Frequently Asked Questions

I’m a single Mom or scheduling will not allow my children’s father to participate, can I build a manger with my children?

No, we respectfully ask that you allow this to be an event where men work with the children. However, we want your children to participate. This would be a great opportunity for an uncle, grandfather or trusted friend to do something with the children. Additionally, each site will be expected to have some helpers on hand to assist with children who’s dads are unavailable for whatever reason.

How can my church participate?

Click here for information about getting involved in the NW Manger Build. We are looking for at least 20 churches to participate.

What should I bring to the event?

Nothing but a hammer that your child can use and a great attitude. Don’t be anxious or in a hurry. Enjoy this time with your children.

How long will it take to build the manger?

Depending upon the skill level of your children it may take as little as 20 minutes or as long as an hour to build the manger. The event locations are open from 9AM until 11AM so pick a time that meets your needs. We encourage you to take the kids out for breakfast and or shopping for a gift for mom either before or after building your manger.

What do I do with the manger after Christmas?

If you don’t plan to do this again, save it for next year.

If you plan to make the NW Manger Build a tradition for your family we suggest you store the manger until just before Easter. Near Easter, take the manger out and disassemble it. Use the parts to build a cross. Use this to talk with your children about the fact that Christ came to the world as a babe in a manger with one job to do. He was to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins. The babe in the manger became the man on the cross. After Easter or if you don’t plan to transform it into a cross, just take it apart and let your children drive nails in the board and build something else. There is little in life that fascinates children as much as using a hammer, nails and a few boards to build something.

Can I build an extra one with my children for a relative or friend?

Yes, but you will need to register two times and pay the local fee twice in order to do that. We want to make sure we have sufficient material on hand. A manger is an awesome gift to share with a family friend or relative who would appreciate it but has no children.

I don’t have children but I would like to be involved. Can I?

Absolutely! We’ll need help at each site with coordination and preparation. We can even use help early at the Noble Warriors Leadership Zone to cut and prepare material. But perhaps the most important thing you could do is to find a mother with children whose father is unavailable to participate. You could bless her and them by suggesting that she bring the kids to the church where you will meet them and build a manger. If you would like more information about how to plug in please call the Leadership Zone at 804.365.8683 or send us an email at buildamanger@noblewarriors.org.

How much does this cost?

The cost for participating in the event is set by the host church. Please contact them for additional information.

I would like to take some pictures of my child and others building mangers. Can you offer some tips or suggestions?

Building a manger with your child is a memorable event to be shared with your child and others for many years to come, especially as they grow older. Here are some picture taking suggestions.

Take a picture of the hosting churches sign/marque, to give them credit and let viewers know exactly who they are. Often folks use acronyms to identify a church and just as often there is more than one church with similar letters in their name (e.g. SCBC = Swift Creek Baptist Church and Spring Creek Baptist Church)
Get in close - smiling faces are a big hit in photo albums
Don't forget to include other children in your pictures, whether they are your childs friends or "unknown" friends. They may not have a camera and would enjoy getting copies of the pictures you took. This can lead to fellowship and/or new friendships.
Take as many pictures as possible. With digital photography, it doesn't cost anything to take an extra picture and then delete it if you don't want it. But if you don't take that picture or miss something due to blinking or movement, you can't do a "take over".
Learn to use some of the manual camera settings such as "white balance". While using the "automatic" setting is usually quick and easy and takes good pictures outdoors, indoor photography and mixed light settings can produce pictures with strange colors like too much yellow or blue colors due to florescent and/or sun/regular lighting.
Take the highest resolution pictures you can. Large pictures can be easily shrunk without losing much if any picture quality. Trying to "blow up" small, low-resolution pictures often produces grainy, pixelated terrible results.
Make a copy of your pictures and donate them to Noble Warriors so that we may include them in future slideshows showcasing the Build A Manger events.