Private/public Christmas display draws crowds Clifton Park crèche is an annual tradition

During this season of glad tidings, one area funeral director continues to sidestep the tide of public opinion by displaying a life-size Christmas crèche facing heavily-trafficked Route 9 in Clifton Park.

The nativity scene is on display at the Gordon C. Emerick Funeral Home, just a half-mile north of Grooms Road.

Five years ago, people warned Kelly Sanvidge, co-owner with his brother, Jack, that it might be a poor business decision to erect such a visible outdoor nativity scene. However, nothing deterred him from acting to keep the religious meaning of Christmas alive.

Controversy periodically attends municipal Christmas displays, even when they include a Jewish menorah, Kwanzaa candle and other interfaith items. But the Sanvidge crèche is on private property and avoids legal issues entirely.

Extended family
Year by year, the crèche keeps expanding. It started with a simple barn-wood stable constructed by local carpenters who tried to replicate what the setting may have been like in Bethlehem. There were the Holy Family and a few other figurines.

As other figures were added, including the Magi, village children and animals, the manger was enlarged. Every life-size piece is designed by the Fontanini Co. and imported from Italy; the two newest sections on each side of the stable have lambs nestled among three lighted Christmas trees.

An ecumenical service of remembrance and blessing of the crèche was held on Dec. 4 to mark the official start of the viewing period, which lasts until the feast of the Epiphany on Jan. 6.

Seven local clerics led people in prayer and read Scripture passages related to the nativity. Mark and Paula Barrett, music ministers at Corpus Christi Church in Round Lake, directed the singing of Christmas hymns with the help of sixth-grade students from St. Augustine School's in Troy.

More than 100 people were also present to honor deceased relatives and friends. Each individual or family came forward to announce the name of the loved one they were remembering and to receive a keepsake glass heart ornament. Also, everyone was invited to take home some straw from the stable to put with their own nativity set.

Christmases past
Many of those in attendance lost someone in the past year. Marge Thornton was grieving her husband of 51 years, Ed, whose anniversary of death was the next day. She said the service was "very touching."

Jeanne Cusack's husband of more than 61 years, Ray, died in March. She said the ceremony "brings him a little closer to my heart and I feel he's with me all the time."

Another widow, Mary Samaniuk, was married 50 years to John, who passed away eight years ago. This was her first year attending the crèche blessing; she was surprised that such a beautiful nativity scene is outdoors when people fear vandalism and theft.

She said the crèche is an outstanding way to "keep Christ in Christmas."

Mike Aidala, a secular Franciscan, told The Evangelist that he wanted to come for the program in memory of his wife, Lidia, who died "17 years, 191 days ago" and was buried from the Emerick Funeral Home.

Mr. Aidala currently lives in Buffalo, where he works in hospital ministry, but was in the area visiting his daughter and doing some Santa appearances when he heard about the crèche blessing.

Faith revived
Mr. Sanvidge mentioned that his determination to initiate the public nativity scene was a natural outgrowth of the renewal of his faith he experienced during the Albany Diocese's pilgrimage to Rome in 2000, a jubilee year for the Church.

The crèche "is not at all commercial, [but] arose as a response to society's reluctance to acknowledge the religious basis for Christmas." he said. "I felt the urge to do something. We have received many - I mean many - messages and cards showing support for this act.

"We have, all through the day and night, people stopping, saying a prayer, kneeling in the snow, taking a photo and taking some hay home for their crèche. To me, it just goes to show [secular] society isn't always right."

(12-10-09)