Paper lanterns take flight

In a “normal” year, a candlelit Christmas Eve service would have been held indoors. This year, Pastor Matthew Wyatt and Pastor Stan Hughes shared their Christmas message from a makeshift pulpit at the Waits Mill site. They were joined, in person, by a handful of community members while many more tuned in to the live stream from their homes. Immediately following the pastors’ messages, those in attendance gathered with their families to release sky lanterns, some with messages written on them. The orange light against the foggy December sky offered a moment of peace for many as they let go of their troubles that came along with 2020. The outdoor service joins a list of new events, spurred on by pandemic-related restrictions, that people are already discussing for the next year.