Twenty-six members of the Port Ann Wesleyan Church recently gathered on a Sunday night and broke up in three teams to spread holiday cheer to 14 homes in the local communities through Christmas caroling.
“We don’t mind if you can’t carry a tune in a bucket,” said Pastor Paul Sheets in a recent interview with the local newspaper. “We just have at it, and have a wonderful time together.”
After the time of caroling to community members, shut-in church members and others, the group converged back at the church for food, fellowship and prayer (and, of course, hot chocolate).
For more information about the ministries at Port Ann Wesleyan Church,
The full story (running in the Sunday, Dec. 10, 2017 issue of The Daily Item):
Caroling in the Valley: Church groups, students spread holiday cheer through music
By Cindy O. Herman
Did everybody in merry old England throw on shawls and top hats and sashay through town singing Christmas carols? It seems so, in the old books and movies.
Today, people still enjoy caroling, though shawls and top hats are optional.
“We’ve been caroling forever,” said Pastor Paul Sheets of the congregation at Port Ann Wesleyan Church, outside of Middleburg. “It was a tradition here long before (my wife and I) arrived.”
Last week, Port Ann Wesleyan church members split into three caroling groups and travelled to Penns Creek, Mifflinburg, Middleburg and areas near both Lewisburg and Troxelville. In all, they stopped at 14 homes, one of which was Elmcroft Senior Living, Lewisburg.
“One lady in residence there had a whole lot of friends by the time the singing stopped,” Sheets said, adding that fellow residents stood in their doorways to enjoy the festive carols.
Sheets pointed out that half of the residents the group visited did not even belong to the church but were simply members of the larger community. Along with the songs, church members brought gift bags with soup ingredients in canning jars as well as frozen vegetables and meat for each of the residences they entertained.
They sang two or three songs at every stop, always ending with “We Wish You A Merry Christmas.” Interestingly, they sang six traditional secular Christmas songs — “White Christmas,” “Deck the Halls,” “Jingle Bells,” etc. — rewritten to reflect a more religious Christmas message.
“We have brand new words to these six tunes,” Sheets said. “Our folks just really love them.”
Singing students
In Mifflinburg Area Elementary School, kindergarteners carol at the intermediate school, said kindergarten teacher Leslie Herman. The caroling complements the kindergarteners’ unit on holidays around the world and incorporates English, German and Hanukkah components. The youngsters practice for about two weeks before trekking to the intermediate school.
“The ones that have siblings are just delighted to see each other,” Herman said. “They point them out to friends, and they wave.”
Some of the kindergarteners wear Santa or elf hats and dress up in red and green. They feel important entertaining for the “big kids,” who look upon them with some nostalgia for their own kindergarten days.
“I think the intermediate school kids feel older and more mature,” Herman said. “Yet they enjoy singing along because they remember it fondly.”
Both younger and older students enjoy the tradition and throw themselves into the singing.
“There’s something so innocent about kids singing carols,” Herman said. “They’re angelic.”
Another local school district carols with the kids through town.
“Our elementary students carol at the local community center, senior living center and other businesses,” said Cameron Weaver, elementary school teacher. “The people that receive our carols are always very grateful, have huge genuine smiles, and many sing along.”
Making an impact
With today’s busy schedules, making time to carol can be difficult, but there is a timeless appeal to joining a group of people singing jolly jingles throughout town.
“I would love to have carolers come to our house,” said Bonnie Benfer, Kratzerville. “When my children and grandchildren were in elementary, middle and high school, we attended their Christmas concerts. Now that we don’t attend the concerts, it would be so special to hear the Christmas songs we love sung by real voices, not on the radio or TV.”
The Buffalo Valley Church of the Brethren, Mifflinburg, will carol today at 3 p.m.
“We will be caravanning to several members of the church who appreciate the fellowship,” said church member Kurt Ilgen.
Pastor Sheets was pleased that 26 members of his congregation turned out for caroling last week. He appreciated how much carolers can cheer people up during the sometimes-lonely days of the holiday season.
“We don’t mind if you can’t carry a tune in a bucket,” Sheets said. “We just have at it, and have a wonderful time together.”
After caroling, the Port Ann Wesleyan members returned to the church for snacks, story swapping and prayer.
“We had great stories and lots of laughs,” Sheets said. “And we hope to brighten people’s lives who can’t get out in the community as much as they once did.”
For more information on Port Ann Wesleyan Church, please visit www.pawchurch.com.
