For the fourth year, The Federated Church Meetinghouse will be filled with over fifty creches in a display titled “There is no Room in the Inn” for the benefit of Habitat for Humanity of Martha’s Vineyard. These are miniature nativity scenes, which celebrate the birth of Jesus. Children are welcome and will go home with stickers of the nativity scene and a backdrop to color.
Because Bethlehem was full of travelers who had come to take part in the Roman census, there was no room in the inns for Joseph and Mary and their newborn child. Creches represent the stable where the family had to stay. The parents are sometimes joined by shepherds, magi or angels who came to see the newborn child.

The Creches reflect the creativity of the artists who have made the individual scenes. They range in style from delicate creches made of fragile crystal and glass to the austere beauty of Haitian scenes crafted out of metal salvage from oil drums. There is a 60-year-old German creche fabricated out of cloth and glue which must be handled with care and others made out of wool and wood which a child can play with. They come from all over the world including ones from Haiti, Mexico, Germany, and France. There are three creches which are no longer being made: a Willow Tree, a Beyer’s and a M. A. Hadley blue and white porcelain one.

The Creche Display will be open from Noon to 4:00 PM on Saturday, December 9 and from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Sunday, December 10th. Habitat Director, Greg Orcutt, will be available to answer questions on both days.

11:30 Cubist, Renaissance and Teddy Bear Creches

Join Church Historian Elizabeth Villard for a walk around the more than 50 creches on display and learn something of their origins and history.

1:00 Scavenger Hunt. 

Find the 10 objects hidden in the creches and win a creche ornament for your tree.

2:00 Join the Federated Church Carolers for half an hour of caroling.