Christmas Nativity in the Capitol, a yearly gift from founder

Participants in this year’s Christmas Nativity in the Capitol event are remembering it as an old friend’s last gift to the community.

Judy Bax, co-founder and co-organizer of the annual event inside the Missouri State Capitol Rotunda and out on the front steps, died on Dec. 9, a week after this year’s offering.

“Celebrating Christmas with a nativity scene in the Missouri State Capitol is an honor,” Mrs. Bax, who was a member of St. Margaret of Antioch Parish in Osage Bend, told the Jefferson City News Tribune Nov. 30.

More than 1,200 people attended the event, which included students from local schools singing Christmas hymns and carols in the acoustically vibrant Rotunda and outside on the Capitol lawn.

This was the largest gathering in the event’s 12-year history.

Performers included groups from St. Peter School and St. Peter Pre-school in Jefferson City; Our Lady of the Snows School in Mary’s Home; Eugene Elementary School in Eugene; the Eugene High School Band; the Helias Catholic High School Concert Choir in Jefferson City; the St. Francis Xavier School SFXpressions Youth Choir from Taos; St. Joseph School in Westphalia; St. Martin School in St. Martins; St. Stanislaus School in Wardsville; St. Joseph Cathedral School in Jefferson City; the Immaculate Conception School Children’s Choir in Jefferson City; and Immanual Lutheran School in Honey Creek.

Groups of parents from each school gathered around the outdoor steps, then filed into the Capitol Rotunda, where another Nativity was set up on a stage filled with greenery and lights.

The Rusty Strings musical ensemble, composed of Bob and Sheila Thompson from Lampe, provided joyous carols on the hammered dulcimer, guitar and mandolin as the schools rotated for performance.

Father Paul Clark, vocations director and director of seminarians for the diocese and chaplain at Helias Catholic High School in Jefferson City, served as master of ceremonies and blessed the Nativity scene in the Rotunda and the one on the Capitol steps.

He introduced each school, infusing each introduction with Scripture and anecdotes. 

The Helias Choir sang “Oh Holy Night,” which was Mrs. Bax’s favorite Christmas song, in her honor. 

The Nativity at the Capitol came to be in 2013, when Tom Brechja, president of the Thomas More Society, asked her to honor the Lord’s birth by sponsoring the Nativity Scene at the Missouri Capitol. She eagerly accepted.

Her husband, Kenny, built the stable and manger for the Nativity scene from Missouri wood from their farm.

Each year, Mrs. Bax started planning for the event in July, reminding her friends that Christmas was only six months away.

She, Marie Massman, Bonnie Lee and Mr. Bax helped the event grow steadily in popularity.

The Nativity scene was donated by the Thomas More Society and the American Manger Scene, with the goal of having a Nativity scene displayed in all 50 states.

A display has been held in 43 state Capitols so far.