Witches and pagans who traveled to Adamstown on Saturday for a festival "Celebrating Earth Spirituality" were greeted by a steady rain and praying Christians in a silent protest.

The gathering held at Stoudtburg Village and hosted by Reading Pagans & Witches proved to far less controversial than the debate that brewed in the days leading up to it.

Religious freedoms and convictions became the point of contention and some shop owners decided to close their businesses Saturday. Most, however, remained open.

The festival's hosting group is described on its Web site as a nonprofit organization focused on celebrating pagans and witches and other nature-based and alternative faiths.

Gift shop owner Phyllis Cook said her shop is open every day but Tuesdays and Wednesdays. When asked if she considered closing for the event, she said, "I have had great business today."

An antique shop owner in the village left a message with the Sunday News on Friday evening saying that her business, and others, would be closed in protest.

The proprietor, who did not want to be identified, said businesses and community leaders were neither notified nor consulted about the event until they read about the festival in the paper. The business owner said many churches would have people coming out to "circle the area in prayer."

Ephraim Renno and Luke Martin, of Denver, were among those who did just that.

"People will always try to fill the vacuum of life," Martin said. "Without God, they will turn to other religions." Martin and Renno were at the festival with about 10 other people from Ephrata Christian Fellowship.     

They were among several others from nearby churches who came to the festival to pray and "witness to those who have questions," Martin said.

He said they were there to show God's love, not to make the practicing witches and pagans feel attacked. He believed his group was effective because he said he was able to talk with people there. "Some of them were searching for the truth," he said.

"Satan is the father of lies," Martin said. "There is none righteous, no not one," he added, quoting Romans 3:10.

Jen Anderson-Wenger, president of Reading Pagans & Witches, said several church groups "laid hands on us and prayed." She said she was pleased at the turnout, and said her group was received "very peacefully."

Anderson-Wenger said having the church groups come, and pray over them, was an "amazing spiritual experience."