Churches open for Christmastime tour

December 20, 2007|By JULIE E. GREENE

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Tri-State-area residents looking for a respite from the holiday rush can check out the musical entertainment and holiday decorations at 14 Berkeley County churches this Sunday.

The tour, which is free and open to the public, is from 2 to 5 p.m. An opening ceremony will be held at 1:30 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church in Martinsburg that will include a blessing of the tour and a proclamation by a Martinsburg official, said Linda Fries, spokeswoman for the tour.

People are encouraged to come enjoy the holiday, the beautiful stained glass windows and the decorations at the churches, Fries said. Some churches will have music, recorded or live, and some will have refreshments.

Calvary United Methodist Church in Martinsburg will have music and a 10-foot-tall poinsettia tree made with 55 to 75 red poinsettias. The plants are set on a wooden frame to create the tree shape, Fries said.

Ultimately, the goal is to have every church in the county open for the tour, Fries said.

The tour is self-guided, but there will be volunteers at each church who can share the church history, Fries said.

The tour is sponsored by Main Street Martinsburg and City National Bank.

Churches on the tour are:

Otterbein United Methodist Church, 549 N. Queen St., Martinsburg
St. John's Lutheran Church, 101 W. Martin St., Martinsburg
Trinity United Methodist Church, 220 W. Martin St., Martinsburg
Calvary United Methodist Church, 220 W. Burke St., Martinsburg
Christ Reformed United Church of Christ, 117 E. Burke St., Martinsburg
First Presbyterian Church, 220 S. Queen St., Martinsburg
Trinity Episcopal Church, 200 W. King St., Martinsburg
Winchester Avenue Christian Church, corner of Winchester Avenue and Stephen Street, Martinsburg
Darkesville United Methodist Church, 6705 Winchester Ave., Darkesville
Inwood United Methodist Church, True Apple Way, Inwood
St. Leo Catholic Church, 2109 Sulphur Springs Road, Inwood
Bunker Hill Presbyterian Church, 9802 Winchester Ave., Bunker Hill
Bunker Hill United Methodist Church, 9863 Winchester Ave., Bunker Hill
Bedington United Methodist Church, 580 Bedington Road, Bedington

If you go ...

WHAT: 11th annual Christmas Tour of Churches
WHEN: Tour is 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 23. Opening ceremony at 1:30 p.m.
WHERE: Fourteen Berkeley County, W.Va., churches
COST: Free
MORE: Opening ceremony at 1:30 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church, 220 W. Martin St., Martinsburg, W.Va. Trolley service available in the downtown Martinsburg area from 2 to 6 p.m. The trolley will start at Trinity United Methodist Church during the opening ceremony and take visitors around to Martinsburg churches. For more information, call 304-267-2890.

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Churches open for Christmastime tour

If you go ...