Too early for Christmas? Not for the Jett family’s live nativity event

Summer has only just ended in the United States, but volunteers for Steven and Susan Jett’s live nativity scene in Germany are already making plans for the upcoming Christmas season. What began as the Jetts’ Christmas open house in 1994 in Cloppenburg has become a community–wide holiday event in the town of Amberg several years later.

The Jetts’ live nativity has drawn crowds at German Christmas markets for six years in Amberg. This year, the nativity will continue its evolution as the Jetts will be out of country this Christmas, and the nativity will be run exclusively by volunteers from the United States.

“I have high expectations from God,” Susan said regarding this year’s volunteer–run live nativity. “We feel confident they can do it by themselves.”

Steven and Susan Jett, who moved overseas in 1990 with the International Mission Board, started out in the town of Cloppenburg as church planters. In December of 1994, they decided to host an American–style open house for their neighbors, complete with a handbell choir and their first live nativity scene, all in their 12– by 5–foot front yard. The next year, the event drew more than 200 people whom the Jetts had invited, and the following year, the nativity was moved to a church building, where more than 600 people came to see it.

When the Jetts moved from Cloppenburg to Amberg in 2001, their home was a few miles outside Amberg, so the next step for them seemed to be to pursue a spot at the local Christmas market, a German holiday tradition featuring craft booths and food stands. After getting permission from officials, the Jetts set up the live nativity there, which became a major draw for locals. It even caught on in a second German town, Cham.

While one might not expect local authorities or Germans themselves to be open to spiritually–themed attractions like these, the Jetts have found that a live nativity at Christmastime is a natural way to interact with people in the community. The nativities feature Jesus, Mary, Joseph, a shepherd, and an angel, as well as live sheep and a donkey, “Nancy,” with whom children clamor to have their picture made. Also catering to families at the live nativity is a children’s pavilion with crafts, puppet shows and a showing of “The Jesus Film.” Evangelistic packets are given to those who pass by.

Not only are city officials pleased with the traffic that the live nativity brings to the Christmas market, but Germans have also warmly received the festivities.

Susan recalled one year when a German soldier approached them at the nativity, asking what it was and why they were doing it, astonished that the American volunteers would pay their own way and take vacation days off to help with such a thing.

“He came back and pressed 10 euros into Steven’s hand, saying, ‘I want you to have this because every city in Germany needs to have something like this,’” Susan said.

“People have told us they were drawn to [the live nativity], like there was a light shining around us. We got to explain that light,” Susan added. “We don’t stand out there and push Jesus, but when the opportunity allows, we share the Gospel. They just open up to us.”

“Two years ago we met a young couple who was coming to worship at the Jetts’,” said long–time volunteer Patty, from Virginia. “They came every night to the manger scene and brought carrots for Nancy and hot coffee for the crew. We enjoyed meeting them and corresponding during the year. Last year, they took us to a nutcracker factory and a traditional Bavarian inn for lunch one day, and we shared many hours of their gracious hospitality. We are excited about seeing them again this year.”

Stories like these have spurred Steven and Susan on over the past several years in their development of the live nativities. And this year, since the Jetts will leave the nativity in the hands of volunteers, Susan has already been working to equip those who will work the event, giving them costumes, materials and documents to help everything run smoothly.

“I’ve told the volunteers, ‘Just remember why you’re going,’” Susan said. “‘Let Germans see that Americans love them, but that God loves them even more.“”

“I look forward to the whole thing each year, but I think this year I’m particularly looking for what God is going to do,” said Andrea, who has led a volunteer team from Hermitage Hills Baptist Church in Tennessee for the past two years. “I told our team that He has been preparing us for this year without the Jetts, so I can’t wait to see just how God is going to show up!”

Carl and Dana of Sevier Heights Baptist Church in Knoxville, Tenn., also expressed their excitement about this year’s event, despite their concerns. “I am definitely anxious about not having the Jetts there,” Dana confessed. “However, we are looking forward to showing the people of Amberg that it is all about Jesus and not about the Jetts. We hope — since we are coming even though the Jetts aren’t there — that they will truly see Christ in us.”

Now in 2008, with locals and American volunteers positioned to take over this portion of the work, Steven and Susan watch in anticipation of what God will do this year and how He may even expand this type of ministry in the future.

Posted Sep 22, 2008

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