Guests fill museum church with music

Local residents filled the Nuckolls County Museum Church Sunday afternoon for the museum's annual Christmas program.

Steve Renz and Fred Meyers, cochairmen of the museum board, greeted the audience and Meyers opened the celebration with prayer.

He said, his favorite time each year is when the community fills the museum chruch for the annual Christmas program. He also expressed his gratefulness to God for being able to walk. A year ago, he was paralyzed from the waist down.

Arnold Miller and John Price Jr. lead the congregation in singing Christmas carols. They were accompanied by Janice Watts on the historic pump organ. Carols included "Hark, The Herald Angels Sing", "Joy to the World", "O Come, All Ye Faithful", and "Silent Night, Holy Night."

Pastor Lori Kitzing, pastor of the Bethany Lutheran Church in Ruskin and the First Presbyterian Church in Superior, presented the message and closing prayer. She spoke of the amazing gift God gave us when he sent his son, Jesus Christ. God himself came to earth in the form of a man when Jesus came.

Intertwined with the congregational singing and the message, Miller and Price sang some of their Christmas favorites which included "Mary, Did You Know."

Midway through the program, Miller left the building, and Price sang, I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas."

When Miller returned he was dressed in a flannel plaid with a tatter Santa hat. He carried a small ice chest.

Supposedly he was Santa. Dasher was sick because he had feasted in the area corn fields, something not found at the North Pole. As a result, Dasher had an upset stomach and let off lots of hot air, so it was challenging to ride in the sleigh.

Price asked, "Where is your suit?"

To which "Santa" replied, "It is at the cleaners."

He rummaged through his small ice chests for treats for the audience and distributed Tic Tack and some pieces of gum. He suggested if there was not enough for all the people in the row, the Tic Tack could get be bitten in half and passed down the row.

There was lots of laughter throughout the chatter and then the real Santa appears and chastised his "elf" (Miller) for pretending to be Santa.

Santa (Royce Schott) joined Miller and Price and the trio sang "O Holy Night." Then Schott concluded the program with "Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas."

Price provided guitar accompaniment for all the special music.

Members of the museum board hosted the audience for cookies and refreshments at Pioneer Hall.

Members of the museum board are Meyers and Renz, cochairmen; Camie Kroeger, secretary; Dave Healey, treasurer; Nancy Meyers, curator; Dave Frey, Lorri Meyer, Dawn Miller, John Price Jr., Marty Pohlman, Janice Watts, and Rob Williams.

Approximately 100 people attended the event.