The Christmas season in Aurora was celebrated in a different way on Sunday as three local churches came together for a Steeple Walk to benefit the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry. All of the proceeds from ticket sales for the event –  tickets were $10 for individuals and $20 for families – w ent to the pantry, organizers said. Beginning at 2 p.m. Sunday, those participating met at Wesley United Methodist Church at 14 N. May St. for some seasonal music and a short tour before moving on to Our Savior Lutheran at 420 W. Downer Place for music and another tour. The walk then concluded at New England Congregational, 406 W. Galena Blvd., where refreshments including cocoa and more fellowship were offered. The Rev. Tammy Scott, lead pastor of Wesley United Methodist, said the Steeple Walk seemed like a nice event to hold during the holiday season. “We heard about similar events in other towns and know that we’ve got three pretty amazing sanctuaries, and so we wanted to invite people into our spaces and hear some Christmas music and explore the architecture of the individual buildings,” Scott said. “We’re just trying to get people in the mood and into the Christmas spirit.” Scott said the walk itself was rather easy, given that “the three buildings are probably within about a half mile of each other.” David Morlock of Aurora took part in the Steeple Walk on Sunday. “I wanted to do this,” Morlock said during the event. “It’s a beautiful day, there are the churches and, of course, fellowship and marvelous music.” Morlock said he is “a traditionalist, so I do like the architecture of the older churches in Aurora and the Fox Valley area.” Bob Bridgman of Aurora, a member of New England Congregational, said he had a hand in coming up with the Steeple Walk event. “I was part of the group that initiated the idea and it’s because we heard that Geneva had done a rather popular one with four churches there,” Bridgman said. “The idea came from someone in our group who had attended their Steeple Walk. For a lot of us, we’ve been here for years and people talk about these buildings but until you go in them you’ve never really seen them.” The Steeple Walk on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, gave participants a chance to visit three churches in Aurora, including Wesley United Methodist Church at 14 N. May St. (David Sharos/For The Beacon-News) The Rev. Eric Miller of Our Savior Lutheran on Sunday said he “was excited because it’s the first time I’ve participated in something like this.” “I’m looking forward to going to one church and then another,” Miller said before the event began. “My music director will be playing at mine and I’m very excited. I know people will be seeing other people and their churches and eventually coming back in the weeks ahead to their own, but for me, it’s all about simple community togetherness and Christian families coming together and sharing the birth of Christ and celebrating that.” Jane Fisher of Aurora said she thought “it would be fun to see Christmas in other churches” during the Steeple Walk. “I love music and meeting people and that’s why I’m here,” she said. David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News. ...read more read less