Sacred Sites Hold Open House Sunday

Twenty-five Sacred Sites around Broome County opened their doors and welcomed visitors today. The Open House was sponsored by the Preservation Association of the Southern Tier and included churches from Binghamton, Johnson City, Endwell and Endicott.  Each site provided information on the origin of the church, offered tours and in many cases welcomed visitors with music.

One of the churches taking part in today's Open House was The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Holy Nativity (Holy Nativity Lutheran Church) at 312 East Main Street in Endicott which was chartered in 1920.  The church features intricately hand carved wooden doors at the entrance.  These were designed and carved by Mrs. Eileen Fanning, a church member and former Vestal art teacher.

Visitors were treated to an organ recital by Yancey Moore.  The church organ is a Buhl pipe organ and was dedicated in 1939.  Moore, the regular organist at Maine Federated Church, was a protegee of Clayton Powers who was Holy Nativity's organist for over 35 years and was designated Cantor of the Congregation.  Powers spent decades teaching music and instructing students like Moore.