Just a few steps up a hill on Church Street, overlooking Ellicott City's historic district, is Emory United Methodist Church.

The 165-year-old stone church without a steeple boasts an interior of brilliant color and light in a style that is rarely found in modern churches.

Stained-glass windows of deep blue, red and green fill most of the sanctuary's four walls. A large, round, brightly colored window - reminiscent of a sunflower - dominates the wall behind the altar and accounts for Emory's nickname as the "Sunflower Church."

"It's a neat little treasure, part of Ellicott City's history," said church member Grace Counts-Smith of Sykesville, speaking of the church building.

The colors of Christmas further beautify the church this month. The Dec. 1 worship service featured a "hanging of the greens" during which the sanctuary was gradually decorated with evergreens and poinsettias. Between hymns and Scripture readings, Chrismons - decorations symbolic of the person and work of Jesus Christ - were hung on a Christmas tree.

The word "Chrismon" is a combination of "Christ" and "monogram," said Emory's pastor, the Rev. L. Katherine Moore. Emory's Chrismons were made by the church's Tuesday morning art class and are of professional quality, she said.

Emory's Christmas adornments will be on display tomorrow evening for its Christmas concert by the Nightingales, a choral ensemble of 12 women founded and led by director of music Lois Hunter. The sanctuary fills early for this popular free concert, said Hunter, who hopes that concertgoers will make the program part of a festive evening in Ellicott City.

Emory was founded in 1837 as "The Methodist Episcopal Church of Emory Chapel at Ellicott Mills." It was named for Methodist Bishop John Emory, who had died two years earlier after being thrown from his horse-drawn carriage.

In what Moore called "a long history of combinations over the years," the Methodist Episcopal denomination merged with several other Methodist groups and the Evangelical United Brethren to form the United Methodist denomination to which Emory now belongs.

Last month, Emory celebrated its 165th anniversary with a homecoming worship service followed by a luncheon. Three of the church's former pastors brought greetings, and memorial tables and pew cushions were dedicated. The new cushions adorn Emory's carved wooden pews, which were a 50th-anniversary presentation.

The Rev. Robert Mitzel, pastor from 1961 to 1972, dressed in a white cravat and black coat, and - carrying a large silver-colored ecclesiastical staff - played the part of Bishop Emory to address the congregants and encourage them to build on Emory's "great heritage."

Mitzel noted earlier that Emory's heritage includes a number of "firsts" in service to the community. The church building was the site of the first county YMCA meeting in 1854, first county Head Start program in the 1960s and the first Ellicott City senior center in 1988. The church also offered aid and shelter during Ellicott City's times of flood and fire.

Moore was another first for Emory - its first female pastor. She arrived at the church in 1997 after 20 years of ministry to Methodist churches in Carroll, Harford and Baltimore counties.

Moore said that her preaching focuses on offering biblical solutions to the problems of daily life. "What I try to do every Sunday is to give them something to take with them to face the world."

Under Moore's leadership, Emory continues a variety of traditional programs and has added new ones. There is an active youth program, a "blessing of the pets" service in the fall, a "holy humor Sunday," an annual Election Day luncheon for the community (first Tuesday in November), a summertime church picnic and outside worship service and Christmas caroling to homebound church members.

Moore said that Emory's greatest strength is its "warm, loving, caring congregation."

The Nightingales Christmas concert, which is free, will be held at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow at the church.

Emory United Methodist

Denomination: United Methodist

Leadership: The Rev. L. Katherine Moore

Size: 162 members

Location: 3810 Church Road, Ellicott City

Date founded: 1837

Phone: 410-465-4110

Web site: www.gbgm-umc.org/emory

Worship services: 10:30 a.m. Sunday

Children's program: Sunday school, preschool to adult, 9 a.m.; nursery care for ages 5 and younger during worship service; activity bags for use of children (ages 5 to 7) during worship service; youth program, call for information