Masontown Matters to host Christmas Church Tour
Masontown Matters, a nonprofit community service group, will offer a free Christmas walking tour of local churches on Sunday.
“This is the first year for the walking tour. We were looking for something to do. We wanted to do something a little different than the traditional Santa Claus parade,” explained Frank Martin, a member of Masontown Matters.
After finding out that St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church was going to be hosting an evening of Christmas carols starting at 5 p.m., Martin said he thought the tour would be the perfect event.
The tour will start at 3 p.m. at the Masontown Brethren Church, 110 West Church Ave., and will continue to the United Methodist Church, South Main and Cross streets; Saint Mary Nativity Orthodox Church, 309 South Washington St. on Cannon Hill; Bridge Baptist Church, 9 South Washington St.; First Presbyterian Church, 102 West Church Ave.; and ending at Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.
“Each church, it is up to their own choosing what they might do to greet the walking tour. Some might speak of the history of their church, others may have a brief Christmas story sermon to give to the group, others may indeed offer a guided tour of the church sanctuary,” said Martin. “In our schedule, which is a very loose schedule, to begin when we are beginning and to end when the caroling ends. We are figuring 15 to 20 minutes at each church.”
While the churches are located close to each other, participants will have the option to drive to the various tour locations.
Martin said he hopes this tour will help spread the Christmas spirit.
“I hope they (tour participants) take away Christian fellowship for the season as it is something we can do together and put a little Christ in Christmas,” he said.