By Kevin Shannahan
A standing room only gathering of worshipers came to First United Methodist Church of Natchitoches’ traditional candlelight Christmas Eve Services. FUMC Choir Director Dr. Nicholaus Cummins was joined by soloist Leanny Munoz. Munoz is a recent graduate of the Louisiana Scholars’ College, and is currently earning her master’s degree in musicology at LSU. She was a three year member of the church’s traditional choir while a student at NSU and returned to perform a beautiful solo performance of “O Holy Night.”
The services, always an occasion for family reunions, had an international flair this year. Eileen Riedel, a former NCHS exchange student from Hockenheim, Germany now back home for her final year of high school, returned to Natchitoches to visit her host family for the holidays.