On a rainy December evening, the Kentlands Chapel was beginning to fill for the Montgomery Chinese Branch Christmas Party. In the service project orientation, President Huang welcomed everyone and announced the opening hymn, "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," directed by Brad Johnson and accompanied by Isaiah Shen. After an invocation by Betty Azucena, Eric Nelson, one of the event's organizers, introduced the purposed of the service project and the theme of the evening, "Angels Among Us." Da Zhao showed us a Light the World video, subscripted with Chinese. Then the Appalachian Christmas Medley was performed by Corinne Nelson on the piano, Megan Tsai on the harp, Melinda Urbina on the flute, and Eric Nelson hitting the chimes on the organ. The video and the medley really brought the message home and filled us with the spirit of giving.
Immediately, everyone was directed to go downstairs, when they received a Harris Teeter bag from Lauren Ning. In the Primary room, each person took their bag to fill up with ten items from ten manned stations. 60 kits were assembled in total and will be given to A Wider Circle.
Everyone then walked back up to the chapel for the dinner social at 6pm. Then the program began at 7pm. Cary Ning was the emcee for the program. The branch choir kicked off the program with the rousing Searching for the Plum in the Snow song, which resembled the American Jingle Bells in a Chinese way. Next, Richard Huang and Isaiah Shen performed a piano duet entitled, "Deck the Halls Duet." Following them, Brennan Zhao set a nice tone with a saxophone solo, playing Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire with such an amazing jazz flavor. Afterwards, the Montgomery Branch Primary children dressed up as Mary and Joseph and shepherds and angels stood in the front, while Michelle Zheng and Tiffany sang "Picture a Christmas." Aaron Fugal sang a solo, "Happy Birthday, Jesus." Cary then called all those with a December up to the stand and gave them bells. We all sang "We Wish You a Merry Christmas," with Brad Johnson as music director and Richard Huang as accompanist. Adam Fugal pronounced the benediction.
The crowd was small, and the evening was rainy. But the memory of this evening has been indelibly inscribed into our hearts and minds. We felt the closeness and unity in the branch and the spirit of Christmas and giving through the service project and special music. Thanks, Eric and Corinne, for organizing such as special memory.
