NEWS & NOTES

Celebrate Christmas

Fairview Village Church: Lights in the Village, a walkthrough Christmas light display, opens to the public 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 8-9. Also, visit the Christmas Village, Santa’s House, Bethlehem Village and Nativity scene, and the sweet and gift shops. There will be photo opportunities with Santa, superheroes, Disney princesses, “Star Wars” characters and more. Admission is free and parking is available at Methacton High School, 1005 Kriebel Mill Road, Worcester. Free shuttle bus service is provided from Methacton to Lights in the Village, 3044 W. Germantown Pike. For more information, visit www. fairviewvillagechurch.com or call (610) 539-3333. Family Worship Center: The dramatic musical “I’ll be Home for Christmas” is the story of the faith of a family, and a nation on the brink of World War II, preparing to celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace. Most of the action takes place in the main characters’ home, with the choir providing music and drama as it is broadcast over the family radio. The music highlights the sounds of the 1940s, including swing, lush ballads and big band songs interspersed with reenactments of radio broadcasts of that time. It also includes original music. Admission is free and you can see it at 7 p.m. Dec. 8-10 at 1000 Troxel Road, Towamencin. A free will offering will be received. Church of the Holy Spirit: The 1994 movie “One Christmas,” based on an autobiographical story by author Truman Capote, will be shown at the Friday Adult Faith Forum on Dec. 8 at Church of the Holy Spirit, 2871 Barndt Road and Sumneytown Pike, Upper Salford. For those interested in sharing a meal, a potluck will start the evening off at 6 p.m., and will be followed by the film and discussion. The movie takes place in the 1930s in New Orleans and the theme is about a problematic relationship between a distant con man father and 8-year-old son who lives in Alabama. This was Katharine Hepburn’s last movie appearance. All are welcome. For more information, call (215) 234-8020 or visit www.churchoftheholyspirit.us. Souderton Mennonite Church: The church at 105 W. Chestnut St., Souderton, invites you to celebrate the birth of Jesus at 6 p.m. Sunday with a “Carols and Cookies” hymn sing. Sunday morning worship is at 9:30 a.m. Indian Valley Hometown Christmas Holiday House Tour: The seventh annual self-guided tour will be held noon to 5 p.m. Sunday and is sponsored by Zwingli United Church of Christ in Souderton. One home, dating back to 1726, in the Lower Salford area, will feature the homestead, as well as a restored ice house. For tickets and information call (215) 723-1186. To complete the day, the Souderton Alumni Men’s Chorus will present a Christmas Concert at 7:30 p.m. in the church’s sanctuary, 350 Wile Ave.

Service notes

St. John’s United Church of Christ: The annual White Gift Service is the 10:15 a.m. service Dec. 10. Gifts of all kinds, and for all ages, but toys and clothing are welcome for children and youths. Gifts should be wrapped in white paper and clearly marked with regard to size, gender and age for whom the gift would be most appropriate. The gifts will be distributed to Christian Network Outreach Church in Norristown, Living Water United Church of Christ in Philadelphia, and Urban Promise in Camden. All are welcome to participate. There will be no 8 a.m. service that Sunday. The church is at 500 W. Main St., Lansdale. Call (215) 855-5489 or visit www. st-johns-ucc.org. Franconia Mennonite Church: A drama and children’s story will be part of the 10:15 a.m. service on Sunday. Then at 6:30 p.m. Sunday will be a Christmas Song Service in the Fellowship Hall. All are welcome to join us for an evening of singing Christmas songs. Timothy Bentch will be the guest soloist. The church is at 613 Harleysville Pike, Franconia.

Advent meditation

St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church: An Advent Morning of Recollection today features Mass at 8:30 a.m., continental breakfast at 9 and a guest presentation on the spiritual and practical ways of preparing for the birth of Jesus and how to live in hope during troubled times at 9:30. The church is at Derstine and Cowpath roads, Hatfield.

