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By Danielle Furfaro
Brooklyn Daily
The congregants of the New Utrecht Reformed Church spent a balmy Saturday afternoon reenacting the first Noel.
Close to two dozen took their places by the manger next to the church over the course of the day. Each group stood like statues for one hour, before they stepped down to give the next group a shot.
“It was an honor to do it for my church,” said Elina Belenitsky, who spent an hour posed as Mary.
The roles for the living nativity included Mary, Joseph, and a cadre of shepherds and angels. The church even rented real sheep, goats, and a calf to play the role of the stable animals. The role of baby Jesus was covered by a doll.
“People were sticking their hands in and petting the animals through the fence,” said Belenitsky.
According to church officials, hundreds of Bay Ridge residents come by each year to see the living nativity, which the church has put on annually since 1956.
“We start getting phone calls asking about the date as early as April,” says Susan Hanyen, vice president of New Utrecht’s Consistory. “It’s actually kind of a Christmas card we offer to our neighborhood and beyond.”
The nativity was right in front of the landmarked Liberty Pole, which stands 104 feet tall at 18th Ave. between 83rd and 84th streets.