CEDAR MOUNTAIN NEWS FOR THURSDAY 12-9-2021
MCGAHA CHAPEL SING-ALONG AT CEDAR MOUNTAINCOMMUNITY CENTER
The historic 1872 McGaha Chapel and the Cedar Mountain Community Center were open to the public on Sunday to kick off the Christmas season for Sherwood Forest, Cedar Mountain and Brevard residents. The Chapel, also once known as the Little River Methodist Episcopal Chapel or the Dividing Ridge Church, was open to the public from 1 to 2 pm as Charles Burden shared the history of the Chapel with visitors. The celebrations continued at 2:30 pm at the Community Center with caroling, hot cider and platters of treats. Karin Purvis of Sherwood Forest provided arrangements of native greenery, berries, lichens, mosses and pine cones for the mantel and tables as well as wreaths for the doors. With a fire in the fireplace and smells of cider and coffee in the air, the Center was quite festive. Santa dropped in for a visit, Suzanne Lawson brought to life the characters from the Twelve Days of Christmas and Beth Owings sang the first verse of O Holy Night as a solo. Judy Barksdale and Patty Stahl led the songs with Beth and Suzanne. Marjorie Lillard, President of the Transylvania County Historical Society, announced that the Allison-Deavor House is open on December 11 and 18 from 1-4 pm with decorations from the 1850s and activities and refreshments. The Master Gardeners have adorned the old home with natural and period-appropriate decorations. We hope to return to the McGaha Chapel next Christmas for the caroling and to the Sherwood Forest Center for food and fellowship. Thanks go to all that supplied the goodies and helped with serving and cleaning.
Singers are Beth Owings, Patty Stahl, Suzanne Lawson and Judy Barksdale. Santa is, of course, is himself.
RENT THE CENTER
The Community Center is for rent! The center has a capacity of 150 standing and seating for 100. There is a commercial-style kitchen too. Our center is the perfect place for your reception, party, family reunion, business meeting, or other activity. Get married outside and have your reception at the Center or use it as a dressing room for outdoor weddings. Make food in the commercial kitchen or have it catered by local professionals. To rent, email Caroline Chambers at cmcc28718@gmail.com or call her at 828-290-9662.
CHRISTINE’S CORNER by Christine Pace
This Saturday from 11am to 3pm I’ll be at “Christmas in the Park” behind the Pisgah Forest elementary school, with my 7-year-old grandson Cooper Harris.
The Transylvania Parks & Recreation Center is putting on a spectacular event, with lots of bouncy houses, climbing walls, photo opportunities, Santa, train rides, games, and lot’s of vendors! Just $5 gives you access to everything; a separate cost if you purchase food or gifts from a vendor. I won their designed sweatshirt and will have it with me!
Locally there will be arts & crafts at Studio 276 with Sarah Yarborough Dearbaugh & family heading that up. Always plenty to do, see, and eat in Cedar Mountain! At this past Saturday’s Christmas parade in Brevard my son-in-law Jimmy Harris made his final appearance as mayor. He was the “Grand Marshall”. Cooper sat beside him; I brought Cooper just in time, following his basketball assessments at the Parks & Recreation department. I am proud of my son-in-laws 22 years as Mayor of downtown Brevard. And his years of involvement here in Cedar Mountain and Rocky Hill church too. He’s a good & caring man. God bless you, son.
CANTATA:
Rocky Hill Baptist Church will perform a Christmas singing cantata on Sunday December 19th at 6:00pm. Following the cantata there will be fellowship and finger foods at the fellowship building. For more information please call Rocky Hill’s pastor Dr. Leland Holland at (828)862-5611.
BIRTHDAYS; Joe VanHook gained another year on the first of this month. Dickie Bouye did too! Pauline Taylor was celebrated on December 4th, the same day as Bobby Jones. On Sunday the 5th Luke Smith became a “teenager”. This Saturday the 11th Lucy Jones will celebrate her birthday. “Happy Birthday” to Mark Burdette on December 13th. Sheila Bayles gains a year on the 15th. Toney Murr grows another year older on Dec. 19th as does Becky McDaris. My son Rev. Matthew Jones was born on Christmas Day in 1974! And finally, Deb Holland will become my age on December 29th. Happy birthday to all!
ANNIVERSARIES: Jeff & Patricia Smith will celebrate another year of wedded bliss on December 21st.
AROUND THE HOUSE by Linda Packer Young
On Monday 12-6-21 my honey and I attended the Blue Ridge Ringers free performance at the Transylvania County Library. The group is a hand bell and choir chimes ensemble based in Hendersonville, NC. We were lucky enough to get front row seats and were awed by the musical ability and skill of the bell ringers. Being that close to the performers we could watch the intricacies of the handling of the various bells and chimes. It was amazing how many different sounds each bell could produce. The same bell could ring out but when “bonked” on the table gave more percussive musical sound. We were so glad we came and to show appreciation we joined the Friends of the Library afterward.
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