Chapel to hold caroling

The Fresh Ponds Gospel Mission Chapel and the Eastern Villages Association host carol service 7:30 p.m. Sunday

By: Joseph Harvie
   It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in town, and this weekend it will sound a lot like Christmas too.
   The Fresh Ponds Gospel Mission Chapel and the Eastern Villages Association are hosting a Christmas carol service at the chapel, located at the intersection of Fresh Ponds and Davidsons Mill roads at 7:30 p.m. Sunday.
   Jean Dvorak, a founding member of EVA, said Tuesday that the carols will be sung in an order that tells of the events leading up to the birth of Jesus.
   "It will start with the journey to Bethlehem, the meeting with the angels and it will be told to follow the story of the first Christmas," Ms. Dvorak said.
   She said there also will be Scripture readings between the songs to fill in some of the gaps between the songs, as well as to explain what the songs are referring to. The readings will be done by some of the pastors of the Fresh Ponds Chapel.
   The chapel is a nondenominational Christian church where several pastors share responsibilities. The church was built in 1840.
   EVA is a community group founded to preserve the character of the area near the border of Monroe and East Brunswick and near Route 535.
   Ms. Dvorak said there will be some solos sung at the event, but there there will also be plenty of chances for people to sing together and to learn about the songs they are singing.
   "We are also going to tell the history of most of the songs we are going to sing," Ms. Dvorak said.
   Although the event is free, there will be an opportunity to donate to the chapel as a "free-will offering," according to a press release about the event.
   Refreshments will be served afterward in the adjacent Fresh Ponds Schoolhouse-Community Hall.