December 10, 2019

POUND RIDGE PAST: A Remembrance of Christmas Eve


    At this time of year, I love sharing this wonderful anecdote on page 45 from my book, Pound Ridge Past (second edition). from Joseph D. Quillian, Jr., Pound Ridge Community Church pastor from 1946-1950. It's an excerpt from a letter written in 1973 to The Reverend T. Cecil Swackhamer.

     "I always remember with great warmth and a sense of lift-of-spirit the Christmas Eve services at Pound Ridge Church. The beautiful white church was always decorated with two Christmas trees on either side in the front, decorated with blue lights. Inside the church, there were numerous candles and beautiful crystal chandeliers. My wife Betty had (and has) a beautiful soprano voice, and Winston Sharples has a true and delicate tenor. The service consisted of the Christmas scriptures intermingled with solos and duets by Betty and Winston, with a brief sermon by me. The service always started at eleven o'clock and concluded at the stroke of midnight, at which time Carl Offen would go over to the Presbyterian Church* (for it was the only one that had a bell), and ring the church bell as the people left the service. Frequently, we would have a beautiful snowfall on Christmas Eve. Also, many people would have come to church from formal parties, and many were dressed in evening clothes."



* Now Conant Hall

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