Christmas will be coming to New Covenant Church at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday!

Let me explain that a little, for I am sure many are confused.

Since the last day of January of this year, several volunteers and I have been busy with the restorations of the old International Paper Mill Christmas displays that have been seen for the past number of holiday seasons down on the Natchez bluff.

The displays were in very sad condition, with several of them literally falling apart. Most of them were not operating and the lighting for them seldom worked correctly. They were just a shadow of their former selves!

It became apparent that someone or some group was going to have to step in and do a total restoration of the units. Many of us spoke on social networks that the condition of the displays were an embarrassment to the city as a whole, and especially to any tourists that were in town for the festive season.

A small number of us got together and decided to do something about this.

We met several times at New Covenant Church and drew up a list of work that had to be done to get them not only looking good, but functioning correctly. Since I was the one that had a space large enough to work on them, it was decided to start bringing them over for the work to begin.

What a job it has been!

So much of the plywood that the figures were constructed of was separating into the individual plies. It became increasingly obvious that salvaging the old pieces and just re-painting them was out of the question. Several of the gear motors that provided the movements to some of the figures were burnt up and a total loss. The wiring was completely unacceptable as previous restoration attempts had utilized interior lamp cord to supply the electricity, instead of the proper exterior cable. Some were downright dangerous!

We plan to have all the original IP displays back at 100 percent for this Christmas! I do believe we are going to make it, and I would encourage you to go to the Facebook page “ Friends of the old I.P. Christmas displays” to see the progress.

We have used a great plywood product called “Medium Density Overlay” to recreate figures. It is all but impervious to moisture and takes paint like a dream walking. With proper care, new figures should last for a very long time, indeed.

The expenses are great. The M.D.O. carries a hefty price, the oil-based exterior enamel is the best we can get and the electric motors and new wiring adds up fast.

All of this to say that, yes, I am going to hold another piano program at New Covenant. The admission to the program is free, but I encourage you to give a “love offering” to help us with the mounting expenses. All of the monies collected go straight to the project, and all of the volunteers are just that — volunteers. No one is making a dime from this.

The program will consist of music from ragtime to swing to popular offerings.

Who knows what will happen? Maybe even a little magic if the mood is right and I can remember how to do it!

I also plan on having one or two of the completed displays at the event for folks to see. If you remember the old I.P. displays, if you were shocked to see them in such disrepair, if the memory of those special years of going to the Mill at Christmas still warms your heart and if you want to make new memories with your family then please come out and support the work.

I think— no, I know — that you are going to be amazed at how the restored display look and operate! Remember 6:30 p.m. on Thursday at New Covenant Church at 130 Homochitto St.

We hope to see you there.
Burnley Cook is a Natchez resident.