This has to be God’s work. Certificates of occupancy don’t just appear by magic. Yet another in our series of… Christmas miracles!

Call it the magic of Christmas. Call it a blessing. Call it whatever you want.

The new First Congregational Church in West Dundee will be filled with song and worshippers on Christmas Eve.

A week after church leaders and members thought they’d be celebrating the holiday in their old 19th-century church because their shiny new building on Route 31 wasn’t completed, they are decking the new halls this week.

They received what they wanted for Christmas: a certificate of occupancy. It didn’t come from Santa but from West Dundee officials who, after a final inspection, gave them permission to hold a concert and two services there on Sunday night.

“I would call it a miracle,” said the Rev. Pamela Pendexter, one of the church’s pastors.