December 1, 2005

by Lyndsay Fejeran

Friday, December 2nd 6:00pm-10:00 pm and Saturday, December 3 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm, the La Sierra University Stahl Center Museum of Culture presents “Nativity Scenes Display” at the Sierra Visa Chapel.  To help kick off this years Christmas spirit, “Nativity Scenes Display” is open to the community to enjoy traditional, cultural, and modern nativity scenes.

Kendra Haloviak, La Sierra University Assistant Professor of New Testament Studies, will be offering many of her unique nativity scenes.  Starting her young, Haloviak’s mother gave her one figure from a nativity scene for Christmas and as a couple years passed she had collected the whole scene.  After many years her passion for Judeo Christian art grew and she began to collect various nativity scenes. 

Her collection currently consists of more than 20 scenes representing many countries around the world including Peru, Russia, and the Philippines. Not only are they culturally diverse but they are also all one of a kind, coming in all different sizes and arrangements. For example some of them are engraved in glass, in a Christmas bulb, fit in the palm of your hand, and inside an igloo. 

Contributing to the Stahl Centers Christmas kickoff, many other collectors will join Haloviak in displaying their nativity scenes.  The Stahl Center anticipates a great turn out for their first “Nativity Scenes Display,” and center directors are planning to make this exhibit an annual holiday event.

If you would like to share your nativity scenes with the community or for more information you may contact Kay Clayton at (951) 785-2999.