Katy's Debate (Katy Lambright Series, The) by Sawyer Kim Vogel

Author:Sawyer, Kim Vogel [Sawyer, Kim Vogel]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 2010-05-25T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Katy fidgeted on the bench as she waited for the Christmas Eve service to begin. Sometimes she battled boredom during the weekly worship with its hymns, long sermons, Bible reading, and prayers. But the Christmas Eve service was never boring.

Strange how much more interesting she found it when there was little difference between a Christmas Eve service and a regular worship service in content. The women sat on one side, men on the other, like always. The deacons read the Bible, the song leader directed a few hymns, and one of the deacons delivered a long sermon, just like a regular service.

But on Christmas Eve, instead of turning on the overhead electric lights, candles glowed on the windowsills. A towering Christmas tree, its branches heavy with strings of popcorn and cranberries, filled the room with the scent of pine. They sang Christmas hymns such as “Silent Night” and “O Little Town of Bethlehem” in German rather than English, and somehow the music made Katy’s chest feel both full and light as air.

She sat beside Gramma Ruthie and listened as one of the deacons opened his Bible and read the familiar Christmas story. Even though she’d heard it every year since she could remember, she never grew tired of it. She closed her eyes and imagined the scene in Bethlehem: the star, the stable, the little baby wrapped in tattered cloths. Tears pricked her eyes when she imagined the young mother cradling her newborn son, not knowing what the future would hold for this innocent, tiny babe.

When the deacon closed the Bible, the song leader went forward and led the congregation in “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing.” Katy wanted to sing at the top of her voice, from the very center of her soul. But she kept her volume even with the others rather than stand out. Singing louder than everyone would be interpreted as prideful, and she couldn’t be prideful. Especially at Christmas.

A deacon closed the service in prayer, then he smiled and held his arms wide. “Let us retire to the basement for a time of fellowship and refreshment.” Younger kids whooped and were immediately shushed by their parents, but then laughter rang, and everyone crowded toward the stairway that led to the large room beneath the church.

Tables and folding chairs filled the center of the floor, and tables along the back wall held homemade candies, cookies, and a variety of rich breads. People formed a line. Just like always, the fellowship’s eldest members went first, followed by families with small children, and finally everyone else. Since Katy was neither elderly nor a small child, she held back and ended up nearly at the end of the line. Gramma Ruthie could have been at the front with Grampa Ben, but she stayed with Katy.

A spicy fragrance reached Katy’s nose, and she nudged Gramma. “Did Mr. Plett bring apple cider?”

Gramma’s eyes crinkled with her grin. “Doesn’t he always bring it for Christmas?”

Katy licked her lips in anticipation. Mr. Plett made the best apple cider she’d ever tasted.

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