A Brief History of Nativity

The Church of the Nativity was founded by the Rev. M. Huyett Sangree and his wife, Jean, in 1946 in the Town of Tonawanda. At this early stage in the life of the church, it didn't yet have a charter, a name, or a permanent home.

The first worship service was held in The Little Chapel of the Elms in nearby Elmlawn Cemetery. It was December 1946 and, with Christmas in the air, one of the founding members suggested the name "Nativity." It stuck!

The Church of the Nativity was officially chartered as a Congregational Church on February 2, 1947. Worship services continued to be held in The Little Chapel of the Elms until 1949 when construction was completed on Nativity's permanent home -- its present day site on Colvin Boulevard near Sheridan Dive in the Town of Tonawanda.

This was a time when many GIs were returning from World War II to new housing in the town, and the Sangrees and early members of Nativity offered them a warm welcome.

Soon there were 1,000 members, including 400 children, and space was getting tight. Construction was begun on a new, larger, sanctuary, which was completed in time for worship on Christmas Eve 1955.

Since then our life together has been marked by three main qualities. First, we are Nurturing. Church school and dynamic youth programs for Middle Highs and Senior Highs have long been a hallmark. Fellowship groups, including the Women's Guild, sprouted up from early days and continue to bear fruit. And worshippers remark on two qualities of our worship services: music that feeds the soul and sermons that bring God's presence and guidance into everyday life.

Second, we are Empowering. Small groups, including the Laity Empowerment Program, help members deepen their faith, discover their spiritual gifts, and find creative ways to use them to do Christ's work. In addition to individual vocations, these include delivering Meals on Wheels, volunteering at hospitals, and working on community concerns through VOICE-Buffalo or the Coalition for Economic Justice. Nativity has long addressed the issues of the day, going back to the War in Vietnam and the Civil Rights and Women's Rights movements. We have also resettled 13 refugee families from around the world and provide a monthly meal at the Night People Drop-In Center.

Finally, we are Welcoming. From the beginning we brought members from many denominational backgrounds together. In 1957 we joined the United Church of Christ, uniting with congregations from the old Evangelical and Reformed Church. More recently we voted to become Open and Affirming, publically welcoming gay and lesbian people into full membership and leadership in our church. And in a recent expansion and renovation we made our building fully accessible. Each Sunday, our bulletin states: "No matter who you are, or where you are on your journey in life life's journey, you are welcome here." And we mean it.

Nativity is Nurturing, Empowering, and Welcoming. Or to use the acronym, Nativity is NEW! Over the six plus decades of our life we have been constantly growing. We are a church on the move, always seeking to deepen our faith, increase our spiritual gifts, and offer Christ's healing love in our congregation and community.