Christmas in Ashe Baptist Association 2025

High in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where the mountain air turns crisp and the first shy flakes of snow falls down from a pearl-gray sky, the 43 churches of the Ashe Baptist Association prepared to celebrate Christmas. The mountains stand like ancient witnesses, their ridges dusted white, as steeples and modest church buildings glowed with warm light against the early winter dusk. Gravel parking lots filled with trucks and cars, and the sound of laughter and greetings carry with the cold air. Inside each church, the scent of pine wreaths, wood polish, and meals slowly cooking wrap the congregations in comfort.

Choirs gathered beneath softly twinkling lights, voices rising in harmony. Old hymns echoed through sanctuaries both large and small—“O Come, All Ye Faithful,” “Silent Night,” and “Joy to the World.” Some choirs were matching robes, others stand in everyday clothes, but every voice carries the same message of hope and joy. The music spills out into the night, drifting across valleys and hills as if the mountains themselves were singing along. 

In fellowship halls and church kitchens, long tables filled with food prepared by loving hands. Steaming pots of soup, cornbread fresh from the oven, casseroles, and plates of homemade desserts are shared freely. No one is turned away. Church members served neighbors in need, families passing through hard seasons, and one another alike—because Christmas, they believed was meant to be shared. Conversations flow easily, stories are exchanged, and warmth fills every room despite the cold outside. 

Children practice eagerly for their Christmas pageants, their excitement nearly as bright as the stars over the mountains. Dressed as shepherds, angels, and wise men, they stand nervously at first, then proudly, as they tell the story of Christ’s birth. Small voices recited familiar words, sometimes stumbling, often smiling, always sincere. Parents and grandparents watched with misty eyes, reminded of how faith is passed gently from one generation to the next.

In the evenings, adults presented cantatas—beautiful, reverent retellings of the Christmas story through song and Scripture. The choirs sing of Mary’s quiet obedience, the shepherds’ wonder, and the holy night in Bethlehem. Candles are lit, Scriptures are read, and silence settled briefly over the congregations, broken only by the soft sound of snow falling outside.

Gifts are given, not in abundance or extravagance, but with purpose and love—much like the offerings of the Wise Men long ago. Some gifts were wrapped, others were envelopes slipped quietly into hands, baskets of food, warm coats, or simple acts of kindness. Each gift carried the same meaning: honoring Christ by caring for others. 

As Christmas drew near, the 43 churches of the Ashe Baptist Association stand united—not just by location, but by faith, service, and love. In the cool mountain air and falling snow, amid songs and prayers, meals and memories, the true spirit of Christmas lives on. And in the quiet moments between carols and candlelight, one could almost imagine the hills themselves bowing in worship, rejoicing in the season of Emmanuel—God with us.

                                                Merry Christmas, your servant, David