Christ Church Caroling on Friendship Square
December 5th, Moscow, Idaho.
Members of Christ Church, a local evangelical congregation, gathered to sing Christmas carols on Friendship Square on Sunday, December 5th, singing about a dozen traditional carols followed by hot cocoa and cookies. This is a yearly tradition for the church, and gathered approximately 300 people.
As they began singing, an individual residing in the second floor of the Moscow Hotel allegedly placed a noise machine speaker system in the window of an apartment in an attempt to drown out the Christmas carols. According to a witness at the scene who measured the sound with his smartphone, it topped 90 decibels. Meanwhile another individual on the steps of the Moscow Hotel yelled at the gathered families singing, and made disparaging gestures.
Pastor Doug Wilson stood up after a song and said, “Two things – the first thing we should do is on three yell ‘Merry Christmas.'” The carolers shouted a robust “Merry Christmas” on three, directed at those at the Moscow Hotel attempting to drown out the singing. Wilson continued, “The second thing is let’s move across the street around the fountain.”
The carolers crossed the street and continued singing. After a short while the noise from the noise machine ceased, and singing continued unhindered until the end of the event.
The individual responsible for the noise machine was issued a citation by Moscow Police for disturbing the peace, and an MPD officer stayed on the scene to ensure no more illegal disturbances would take place.
As the carolers made their way across the street, one of the carolers, Jared Longshore, tells the camera, “Merry Christmas! We do love them up there.”
VIDEO: Noise machine, and response by Doug Wilson and Carolers, followed by caroling.
See also: Past Caroling videos:
2019 below. 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2009
Moscow City Election – 2023
Moscow City Council Meeting Debrief from 5/15/23
Moscow City Council Meeting Debrief from 7/18/22
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Moscow Report
Moscow Report is an "on the ground" news agency by various members of the community in Moscow, Idaho. We publish occasional editorials, receive and share updates in real time from community members during news events (primarily via our Facebook page), and highlight local businesses and beauty. Have a story? Connect via Facebook or by email at info@moscowidaho.news.
Y’all sure do love being the worst. Funny that you don’t call 300 people loudly signing unmasked in a town square during a pandemic disturbing the peace, but you consider one noisemaker from one’s own home to be disturbing the peace. How ironic.
Dear Sage,
comparing the sound of singing to that noise machine speaks for itself. If there were no recording, I would need to point out the difference. But the recording makes that unnecessary.
It’s hard to believe that there are such bitter people in this world. How is singing carols for Christmas hurting anyone. Oh wait I guess it hurts the fear mongers who believe all that they are fed by Democrats or I mean Satan as seen in the comment about signing unmakes which is just stupid. You can’t sing effectively in a mask. It’s hard enough to breathe. Here in Florida, we are back to normal. Some people still wear the diapers on their face but most of us have caught on to the unfounded fear that our government is trying to project to destroy this country and world. We have the lowest rate of COVID in the U.S. and we don’t wear masks or social distance. The places with the highest rates are the highest rates of vaccinated because they’re spreading it. Moscow seems to be a fitting name since democrats are trying to turn us into a communistic country.
I am glad to see caroling resume at Christmas time to celebrate the Lord’s birthday! If anyone can post the troublemakers email, Facebook, and Twitter information, then we could send him some christmas greetings. He must think highly of his self, to go out of his way to spoil everyone elses good time. When he stands before the Lord, he will have to answer for what he has done. In the spirit of Christmas we should forgive him, but we don’t have to forget what he has done. Merry Christmas everyone!
Sage: The WHO states that it is pretty close to being mathematically impossible to transfer a virus out of doors enough to make anyone sick. Another factoid: history teaches that if we do not exercise our freedoms, we will lose them. And merry Christmas 🙂