Natalie Cole brought a shiver of nostalgia to listeners in Avery Fisher Hall when she sang “A Christmas Song,” the old chestnut made famous by her father. Cole and others performed in a concert presented by the American Bible Society and the Christian Cultural Center (CCC) to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and bring attention to Common Ground and The Bowery Mission, organizations that serve the homeless in Manhattan.

Also performing in the “Christmas in New York” event were Dino and Cheryl Kartsonakis and Pauletta Washington, Denzel Washington's wife. The Manhattan Pops Orchestra, conducted by Bob Krogstad, provided accompaniment.

The Rev. A.R. Bernard Jr., the founder of the booming CCC, has recently become a board member of the American Bible Society.