by Peter Twitchell
Today my article will be on the Bethel Moravian Church Christmas Bazaar. It was held annually every Christmas as far back as I remember. Mom Sarah and I got a ride from Albert Romer Sr. in the big box van I believe he used at an airline he worked for.
I believe he was a pilot for the Northern Consoliated Airlines, but he was also the Choir Director at the Bethel Moravian Church.
We used to get a warm spell in the weather and we would have a good foot of water on the Kuskokwim River, but the frozen river was stable enough to hold that box van as the van navigated across the river to the Civil Aeronautics Administration and Airforce/Army base to pick Mom and I to take us to the church bazaar in Bethel.
I always wondered as a boy of 8-10 years of age why Mr. Romer would leave a van door open as I watched the water on the ice swirling around the van tires.
I’m wondering if Mr. Romer was being cautions in case the truck broke through the river ice. Thank God he kept us safe on the ice.
The church Christmas Bazaar was always a big hit for me and Mom always bought a dozen cupcakes and sugar cookies that Mrs. Schattsneider and Mrs. Chrissie Shantz baked.
It’s one of my best memories of growing up in Bethel. The first Moravian pastors that came to Bethel from Lititz, Bethlehem, and Nazareth in Pennsylvania brought so many things in to the church – big bazaar Christmas time and God was always the center of Christmas and his son Jesus who was born on Christmas Day.
Growing up as I was getting older I kind of missed those old days.
They used to have so many activities including on Christmas Eve when all the little kids six years old and up went up and recited a Bible verse they had learned. Then they passed out a bag of Christmas candy at the end of the service for everyone.
