by Theresa Clark
When Leo Boyer of Winona Lake, Indiana, searched for a yard display that would make a public statement for Christ during the Christmas season, he became frustrated. He could not find anything that drew attention to the birth of Christ. Mostly, he found reindeer, Santas, and Christmas trees.
So after much prayer and doodling, Boyer decided to create a lawn display that Christians could use to portray Christ clearly as the true meaning of the holiday season.
The result is a vertical framework that uses a timed lighting system to illuminate first a manger scene and then transition to the shape of a cross.
“We want this to be a ministry-type thing,” says Boyer. “I think there’s a real opportunity to tell folks what Jesus’ birth is all about.”
“There’s nothing else out there like this,” he says.
After nearly a year of experimenting with prototypes, searching for a manufacturer, and trying different kinds of switching devices, Boyer is now ready to make the display available to others at a retail price of $298 each. One manufacturer of Christmas displays has already committed to listing it in catalogs and on their website.
Boyer plans to donate $50 from each sale to the Grace Brethren Seminary and Bible School in Bata, Central African Republic.
Boyer became aware of the urgent need for scholarships for African pastoral students after hearing the president of the seminary, Dr. Francois Ngoumape, speak this past September during a trip to the U.S. Leo’s father, Dr. James Boyer, taught at the African institution when it first opened and also taught at Grace Theological Seminary for 30 years.
“I think my dad would be pleased that any money that we’d give to them [the seminary] would pay tuition and help buy food for the men and women going to seminary in Africa,” says Boyer.
The lawn display is 4 feet wide by 5 feet tall, and folds down into a smaller size for storage and shipping. Simple assembly with three bolts is all that is needed, along with a 110-volt electrical supply.
The cost is $298 each, plus tax and shipping where applicable. To order a display or for more information, call Leo Boyer at (574) 267-3432 after 6 p.m. Central Time.
Theresa Clark, a Grace College journalism major from Delaware, Ohio, is an editorial intern with FGBC World during the fall of 2005.
