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New Baby Jesus figure to grace nativity scene
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 The new baby Jesus figure will be placed in the nativity scene at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church on Christmas eve. The nativity scene’s lighting ceremony is Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. The Observer/DICK MASON But Pokorney, a member of the church’s parish, did not know how deeply they cared until about a year ago. The figure of the baby Jesus was stolen from the nativity scene in late December. It was eventually found but had been destroyed by vandals. Pokorney was heartbroken by the action but heartened by the public reaction. Many people, including a significant number from outside the Catholic Church, called Pokorney “It was amazing. People called me immediately. They wanted to help,’’ said Pokorney, who is with Knights of Columbus Council 9442, which is in charge of maintaining the nativity scene each year.Youths from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in La Grande and two of their adult advisers, Verl and Connie Long, were among those who offered a generous hand of assistance. They began raising money to purchase a new baby Jesus figure. The LDS youths and their adult leaders raised $150 for the purchase of the baby Jesus, which cost $120. The youths raised $100 of their total by collecting about 2,000 pop cans, which they turned in for deposits. The efforts of the LDS youths will be saluted at Tuesday’s annual lighting ceremony, which begins at 5:30 p.m. The annual lighting ceremony is noteworthy because Our Lady of the Valley’s nativity scene is the only outdoor one La Grande has had for at least 15 years, Pokorney said. The display has been put up at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church each Christmas season for at least the past 35 years. The nativity scene was set up again late Sunday morning by the Knights of Columbus. The display includes models of Mary, Joseph, a donkey and a lamb, a straw-filled manger plus lights bordering the display and a star above it. The nativity scene’s new baby Jesus will be placed in the manger on Christmas eve. Church members have been touched at how children respond to the baby Jesus. Gifts from children including trinkets have been found in the manger, said Pokorney, a permanent acolyte with Our Lady of the Valley. The nativity scene is in a plywood shelter designed to look like a limestone cave. Many Bethlehem stables during the time of Jesus were in limestone caves. Kathy McGee, a member of the Our Lady of the Valley’s parish, painted the shelter several years ago to make it look like a limestone cave. The present nativity scene replaced an earlier one that had a cabin-like look. Several songs will be sung at Tuesday’s lighting ceremony including “Silent Night,” which will be performed in German by Les Ihli of Our Lady of the Valley and Father Christopher Agoha, pastor of Our Lady of the Valley. “Silent Night’’ was first written and sung in German in the early 1800s. Tuesday’s ceremony will coincide with a national nativity scene crib lighting night conducted throughout the United States by Knights of Columbus members. A potluck, open to the public, will follow Tuesday’s event at the church. The nativity scene will be lit each day from late afternoon through 9 p.m.
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