Nativity scene makes a Sonoma Valley house call

When long-time Sonoma resident Ellen Shepherd lamented to friends how much she missed not having the live nativity scene at her church St. Andrew Presbyterian on Arnold Drive this year, the cast and crew of the annual nativity scene showed by up at her door step the day before their Christmas Eve performance at the old Sonoma Mission complex near the Plaza, downtown Sonoma.

Neighbors near her home at Sonoma Oaks (just off of Sonoma Highway) were stunned and thrilled on Saturday afternoon Dec. 23 to see a live nativity scene drive in and set up.

“This is amazing and wonderful,” exclaimed Shepherd (pictured above, with Brian Ness), totally surprised as she walked out to greet the cast and crew who drove the menagerie of animals to Shepherd’s house en route to prepare and set up the scene at the old Sonoma Mission barracks for Christmas Eve.

This year’s live nativity scene at the Plaza will be at the La Casa Grande courtyard at 20 East Spain Street, beginning at 1m on Dec. 24.

Brian Ness and Mike Weiss, operators of Vintage Kennel Club in Sonoma have been providing a live nativity scene in Sonoma at various churches since 2005. St. Andrew Presbyterian was one of several local Sonoma churches over the years that have had the rare opportunity to experience a live nativity scene presentation.

Back in 2018, Ness and his company of nativity performers made an appearance at St. Andrew to the delight of the congregation. Shepard who has been a member of St. Andrew Presbyterian for years (along with her late husband Harry) became very fond of Sahara the camel in the nativity scene. This past year, Sahara gave birth to a healthy baby camel calf.

“It’s only been in the past two years that we have performed the nativity scene at the Plaza,” said Ness. Previously, the nativity scene was not only performed at St. Andrew but at Sonoma Valley Community Church among other churches.

In 2021 Ness made arrangements with the Sonoma State Park, via the California State Parks Department to have the live nativity scene at the Plaza in an effort to make the experience more accessible to the public and easier to get to.

Story and photos by Jonathan Farrell