Live Nativity. Great Auditorium of Ocean Grove, waiting to begin. 2014.  By Paul Goldfinger. ©

By Paul Goldfinger MD,  Editor Blogfinger.net  December 23, 2020.

I have always liked the richness–the feel of this image, because the Live Nativity is more than a religious re-enactment and I hope you can see that in this photograph.

This event captures the  Christmas spirit which is generally special, but especially so in Ocean Grove’s Great Auditorium.   Children are dressed like angels, shepherds, wise men and even camels with two humps, and that is a transformation which is literal but also brings to life the history of Christmas.   And the representation of the story and its meaning resonates through the Auditorium, a place where music lives and tells its own stories of faith.

The conversation illustrated above includes a violinist who will provide special music of the season, and she will convey more than just notes made with strings.  Music has the power to be heart-felt and to cause  goose bumps and when it is coupled with an event that speaks of goodness, faith, family and community, then she will bring that all out with her playing;  I can tell by her face and by how she clings to her instrument.

JOHN RUTTER  “A Christmas Lullaby” from the album A String Quartet Christmas.