Oak Lawn United Methodist Church today (Friday, Dec. 5) unveiled what the church calls “a powerful new public installation” on its front steps — “an artistic reimagining of the traditional Nativity that places the Holy Family in the lived reality of thousands of migrants and asylum-seeking families today.”
The installation “invites the Dallas community to see the Christmas story through the eyes of those fleeing violence, poverty and political instability,” according to a press release about the work.
OLUMC Senior Pastor the Rev. Rachel Griffin-Allison— recognized today as Dallas Voice’s LGBTQ+ Texan of the Year for her leadership in painting the church’s front steps in the colors of the rainbow as, in her words, as “a prayer of sacred resistance, declaring that God’s love will not be silenced, [that] God’s love can’t be erased” — said of the Nativity: “The Holy Family were migrants seeking safety. In Dallas, many families face the same uncertainty.”
She said that by grounding the Nativity in a contemporary humanitarian crisis, the church hopes to spark deeper compassion and honest reflection during the holidays.
“At Christmas, we remember that God chooses to be with those the world pushes to the margins,” said Griffin-Allison added. “May this scene call us to make room — in our hearts, in our city, in our policies — for the Christ who comes as an unhoused immigrant child.”
Oak Lawn UMC, the press release notes, “serves as a key community hub for hospitality ministries, including outreach to unsheltered neighbors and support for recently arrived migrant families through Dallas Responds. This installation reflects the congregation’s ongoing commitment to embodying solidarity, justice, and radical welcome.”
The Nativity will be on display throughout the Advent and Christmas season. Church leaders encourage community members “to visit, take photos and reflect on how the story of Christ’s birth speaks into the urgent realities facing Dallas today.”
— Tammye Nash
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