In preparation for this milestone in the life of our church, a committee has been formed to collect stories and special memories of our history.
Each week from now until the end of January we will feature short videos from members, sharing their stories of faith, determination, passion, transformation, hardship and love.
In the Beginning
With an eye on the rapidly increasing population in North Raleigh, an inspired group of lay people from several churches in Raleigh approached then-Bishop Estill in 1985 about establishing a new congregation.
On December 5, 1985, Bishop Estill celebrated our first service, attended by 75 people.
A founding charter was signed by 45 members, and weekly services began in January 1986 at York Elementary School’s gymnasium, when the name Church of the Nativity was chosen by those attending.
This week we feature Gail Christensen, one of the first to dream and encourage the call for a new parish in North Raleigh. How do you even go about such an enormous task of starting a church?
The period from November 1985 to November 1988 was the detailed planning phase for the new church.
This slideshow is based on Emilie Sigel’s scrapbooks from that period.
The pictures are from the early days where services were held at York School, the selection of the first vicar, the move from York School to Ravenscroft.
The Early Years
This week’s video of several founders – Becky Christian, Emilie and Carl Sigel, Diana Hudgens, and Ann Burts – focuses on the early years of being “Israelites in the Wilderness”.
They recall worshiping in a gym with a homemade altar that looked like an ironing board, setting up the first five-year financial plan, taking the first steps into a ministry to the deaf and creation care, even laying in front of bulldozers to preserve the iconic willow oak.
Becky gives the history of the organ from a small borrowed organ to installing the present organ in two major efforts.
Nativity’s Honduras Health Mission
From our earliest years as a parish one of Nativity’s priorities has been mission and outreach as we have strived to live out our baptismal covenant to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself.
While establishing this new congregation even before the construction of this church on Ray Road, our founding members were welcoming the stranger, feeding the poor and caring for creation. Individual members answered the call to serve from beyond their daily schedules and invited Nativity to share in these ministries.
Peggy Wade heard God’s call in a remote community in Honduras for medical services and invited Nativity to share in this mission. Thus began more than 35 years of the Honduras Health Mission, recounted in this video.
Founding of the Interfaith Food Shuttle
From the formation of our church to its construction and various ministries, Nativity has always exemplified strong lay leadership. These strong-willed, pioneering individuals often were called within their individual lives and quickly gained the support of the congregation.
In 1989 Jill Bullard experienced such a call and so began the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. Though Jill is no longer the director of the IFFS, Nativity continues to serve an important role with Jon Showalter currently serving as the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle board director.
Members of the church continue to help pack meals for seniors once a month. Watch the video linked on this page and learn more about the incredible work of the IFFS. Talk with Jill or Jon about how you might get involved.