Nativity event different, message same for Mt. Prospect church

The Lutheran Church of Martha & Mary in Mount Prospect has been displaying a living Nativity for about 15 years.

This year will be different, but the message remains the same.

"Our kids, because they cannot do a Christmas program inside the church, we've decided to make it a family event where we will be outside and they will be wearing masks and everyone is socially distant," said Ann Gay, director of Christian education for the church at 606 W. Golf Road.

At 6:30 p.m. Sunday, families will gather in the church yard for the living Nativity.

And you can see the brightly lit scene as you drive by along Golf Road.

"We are hoping just to get the message of Christmas across to everyone driving by," she said.

Sunday's event will include music piped through a speaker and children telling the Christmas story.

All month long, the church has been doing a reverse Advent calendar, making a food donation each day to the Elk Grove Township food pantry.

"I think this year more than any other year we need to spread the true meaning of Christmas out for the community," Gay said.