AMHERST - It has been nearly a decade since Liselotte Marks organized a Christmas service for German-speaking families in Cumberland and Westmorland counties.
Marks passed away this fall after battling cancer, but her friends are coming together to continue her legacy with a multinational Christmas service today at 7 p.m., at the Amherst Wesleyan Church on Cornwall Avenue.
"We're going to have a bit of a memorial for her and a minute of silence in her memory," event organizer Morris Haugg said.
Marks came to Canada a quarter century ago and worked at Mount Allison University and as a translator. She was also active in her community singing in the church choir in Port Elgin and serving as president of the Port Elgin Rotary Club.
She helped organize the first six multinational services.
"When it was first held, it was pretty much all in German. This year, the Gospel According to Luke will be read in six languages," Haugg said.
The event will feature a number of Christmas carols as well as Bible readings. Rev. Raymond Fancy of the Amherst Wesleyan Church will give the Christmas message while Haugg will deliver the Christmas story about a temporary truce in the early stages of the First World War when German and British troops came out of their trenches to sing Silent Night and exchange gifts and Christmas greetings.
Haugg said Fancy and the Wesleyan congregation have been supportive of the event and noted the event gives people from various cultures the opportunity to share their language and traditions.
"It's an opportunity for people who are not associated with a different culture or nation to come to a church service because they themselves don't have a church affiliation," Haugg said.
"It's a Christmas celebration in a church setting, but you can go to it without being a church member."
Haugg is hoping the service will grow and spread to other churches in the community.
Following the service, there will be refreshments, baked goods and hot apple cider.
A free will offering will be collected with the funds going to support the Wesleyan church mission to Haiti to build a hospital.
dcole@amherstdaily.com
