For the first time since before the covid pandemic, an annual holiday tradition returns to its full in person capacity in Jefferson.

Heart of Iowa Habitat for Humanity is hosting the Nativity Festival this Sunday at the First United Methodist Church. Executive Director Ron Christensen says the event begins at 3pm with the doors open for people to see the nativity scenes that community members have on display in the church. Then there will be a community concert with several groups and organizations performing Christmas music at 4pm. A soup supper will be served at 5pm, followed by the popular pie auction at 5:30pm.

Taking over the reins of Heart of Iowa Habitat for Humanity since this past September, Christensen tells Raccoon Valley Radio he’s appreciative of the support and knowledge Greene County volunteers have had with planning for this event, which he’s excited for.

“And they’ve been just so wonderful to work with, (including) the folks from the churches, the pastors, the people who you know just work behind the scenes in the churches with printed material, to pulling together the musical talent (and), they knew who to contact as far as baking the pies. We also have just a lot of folks who have donated soup and their time to this effort. So I just can’t thank people enough.”      

Christensen is hoping to meet a lot of people at the event, which serves as their main fundraiser for continuing to provide housing repairs for low income and qualified homeowners in Greene County.