"Home is a Metaphor for God" by Donna Pinto
    A Review of the Christopher Westfall Concert
    in Doylestown, PA on December 16, 2001

     What a terrific time we had Sunday at the free afternoon
"Sounds of the Season" (and John Denver) Christopher Westfall
concert "home" Doylestown, PA!  It was combined with the
annual live nativity held at the Salem United Church of
Christ. The John Denver Peace Cloth even allowed us to display
several pieces of the beautiful quilt. The nativity, concert,
display and refreshments were all FREE!
     Attendance was a bit better than usual (about 70
different people wandered in and out). It was a time to gather
with great friends!  Paul, Judy, Steve, Harold, Evelyn, Denny,
Maria & her mom, several Evelyns, Pats, Cindys & Carols, Ann
Marie, Cathy, Suzanne & the Gill kids...just tons of new and
old friends.
     As usual, Christopher put his heart and whole spirit into
the program. He opened with a breath-taking A Capella version
of "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream." A standing ovation
was given for Chris' first-time piano performance of
"Whalebones and Crosses." He introduced "Rocky Mountain High"
as "...one of my favorite Christmas songs." Now where have we
heard that before? Other highlights included "America The
Beautiful" and a lovely Westfall original called "I'm Coming
Home."  We even sang "Happy Birthday" to Carol and Suzanne.
After the first set everyone examined the Peace Cloth before
heading down for hot chocolate and cookies, then the live
nativity right outside the church.
     Most folks sang along heartily to the second "Sounds of
the Season" set. Christopher premiered a self-penned Holiday
song "I Want You To Know (It's Christmas)."  John Denver
Holiday favorites included "Alfie", "A Baby Just Like You,"
and of course, "Christmas For Cowboys."  Chris and Cathy Nole
did their "I'm Not Afraid of Flyin', I'm Afraid of Crashin'"
routine. Cathy's son Chris Nole was kind to our Christopher
during a recent Nashville vacation...he got to see Mr. Nole
play at the Grand 'Ol Opry from backstage!
     Christopher made Cathy come up to the stage to sing the
"Five Golden Rings" part of "The Twelve Days of Christmas."
Among the other "drafted victims" for this song was the
church's pastor, Cindy Cashman, Carol Blevins, Pat Hough, some
of the Gill kids and Chris' dad even came up to the front to
take parts. We were all laughing so hard we couldn't sing!
"Perhaps Love" perfectly closed out the performance.
     I put together a little program for the event that
included "The Musician's Prayer" by B.J. Hoff and a poem about
the Peace Cloth that Emily of Rocky Mountain High composed to
commemorate this wonderful afternoon celebration of a blessed
Holiday and great JD friendships "home" in Doylestown. Thank
you's go out to Christopher, the Peace Cloth Board, our
gracious hosts Dottie & Kurth Honer, and the members of the
Salem United Church of Christ for opening up their lovely
building for this event.  To paraphrase Chris, "Through the
music, our hearts begin to heal."  If you'd like a copy of the
video email me at donnapinto@yahoo.com


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