it was also livestreamed on Concordia’s YouTube channel! Click the preceding link to watch it now!

We had a lot of help planning this special event and couldn’t have done it without Concordia residents and staff members narrating, decorating and setting up, greeting guests, singing, acting and more! Special thanks to the Saxonburg Fire Police for traffic control; and Haven II residents for hosting, including special efforts from Bud Sears and Gloria Walker. Also, a big thank you to our cast:

• Mary: Julie Cornelius

• Joseph: Codey Smith

• Wise Men: Dave Gilkey, Chris Nagg, Rev. Adam Salinas

• Shepherds/Shepherdesses: Jeremiah Beilstein, Kaydn Frndak, Layne Frndak, Todd McCurdy, Emil Steinmentz

• Angels: Addie Beilstein, Karen Beilstein, Cindy Perri, Julie Ryan, Janet Seagriff

• Villagers: Piper Cummings, Rylee Cummings, Teresa Cummings

• Narrator: Carol Shick

• Singers: Hope Rouda, Wendy Moore

• Elves: Amy Bailie

We are blessed to celebrate the joy of Christmas every year, and thank everyone who attended, tuned in or supported our Live Nativity. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

Merry Christmas from Concordia!

Enjoy the photos below (click to enlarge) and feel free to leave a comment on our Facebook page about your favorite Live Nativity memory from the last 10 years! If you happened to miss the event or would like to enjoy the retelling of Jesus’s birth again, check out our YouTube channel to watch the video. To keep up with what’s happening at Concordia, visit our Events page here.

Nativity Photos

Nativity Live Stream

Founded in 1881, Concordia Lutheran Ministries is a faith-based, CARF-accredited Aging Services Network and recipient of the inaugural Pennsylvania Department of Aging Excellence in Quality Care Award. As one of the largest nonprofit senior care providers in the country, the organization serves 50,000 people annually through in-home care and inpatient locations in western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio and Tampa, Florida.