Show christmas eve church service held in stable congregation ll 11 selects barn A after ft e r fire destroys church building Buil din 1 by clr REV V bennington ROSS BOSS released Release dby by western newspaper union one of the most unusual christmas eve services in the country was held in kansas city last year when members of the jackson avenue methodist church met in a stable desire for a unique setting had not prompted use of bf this stable but the choice was forced upon the congregation gat on by a fire which had destroyed their church that morning although organ music was lacking and a small stole stoe did not provide perfect 1 I 71 I 1 wa R 77 5 1 W akk adv 1 4 C K N X r k W 11 1 1 lq N 0 u t rev hev bennington ROSS BOSS 51 S heat the services evoked enthusiastic response the fire was discovered the morning of december 24 by two small boys who were reporting early for the last rehearsal of a christmas pageant the fire department was hastily notified but the fire made the building untenable before it could be extinguished smoke was still pouring from the water soaked building when members of the congregation dashed into the building to bring out armfuls of hymn books and other church valuables with their ruined church before M INN 1 0 V 4 y V 44 ay A t members bl embers of the methodist church congregation in kansas city 1 which hi 0 ill held its christmas eve services in a stable last year are shown above they met in the stable after their church had bad been badly damaged by fire them the onlookers offered a prayer of gratitude that the damage had not been worse faced with the necessity of calling off their christmas eve services the members immedi immediately tely agreed to the suggestion that they meet in an old desser deserted ted stable nearby prospects of celebrating christmas in a common stable aroused spontaneous enthusiasm as members worked all day to prepare the building for services the old stable was swept from the hayloft to its concrete floor A stove was improvised to furnish some relief from the biting cold and chairs were borrowed and arranged people pressed in and filled the building as evening approached the christian endeavor se service arvice for the young people was marked by unexpected features which had been prepared to meet the occasion A young author read an original christmas story and an accordionist led the singing of hymns solemn evening services followed the e young peoples worship the choir took its seat on one side of the s tove stove next to the accordionist and the he pastor assumed his post at the improvised pulpit the congregation has long prided itself on its singing but that night the words of silent night and joy to the world rose to the bare rafters filling the stable seated in a semicircle facing the pulpit in the little old stable the congregation gre gation was told by the pastor how the little Christ child was born in a bethlehem manger the simplicity of the surroundings seemed to give this story an even deeper meaning As the moonlight streamed through the window in the old stable the congregation arose and sang all hail emmanuel the congregation was radiant when the service ended and the two small boys who had come early that in morning 0 rn in g to rehe rehearse arse their christmas pageant forgot completely that it would have to be postponed |