\City centre

\Alva

Alva Toddlers Group meets on Tuesdays and Fridays from 9.30-11.30am in the Cochrane Hall. Group also runs through school holidays. Look on Facebook for Alva Toddlers. Darby and Joan Group meets on Wednesday at 1.45pm in the Cochrane Foundation hall. Knitting group A knitting group meets at Parklands Centre at 7.30pm on the first and third Mondays of the month for a friendly evening in the company of experienced machine and hand knitters. Carpet bowls Carpet bowlers are wanted at Alva Parklands on Monday and Friday at 1.30-3.30pm. Open Doors Alva Baptist Church is open for tea/coffee and prayers on Wednesdays from 10am-noon. Noticeboard Groups and individuals can advertise activities and display posters on the noticeboard outside the library. Wee County Walkers Meet for free Monday walks at noon from Cochrane Hall car park. New walkers and walk leaders welcome. See www. weecountywalkers.wordpress.com. Alzheimer Scotland A dementia cafe is held in the Alzheimer Scotland bungalow at 22 Viewfield Drive every Saturday 2.30-4pm, £2.50. Contact Kerry MacPhee on 01786 831171 or email kmacphee@alzscot.org for more details. Country cance Classes are held on Mondays at 7pm at Alva Academy. Alva Pensioners There will be a bingo tea tonight (Wednesday), eyes down at 7.30pm. The monthly dance is on Saturday, December 17, at 7.30pm with music by Raymond Carse. A light supper will be served.

\Bannockburn

Miners Welfare Social Club Bingo on Mondays and Wednesdays at 8pm. Community council Meetings are held in the community centre on the first Thursday of each month at 7pm. Stirling Christadelphian Church Bible hour at the church at 40 Main Street is held every Sunday from 2.30pm, with Sunday school at the same time. Allan Church The service on Sunday at 11.15am will be a Nativity service led by the Sunday school. This is also a gift day service and all money raised will go to the Street Pastors service. Welcome team three is on duty. Bible study resumes on Thursday, January 12, at 2pm and Tuesday coffee club resumes on January 10 from 10-11.30am. Craft Club The next meeting in Allan Church Hall is on Wednesday, January 4, from 2-4pm. Concert Tonight (Wednesday) at 7.30pm Strathcarron Singers will present a Christmas swing concert in Allan Church. Tickets cost £6, all proceeds to Strathcarron Hospice, from Mary Woollhead. Christmas trees Allan Church is holding a Christmas tree festival on December 16-17 from 10am-7pm. Entry free. There will be a carol concert round the tree on the morning of December 17 by local churches and music in the church in the afternoon, provided by pupils from Bannockburn High School. There will be a tea room available throughout both days at a cost of £3 (children free). All trees will then be donated to Start-Up Stirling. Ladywell Church Family service on Sunday at 11.15am tells the story of the Nativity with the children of the Sunday school taking part. Team two will be on duty. Christmas services are a Christingle service on Christ- mas Eve at 6.30pm, Watchnight service at 11.30pm and Christmas Day worship at 10.30am. Murrayfield UF Church Carol singing outside the Allan Church at 11am on Saturday, December 17, extra singers welcome. On Saturday at 7.30pm Fife singer Bruce Davies returns with his show Songs for the Season. Tickets are £6 at the door. The service on Sunday will be led by Rev Gary Barclay at 11.15am. Welcoming: A Gray, N McDonald. Offering: A Kerr, K Scott.

\Blairlogie

SWI The next meeting will be the party night tonight (Wednesday) at 7pm. Bring a cup.

\Braehead

Lunch club The lunch club meets on Wednesdays in the Crawford Hall, Colquhoun Street, from 1-3pm and the older members of the community are invited to go on their own or with a friend or carer. Bingo East Argyll Centre in Colquhoun Street has bingo every Tuesday, eyes down 7.30pm. Adults art Professional artist Laura Newbury is holding classes for all levels, with beginners welcome, on Thursdays from 7-9pm in the Crawford Hall, Colquhoun Street. For details contact 07729 050035.

