Essonville Historic Church

“A true gift of the season ”
by Martha Perkins

At the front of the church, Elsie Lewis, dressed festively in velvet, sat at the original church organ, one of the few people who knows how to master the footpumps which power the instrument. She made that organ sing and in the quieter moments you could hear her feet pumping away to breathe life into the timeless music.

The children could not so easily contain their excitement. Seated in the nave and transfixed by the candles held tightly in their hands, they were very much aware that in the darkness outside, Santa’s sleigh bells would soon be heard overhead. Still, there was time for a more solemn celebration, as solemn as children can be on Christmas Eve.

Snugly ensconced in a building that had remained virtually unchanged in almost a century, it was easy to imagine that time had indeed stopped, that it was Christmas just as it would have been when the church was first built. Everyone sitting there had probably had a hectic day, rushing to finalize all their holiday plans and gift-buying, making sure the fridge was well-stocked. But it’s almost as if the church itself imposed a sense of calm. The busy-ness would come back soon enough, but for this hour at least, the church said, it was time to reflect on the eternal messages of Christmas – hope, charity, and love.