The evening was going well, I thought. Twenty-four of us-three adults and twenty-one high schoolers-were Christmas caroling and getting the expected response. Thank you, Lord, I prayed silently, that these kids are willing to take a stand for you in this setting. Keep us safe, Lord; keep us safe.

No, we weren't singing at a calm retirement center or in front of a parishioner's stately home. We were strolling around "porno row" on the roughest street in downtown Seattle, regional headquarters for a variety of carnal pursuits. In fact, we carol there nearly every year, trying to bring some light into a dark world.

I knew from experience, however, that at least one thing memorable would occur. That night, two things happened thirty minutes after we began.

We were finishing our final song in front of a double-doored pornography shop. The left door led to live "XXX" show girls, and the right to video rentals and view booths. A few passersby had stopped to listen. One ...