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2025 Conference
December 1-3, 2025
Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland welcomes you to the Great Lakes Nativity Conference!

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CLEVELAND MARRIOTT HOTEL

We will be located in the Cleveland Marriott East in Warrensville Heights, Ohio. Rooms are now available to book.  Rooms are available for a special rate of $119/night for a standard room or $139/night for two double beds.

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KIRTLAND, OHIO LDS TEMPLE & HISTORIC VILLAGE

On our second day, we will board buses for the 20-minute drive to the first LDS temple, in Kirtland, Ohio. We will tour the historic church and original settlement (now an outdoor museum), and visitor center, which is filled with parishioners’ nativities. They also have the Lord’s Prayer recorded in every language.

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SANCTUARY ON GREEN

The tour continues with the Sanctuary on Green, a converted home filled with wonderful German-styled hand carved nativities and other Christmas ornaments. The sculptors, Victoria and Norbert Koehn, live on site.

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GESU CHURCH & EMMA LINCOLN NATIVITY COLLECTION

Then we will tour Gesu church to see a nativity display that includes Emma Lincoln’s personal collection on permanent display as well as others owned by parish members.

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MEMBER MUSEUM OF SMALL NATIVITIES

We are asking members to bring small nativities (4 inches or less)  to the conference to display in the Members Museum.

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Agenda

  • December 1

    • This pre-day of the conference features an easy craft day making nativities from books or pop-up cards. You don't need to be an artist to participate.

    • 2:00 - 6:00 PM: Registration

    • 6:30 PM: Welcome social, hors d'oeurves provided & cash bar
       

  • December 2

    • Annual Friends of the Creche meeting

    • Presenters on the following topics:

      • Caring for our nativities

      • Meaning of lesser known figures

      • The future of our collections

      • Making a small museum or home exhibit​

    • A curator from Cleveland Museum of Art will explain how to restore and take care of our treasures.

    • Member's Museum of Miniatures

    • Manger Mart with vendors
       

  • December 3

    • Travel by bus to tour Kirtland LDS Temple and historic village, Sanctuary on Green, and Gesu Church

    • Nativity auction of nativities donated by members attending the conference

    • Banquet, entertainment and awards

Cost and Registration

  • Cost to attend the conference is $295/person (USD). $30 for craft sessions

  • Registration will open later in 2025 through this web page.  It will be announced in Creche Herald, on Facebook and by email.

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