Creche Convention Update

Heartland Cradlesong & 2008

2007-11-24T09:33:00.000-07:00

A great big "Thank you" is in order to all those who attended our recent gathering in Dublin, Ohio. An even bigger, "Thank You, " to all those who made it happen. We will be updating this site soon not only about the great memories of Heartland Cradlesong but with information about our next gathering which will be for our one- day meeting in Ann Arbor, Michigan on November 8, 2008. Put it on your calendars so you can be sure to join us there.

Update from Heartland Cradlesong 2007

2007-06-16T07:00:00.000-06:00

The Irish cultural heritage of Dublin will be center stage the first weekend in August. Almost 100,00 people attend the Irish Festival in Dublin, Ohio, now the second or third largest in the country, featuring Irish history, dogs, food, arts, and vendors of everything conceivable that has an Irish connection from Celtic harps to clothing, tea from Ireland to ceramics and crystal. Even Fighting Irish gear is available for Notre Dame aficionados. Although our town’s only real historic tie to the old country is the surveyor who laid out the town ca 1817, the entire focus is on Irish culture. As on St. Patrick’s Day everyone in Dublin and at the festival becomes Irish. The crèche tradition in Ireland will be part of the Heartland Celebration at the 2007 convention here in Dublin.

Also to be featured at this year’s convention is the role of ancillary figures. The robin has been part an important Christmas symbol in the British Isles for centuries. In an exhibit of the history of the Christmas card at the Victoria and Albert museum at Christmas, 1990, our 10 year old daughter and we were entranced with the concept that the first commercially available cards in London featured the robin.

The Legend of the Robin or How the Robin Got its Red Breast

We all know that the night the Christchild was born, the winds howled and snow lay deep on the hillsides surrounding Bethlehem. The animals in the stable gave Him straw to lie on and wool for a blanket. However, the air remained frigid. St Joseph tried desperately to keep a fire lit to warm the newborn infant and his mother. The task seemed impossible. Just as a flame would flicker into life, a gust of wind would put it out. The robin sitting on her perch in the stable rafters watched in dismay. Realizing the desperation in St. Joseph, she flew down over the glowing coals and began to fan them with her wings as she hovered over the embers. In her zeal to beat the fire to life, she flew ever closer to the heat source. Disregarding her own comfort and safety, she used her wings as a bellows, providing the necessary fanning of the embers until they burst into flames.. In the meantime, her own breast was scorched by the heat and her normally brown breast had burned to scarlet. God the Father declared that forever more, the robin should be marked with a redbreast so that all the world would recognize her sacrificial service to the Infant Jesus at His birth.

The European robin, related to the wren, is smaller than the American robin. The breast is tomato red rather than the buff orange breast of our much larger robins. This past week as I wandered into our living room, my eyes fell on one of my favorite recent additions to our collection. It ties into our convention theme in several ways, not the least is having been made in County Kerry and found in Adare, Ireland last autumn... To my delight, perched on the roof of the stable are tiny robin redbreasts. (Come to hear Father Roten speak on Ancillary figures and see the Marian Library exhibit of them.)

This past week on a shopping visit to Ha’Penny Bridge in Dublin, we spoke to Al Gleine. He told us of his excitement in locating many Nativities to offer at the Manger Mart on their January trip to Ireland. Ann Gleine will speak to us on the Irish celebration of Christmas in November.

Update from the Heartland

2007-06-01T15:11:00.000-06:00

HEARTLAND CRADLESONG - Friends of the Creche National Convention

Dublin, Ohio, Thursday, November 8, to Saturday, November 10, 2007

Ethnic Traditions of the Midwest

and

Music Celebrating the Birth of Our Lord

and

Presentations hailing the historic melting pot diversity of the Midwest:

German, Irish, Norwegian, African-American, Slovakian, Italian, and Greek.

Exhibit of Creches from the International Collection of the University of Dayton. Curated and introduced by Fr. Johann Roten, Director of the Marian Library, the exhibit will reflect the ethnic diversity theme by featuring the supporting cast of the Nativity tradition: the people of all walks of life and of all ages, attracted to the Christ child as to a magnet. They bring gifts of gratitude, visible and invisible ones, and converge on him who gives them faith, hope and love for God and each other.
Keynote speaker, Dr. Paul Ulring, Senior Pastor of Upper Arlington Lutheran Church, accomplished pianist and authority on the hymnody and musical heritage of the Christian church, will present: "This is My Story, This is My Song" with a focus on the biblical roots of the Nativity cradlesongs and carols, with audience participation in carol singing.
Evening musical performance by the Sanctuary Choir and instrumentalists of Upper Arlington Lutheran Choir, directed by Michael G. Martin, noted choral director, composer and arranger.
Prominent Creche Artists talking about their own work: Jerry Krider, woodworker; Gary Wilson, ceramicist; Armando Piscitelli of Naples, Italy, on traditional Neapolitan figures.
Orthodox Nativity Iconography and Hymnody. Discussed and demonstrated by Frs. Nathanael Smyth and Nicholas Hughes, monks from the Monastic Brotherhood of St. Theodore, (Galion, Ohio) and practicing iconographers and creche maker
More Presentations: on Advent calendars, garage sale Nativities, displaying Nativities, herbal lore in the Nativity tradition, ethnic Christmas foods, and how-to discussions of displaying Nativities.
More Exhibits: Nativity Stitchery and Members Creches. Bring your own stitchery and/or creche to share.
Ethnic heritage Christmas Menus for Friday lunch and Friday and Saturday night dinners, and a full breakfast is offered to all conventioneers staying at the Embassy Suites.
Pre-Convention tour of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, a splendid Byzantine-style church featuring some of the most impressive mosaics in the country, the Columbus Museum of Art, and the outdoor Nativity display of State Auto Insurance .
FOTC cookbook of your own recipes. In keeping with the melting pot theme, the convention committee is publishing a cookbook of family recipes to be distributed at the convention. We invite each of you, whether you are attending the convention or not, to submit one or more of your favorite Christmas recipes. Tell us the origin, ethnicity or family connection, and the role food plays or played in your family celebrations. Share your old or new traditions. Submit recipes, by e-mail to dlhahm83@yahoo.com; or with your registration form before July 1.

Travel and Hotel update

2005-02-23T14:08:00.000-07:00

See our updated travel and hotel information including Travel Tips for the Santa Fe area.