Tradition prevails in Silvana

Published 9:00 pm Thursday, December 21, 2006

SILVANA – Parishioners plan to gather Christmas Eve for a candlelight service at the Little White Church on the Hill as they have for decades.

There just may be fewer candles Sunday inside the picturesque church.

In October, vandals smashed out a dozen 8-foot-tall windows and overturned about 25 granite and marble headstones.

The windows are proving difficult to replace and remain boarded up. Inside, parishioners have hung curtains to hide the plywood.

“We won’t be able to have candles in the windows like we traditionally do, but there will be plenty of candlelight,” parish worker Debra Compton said.

The 250-person congregation meets at Peace Lutheran Church down the hill most of the year.

They worship at the Little White Church during the summer months. They also gather there for special services on Easter and Christmas Eve.

The damage to the historic church wasn’t enough to deter parishioners from upholding tradition.

“I think there are a lot of memories for people. It’s very simple and peaceful, which is something that can be overshadowed at this time of year,” Compton said.

The church was built in 1890 by a small congregation of mainly Scandinavian settlers. The congregation, originally the Zion Lutheran Church, merged in 1963 with another church they built in the valley.

The congregation grew and services were eventually moved to the new Peace Lutheran Church in town.

Over the years, vandals have been drawn to the Little White Church on the Hill. The damage sustained in October, however, was the worst church officials had seen.

Two men were arrested after a Snohomish County sheriff’s deputy spotted them running from the church. They were found with a baseball bat and hammer. Police believe the men smashed their way through nearly every window.

No charges have been filed against the men, both 18.

The repairs add up to more than $20,000, Compton said.

Glass was embedded in the pews and carpet and some of the intricate wood window frames were obliterated, said Larry Hanson, chairman of the church’s historic committee.

“It was quite a mess,” he said.

The headstones were quickly returned to their places. The rest of the work is taking more time. Because the church is a historic landmark, the new windows and frames must be as closely matched to the original materials as possible, Hanson said.

It will likely be another month or two before the windows are replaced. Sheets of Plexiglas will also be added in hopes of preventing future damage.

The congregation has been warmed by the numerous offers to help the church following the vandalism.

“We had a tremendous outpouring of concern and donations,” Compton said. “It was a wonderful response to something so needless.”

Reporter Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463 or hefley@heraldnet.com.