FRACKVILLE - To help show the meaning of Christmas, the youth group of First United Methodist Church, 25 S. Balliet St., sponsored a live Nativity display on Sunday night.
The display, from 6 to 8 p.m. on the church's front lawn, featured characters from the first Christmas story, including live animals.
"We do it to show the true meaning of Christmas," said Pastor Sue Ketterer. "It's not all about the shopping and baking. It's Christ's brith and that's why we hope that we're a light in the community showing that."
Ketterer said that First UMC has held the live Nativity for about four years and that she used to hold one at her old church in Bucks County that ran three nights and ended on Christmas Eve.
The local live Nativity was held only one night as Ketterer said they "don't have the large contingency."
Participating in the Nativity were Skylar Zaleski, 10, of Ringtown, who was Mary; D.J. Zelesky, 13, of Ringtown, who was Joseph; Leif Connor, 12, of Gerardville, who was a wise man, and Ty Bowers, 12, of Frackville, who was a shepard.
Connor's mother, Jennifer, said this was her son's second year participating in the event and he enjoys it.
"It's really fun for the kids," Jennifer Connor said. "A lot of people come to see it. My grandmother, who is 84, came to see it last year and stayed for like a half hour, so I think it's great."
The live animals in the display were from Appalachian Pet Farm, Strausstown.
The pet farm's Kathy Reifsnyder said they brought an alpaca, goats, sheep, chickens, a goose, pigeons, bunnies and a baby calf.
Reifsnyder said that they do the Nativity with the church every year and travel all around with their animals to other churches that hold live Nativity displays.