Deacon David Rezendes blesses the lights and
assembled crowd as he celebrates the 25th year of creating a
Christmas display at his home. This year’s theme is “The Silver
Bells of Christmas.”
GREG TARCZYNSKI PHOTO
Deacon David Rezendes blesses the lights and assembled crowd
as he celebrates the 25th year of creating a Christmas
display at his home. This year’s theme is “The Silver Bells
of Christmas.
GREG TARCZYNSKI PHOTO
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By Carrie McClish
Staff writer
Deacon Dave Rezendes has a passion for Christmas
and every year it is literally on view for the world to see.
He is responsible for what has become a Tri-Valley Christmas
tradition — a massive outdoor presentation at his Livermore home
illuminated by more than a quarter of a million lights.
This month marks the 25th year that the deacon, who is celebrating
the silver anniversary of his ordination, has created the Christmas
spectacular that draws visitors from throughout the Bay Area as well
as Manteca, Tracy, Modesto and other central California communities.
The display requires months of planning and construction before it
is revealed to public on the first Friday of Advent. But it is not
about the decorations and lights, insists Deacon Rezendes; it is
about the Light who came to the world over 2,000 years ago bringing
a message of love and salvation.
Deacon Rezendes calls the project his “ministry of lights” and says
the displays have been a source of inspiration and blessings for
many of the thousands who visit each year. “It is really amazing
about what goes on behind the scenes,” he said.
One man approached the deacon, saying he wanted to be baptized but
was unable to attend the regular RCIA classes because of his work
schedule as a police officer. Deacon Rezendes gave him private
lessons.
Viewing schedule
Deacon David Rezendes’ Christmas display is located at 352
Hillcrest Ave in Livermore. It is open for viewing until
Jan. 1, 2008. Viewing hours: Sunday through
Thursday, 6 p.m. 9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 6 p.m.
10:30 p.m. through Dec. 24; Christmas Day, 6 p.m. 9:30
p.m.; Dec. 26 Jan. 1: 6 p.m. 9 p.m. The display is
subject to closure due to inclement weather. For more
information about the display or directions to the house,
visit the website at
http://www.casadelpomba.com/. |
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One night while Deacon Rezendes was greeting visitors to the
display, a woman approached and fell to her knees at the deacon’s
feet. As he was trying to help her stand, he noticed that she had
black and blue marks all over her face. He learned that her husband
had beaten her. She began crying out, “This is the sign I have been
waiting for!” Whatever she saw, it was a sign that she should leave
the abusive relationship, Deacon Rezendes said.
At other times people have asked him about returning to the Church
or having their marriages blessed. “I am finding that I do have a
lot of ministry from this. I always have a pen and paper in my
pocket so I can jot down their name and their phone number, and I
tell them that after Christmas I will call them.”
Though the vision for the display comes from Deacon Rezendes, the
execution is a collaborative effort that involves a planning team of
about 25 people who share the deacon’s love for Christmas. Each
year’s decorations begin when he identifies the theme and some basic
concepts. The team develops the ideas further, though Deacon
Rezendes reserves the right of final approval.
Construction begins in August and continues over most weekends until
the week before the opening when the crew of volunteers is on site
daily. The “light crew” starts its work in September. In all, about
3000 hours of volunteer time goes into each year’s display.
Shawn Cantlin, a member of St. Michael Parish in Livermore,
carries his four-year-old granddaughter Amberley Gill into
the Christmas display.
GREG TARCZYNSKI PHOTO
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While the outdoor decorations are being put up, Deacon Rezendes
decorates the inside of his home with about 40 Christmas trees.
Seven or eight can be viewed from the outside; the remainder are
seen only by invited guests that include the staff of St. Michael
Parish, where he has served as deacon for the past 25 years.
A fourth generation resident of Livermore, Deacon Rezendes comes
from a ranching family. His great-grandfather and grandfather had
farms on the old Beck Road, now known as North Livermore Avenue. His
home, which he calls the House of the Dove (Casa del Pomba), sits on
an acre of land that contains winding pathways that lead to
renovated buildings including a chapel as well as fountains,
man-made waterfalls and bridges.
He traces his penchant for Christmas decorations back at least a
couple of generations. He recalls hearing many stories about his
grandmother decorating the family home for Christmas, creating
scenes of a tiny ranch farm around the Christmas tree.
One year his grandfather told his wife that there was not enough
money to have a tree for Christmas. The woman saved up money from
the sale of eggs and bought a little electric tree and enough
butcher paper to wrap her husband’s desk from top to bottom. Then
she painted the paper red to create a faux fireplace. On top she
placed the tiny electric tree with the little village and ranch
houses around it.
Deacon Rezendes still has the tree, which he nicknamed the Tree of
Humility. He displays it every year as a tribute to his grandmother
and as a reminder that anyone can enjoy Christmas when it is
celebrated with love.
Children peer into one of the family Christmas scenes within
the display created by Deacon Rezendes.
GREG TARCZYNSKI PHOTO
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