\Bridge of Allan

Parish Church Sunday is the allage Nativity service. There will be a creche and coffee in the Chalmers Hall afterwards. Beadle duty: Bill Moffat. Door duty: Lesley Christie, Ann Donald, Margaret Kaney, John Berry. ‘A Prophecy Fulfilled’ is the title of this week’s Advent Bible study tonight (Wednesday) at 7.30pm in the vestry. Lecropt Kirk ‘Celebration of Carols’ by the Renton Thomson Ensemble takes place in the kirk tonight (Wednesday) at 7.30pm, cost £6 including festive fare. Sunday worship starts at 11.30am. Door duty: John Crozier, Janice McGuiness and Karen Shaw. Evening service at 6.30pm in St Blane’s with both services led by Rev Gary Caldwell. St Saviour’s Episcopal Church Sunday’s schedule: 8am Eucharist; 10am sung Eucharist, a family Eucharist with Nativity; 6.30pm Service of Nine Lessons and Carols followed by mulled wine and mince pies in the hall. Christmas Eve: 4pm crib service and 11pm candlelit midnight Mass. Christmas Day: 8am said Eucharist and 11am family service at Bridge of Allan Parish Church. There is a special collection on Sunday, December 18, for Start-Up Stirling. Walking groups A free health walk with trained leaders is held on Wednesdays from 2-3pm. Contact Frances on 01786 827190 for the meeting point. The Stirling University Partnership walk group is on Saturdays from 10.30am-noon, meeting at the Macrobert. Contact Ian on 07768 984176. Crotchet and knitting A group meets in the library on the last Thurs01786 day of each month from 2.30-4.30pm. The group would welcome donations of leftover wool to start items for next year’s sale. Allanbridge Social Club Memberships must be paid no later than December 24. Two function rooms are available to hire. Enquiries to the club on 01786 832198 or 07840 518896 or Facebook. Councillor’s surgery Councillor Callum Campbell will be in Bridge of Allan Library on Saturday, December 17, at 10am.

\Cambusbarron

Bruce Memorial Church On Sunday the all-age service is at 11am. During the service the ‘Christmas Unwrapped’ film will be shown featuring P5 and P6 pupils. The Christingle service is at 6pm. This candlelit service will be led by Josh Milton with input from the Heart of Scotland Junior Choir and pupils from Cambusbarron Primary School. This year the Christmas offering will go to support The Salvation Army and the MS Society, who hold monthly lunches and support in Cambusbarron Community Centre. Envelopes will be provided at any Christmas service. Christmas services: December 22 - Carol Service at 11am; Christmas Eve – Watchnight service at 11.15pm, refreshments from 10.45pm; Christmas Day – all-age service at 10am, take a favourite present. Bowling club A Christmas night is being held at the club on Saturday, December 17, and the annual domino tournament is on Sunday, December 18.

\Cambuskenneth

Councillor’s surgery Councillor Johanna Boyd will be in the village hall on Monday, December 19, at 6.30pm.

