enough to do so.”
“I’ll think of something,” Louise said. “Thank you anyway, Rachel.”
They finished the tour with a round of thanks from the group and a promise to stop by the Holzmanns’ shop in town.
“Gesegnete Weihnachten und ein glückliches neues Jahr,”
Rachel said as she showed them out the front door. “A blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.”
As the sun began to set, shoppers hurried to make their final purchases before the shops closed in Acorn Hill. The end-of-the-day bustle was cheerful as the tired but satisfied merchants happily rang up sales and wrapped parcels, and their customers delighted in reducing the number of items left on their shopping lists.
Instead of going home, as they usually did, most of the shoppers and shopkeepers lingered downtown, gathering in a loose crowd in front of and along the sides of Town Hall. To help keep cold hands warm, June Carter had set up a little concession stand selling hot drinks and Clarissa Cottrell’s fresh donuts.
Everyone was waiting for Acorn Hill’s ANGELs to give their Christmas performance.
Inside the Town Hall, Alice handed out caroling booklets and made sure all of her young performers were wrapped up warmly in coats, mittens, scarves and hats. “Now girls, don’t be nervous. Remember what Pastor Ley said about not rushing the songs, and try to smile and makeeye contact with the audience. If you think you can’t smile, just look at me. That should do the trick.” The girls laughed. “I am very proud of all of you for all the hard work you’ve done preparing for this performance. Is everyone ready?”
The girls chorused a resounding “yes,” and Alice chuckled as she led them out to take their positions in front of the audience. Parent volunteers handed out battery-powered electric candles to each girl, and when they were assembled, the tapered bulbs lit up each small face with a lovely, warm glow.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Alice said, “thank you for joining us this evening. The ANGELs of Grace Chapel have a wonderful selection of traditional carols to perform for you. We’ll begin tonight with ‘Go Tell It on the Mountain.’”
Alice stepped to the front of the crowd and turned to face her young charges. She lifted her hands to signal the time to begin and the young girls’ voices blended together in harmony.
All around them, proud parents, townspeople and delighted visitors listened to the time-honored songs of the season. Alice felt a familiar pang in her heart as she watched the girls. They had practiced these songs for weeks, at every meeting, and it showed in the very polished performance.
The ANGELs’ shining eyes and happy expressions were reflected in the faces of the crowd by the time they reached the final stanza of the last carol on their program, “O Holy Night.”
Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains He shall break for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
For several moments after the last, sweet voices hushed, everyone was silent. It was then that Alice felt the presence of the Lord so strongly. Lifting up praises to heaven with song was such an integral part of Christian life, but the Christmas season had its own, very solemn significance. There was no better way to honor the birth of Jesus Christ than through the voices of the children He had taken on human form to save.
After the pause, enthusiastic and appreciative applause made the girls’ faces flush. Parents came forward to claim their daughters for hugs, and offered their own heartfelt praise to the children and to Alice. The outpouring of approval, as well as Clarissa Cottrell’s reminder to drop by the bakery for
“I’ll think of something,” Louise said. “Thank you anyway, Rachel.”
They finished the tour with a round of thanks from the group and a promise to stop by the Holzmanns’ shop in town.
“Gesegnete Weihnachten und ein glückliches neues Jahr,”
Rachel said as she showed them out the front door. “A blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.”
As the sun began to set, shoppers hurried to make their final purchases before the shops closed in Acorn Hill. The end-of-the-day bustle was cheerful as the tired but satisfied merchants happily rang up sales and wrapped parcels, and their customers delighted in reducing the number of items left on their shopping lists.
Instead of going home, as they usually did, most of the shoppers and shopkeepers lingered downtown, gathering in a loose crowd in front of and along the sides of Town Hall. To help keep cold hands warm, June Carter had set up a little concession stand selling hot drinks and Clarissa Cottrell’s fresh donuts.
Everyone was waiting for Acorn Hill’s ANGELs to give their Christmas performance.
Inside the Town Hall, Alice handed out caroling booklets and made sure all of her young performers were wrapped up warmly in coats, mittens, scarves and hats. “Now girls, don’t be nervous. Remember what Pastor Ley said about not rushing the songs, and try to smile and makeeye contact with the audience. If you think you can’t smile, just look at me. That should do the trick.” The girls laughed. “I am very proud of all of you for all the hard work you’ve done preparing for this performance. Is everyone ready?”
The girls chorused a resounding “yes,” and Alice chuckled as she led them out to take their positions in front of the audience. Parent volunteers handed out battery-powered electric candles to each girl, and when they were assembled, the tapered bulbs lit up each small face with a lovely, warm glow.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Alice said, “thank you for joining us this evening. The ANGELs of Grace Chapel have a wonderful selection of traditional carols to perform for you. We’ll begin tonight with ‘Go Tell It on the Mountain.’”
Alice stepped to the front of the crowd and turned to face her young charges. She lifted her hands to signal the time to begin and the young girls’ voices blended together in harmony.
All around them, proud parents, townspeople and delighted visitors listened to the time-honored songs of the season. Alice felt a familiar pang in her heart as she watched the girls. They had practiced these songs for weeks, at every meeting, and it showed in the very polished performance.
The ANGELs’ shining eyes and happy expressions were reflected in the faces of the crowd by the time they reached the final stanza of the last carol on their program, “O Holy Night.”
Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains He shall break for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
For several moments after the last, sweet voices hushed, everyone was silent. It was then that Alice felt the presence of the Lord so strongly. Lifting up praises to heaven with song was such an integral part of Christian life, but the Christmas season had its own, very solemn significance. There was no better way to honor the birth of Jesus Christ than through the voices of the children He had taken on human form to save.
After the pause, enthusiastic and appreciative applause made the girls’ faces flush. Parents came forward to claim their daughters for hugs, and offered their own heartfelt praise to the children and to Alice. The outpouring of approval, as well as Clarissa Cottrell’s reminder to drop by the bakery for
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