\Causewayhead

Baby and toddler group Every Tuesday and Thursday at Stirling County Rugby Club from 10-11.30am. Cost £2 for the first child and 50p for additional children. Cost includes snack for children and tea/coffee. Cornerstone Community Church Service on Sunday at 10.30am in Wallace High School. Groups for children of all ages. Bowling club Hogmanay night starts at 8.30pm. Tickets available from the club, priced £5, on Monday or Friday evenings or Sunday afternoons. For more information contact the club on 01786 473350 or visit the club on these days. Logie Kirk The Christmas family service on Sunday begins at 11am in the kirk. This is an all age-service which includes the J Club gift service and Nativity play. A further service will be held in Hanover Court with Club 1.2.6. Both services will be led by Rev Stuart Fulton and Rev Anne Shearer. A lunch club for seniors is held every Thursday from 12.30pm in the church hall. Anyone interested in joining can d contact Elizabeth Crozier on 01259 213016. The afternoon club meets fortnightly on Wednesdays in the church hall from 2-4pm. For more information contact Sheila Innes on 822942. Every Tuesday a coffee morning is held in the hall from 10am. Scouts 4th/6th Scouts, who meet in St Columba’s Church Hall on Fridays, are on the lookout for volunteer leaders. The group is particularly keen on recruiting new leaders for the Beavers and Scout group. More information from Jane MacPherson on 07792 827584. Walking group A free health walk with trained leaders takes place every Monday from 2-2.45pm. Meet at Stirling bus station by the ticket office. Also meet at Stirling Community Hospital from 11am. Contact Tricia on 07557 439111. Viewfield Erskine Church Sunday worship is the Christmas Nativity service by the young church at 11.30am with Rev AF Miller. Choir practice in the church before the service at 10.30am. Tea and coffee served afterwards in the upper hall. Service of nine lessons and carols by candlelight is on Sunday at 6.30pm. The next Guild meeting will be on Monday, December 19, and is the Christmas party with entertainment by Archie Strang. Festive schedule: Tuesday, December 20 - Riverside Primary Christmas service at 10am (Viewfield Church); December 24 - Christingle service (Viewfield Church) at 6.30pm and Watchnight service (Church of the Holy Rude) at 11.30pm; joint Christmas Day service (Church of the Holy Rude) at 11am; joint New Year’s Day service (Viewfield Church) at 11am. Holy Trinity Episcopal Church On Friday, December 16, Communion will be celebrated at 11am and on Sunday Communion will be at 8.30am, followed by a Christingle service at 10.30am. At 6.30pm there will be a service of lessons and carols. Tomorrow (Thursday) the Advent study group will meet in the hall lounge. This will be the third of four sessions looking at St Matthew’s Gospel. The hall is available for rent. Contact shaws1@talktalk.net for more information. For more details visit www.holytrinitystirling.org. St Columba’s The junior church Nativity service will be held on Sunday, December 18, at 11am. For full details of services over the Christmas period see www.stcolumbasstirling.org. Coffee club meets in the church hall every Thursday 10.30-11.30am. Each Sunday the junior church provides activities for members from babies to teenagers. The church hosts friendship lunches on the second Monday of every month from noon-1.30pm. A transport service is available to and from church on Sundays, call Helen McDonald on 01786 474283. St Columba’s has a range of venues for hire within its premises at competitive rates. Church office is open TuesdayFriday 9.30am-12.30pm, tel 01786 449516. Allan Park South Church The service on Sunday at 10.30am will be conducted by the minister. Tea and coffee will be served in the hall afterwards. The 2017 church calendar is available to purchase at £10. Full details of church events are on the website at www.apschurch.com . Contact Rev Alistair Cowper on 01786 471998 or email minister@apschurch.com. Church of the Holy Rude The service on Sunday at 10am will be led by Rev Alan Mller and will incorporate the Christmas gift service. The choir will be presenting a service of nine lessons and carols at 6.30pm, followed by seasonal refreshments. Due to ill health, the concert by Frances McCafferty on Friday, December 30, has had to be cancelled. Please accept Miss McCafferty’s apologies. Sunlite Cafe The community cafe in the Cowane Centre is holding a fundraising event on Friday, December 16, from 10am-3pm. On sale are fresh made cakes, shortbread, hand-made Christmas cards and healthy foods. Stirling Free Church Meetings are at 11am and 6pm on Sunday in the Smith Art Gallery and Museum theatre with Rev Iain MacAskill. Refreshments at the close of each service. Prayer meeting on Wednesday at 7.30pm in the Smith. There will be no youth fellowship until further notice. There is a special collection at the Sunday service for the Startup Christmas meal appeal. Bible study is on Monday, December 19, in Sainsbury’s at 7.30pm. Carol service on Christmas Eve in the Smith at 5pm. The congregation is invited to join St Mark’s Parish Church and Allan Park South Church’s Carols in the City event on Sunday at the bottom of King Street from 3-5pm.

\Cornton

Credit union Cornton and District Credit Union is open every Monday from 9am-3pm and Fridays 4-6pm in the community centre. Pins ‘n’ Needles Knitting and sewing group meets in the community centre every Monday from 9.30-11.130am. Advice Citizens Advice Bureau outreach team is available every every Tuesday at ACE, Johnston Avenue from 1.30-4pm. No appointment necessary. Cornton Baptist Church Today (Wednesday) at 7.30pm Captivate. Tomorrow (Thursday) at 10.15am coffee morning and 7.30pm Praise, Prayer and Pastries. Friday, December 16, at 10am Noah’s Ark parent and toddler group. Saturday, December 18, at 4.40pm Christmas party. Sunday service, incorporating Nativity, at 11am with Rev Hamish Wishart and at 6.30pm carols at Christmas. Watchnight service on, December 24 at 11.15pm and Christmas Day service at 10.30am.

\Cowie

Advice Citizens Advice Bureau outreach team is available every Monday at The Old School House, Main Street from 10am-12.30pm. No appointment necessary. One O’Clock Gang Lunch club in the Miners Welfare Club every Monday at 1pm. Returns in 2017. Bowling club On Monday, Decemeber 26, Dean Alexander, ex-lead singer with Wrapped Up Showband, will be entertaining from 4.30pm. On New Year’s Day Terry Moore will be entertaining from 2.30pm.