Place your orders

Presentation of Our Lord Ukrainian Catholic Church: Orders are being taken for Christmas foods. Call (215) 362-9599 and leave your name and phone number clearly to receive a call back to confirm your order for pierogies, kielbasa and nut and poppy seed rolls. Orders are being accepted through today. Orders will be available for pick up Dec. 16 at 1564 Allentown Road, Towamencin.

For men

St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church: Men of all ages are welcome to That Man Is You 7 to 8:30 a.m. Saturdays in the Parish Center, Derstine and Cowpath roads, Hatfield. Visit tmiysmg@gmail. com or call Bill at (215) 7210199, ext. 254.

Tickets available

Lansdale United Methodist Church: Ticket reservations can be made for The Laymen Playmen’s upcoming presentation of “Peter Pan,” running Feb. 8-18 at the church at 300 N. Broad St., Lansdale. Proceeds benefit the Hatfield Pastors’ Fund. Call (215) 368-9484 orseewww.laym en play men. org.

Need work?

St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church: St. Joseph’s People, a group which assists the unemployed and underemployed, meets at 7:30 p.m. on the first and third Thursdays of the month in the Parish Center Library, Derstine and Cowpath road, Hatfield. Contact Nancy at nancyboak@aol.com.

Music notes

Central Schwenkfelder Church: The 87th annual United Schwenkfelder Choir Concert is presented at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the church, 2111 Valley Forge Road, Worcester. A free will offering will be received. See www.unitedchoir.org. St. John’s United Church of Christ: The Chancel Choir at St. John’s will sing “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” arranged by Kile Smith at the 10:15 a.m. service on Sunday. The church is at 500 W. Main St., Lansdale. Call (215) 855-5489 or visit www.st-johns-ucc.org. Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel: Karen Akers is featured in a new program, “Celebrate the Chanson” at 8 p.m. tonight at the synagogue at 8339 Old York Road, Elkins Park. Reservations are due Nov. 27 and are $45, $55 at the door, free for students through age 23. BYOB; wine will be for sale. There’s an optional supper, catered by Ristorante San Marco, at 6:30 p.m. (reservation only). Call (215) 887-8700 or visit www.kenesethisrael.org. Salem United Church of Christ: At 7:30 p.m. Dec. 8 the church will present the Eric Mintel Quartet “Charlie Brown Christmas” show. Mintel will perform in the sanctuary on the restored 150-year-old Steinway piano. Suggested donation is $20 for adults, no charge for students and children. Light refreshments will follow the concert in the assembly room. For ticket information, contact the church at (215) 348-9860. The church is at 186 E. Court St., Doylestown. Bucks County Choral Society: A Family Christmas Concert is presented at 11 a.m. Dec. 9 at Doylestown Presbyterian Church, 127 E. Court St., Doylestown. Tickets are $10, $40 for a family of four or more. At 4 p.m. Dec. 10 it’s “Ringing in the Season: A Concert of Traditional Christmas Carols” at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, 5175 Cold Spring Creamery Road, Buckingham. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door. Visit www.buckschoral.org.

Shopping season

Congregation Beth Or: It’s a Hanukkah bazaar 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the synagogue, 239 East Welsh Road, Upper Dublin. Browse more than 50 vendors with a selection of jewelry, clothes, crafts, sports memorabilia, toys, skin care products and more. Raffle prizes will be awarded during hourly drawings. Snack on homemade latkes and other treats available for purchase. Call (215) 646-5806. Church of the Holy Spirit: A Gingerbread Craft Show is held 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at 2871 Barndt Road, Upper Salford. Vendors will display an appealing assortment of crafts. Refreshments will be served all day. For additional information, visit www. church of the holy spirit. us or contact Cindy at cohs. events@yahoo.com. Central Schwenkfelder Church Central Community Center: Holiday Shopping for a Cause is held 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today. Items for purchase include blown glass ornaments, jewelry, cards, scarves, purses, bookmarks, toys and clothing. Proceeds will go to Women At Risk International, an organization that rescues and shelters women and children from human traffickers in 45 countries around the world and in the U.S. All the items at the fundraiser are made by these women. The church is off of Valley Forge Road, Worcester. St. Peter’s Lutheran Church: The church’s thrift shop at 211 S. Main St., North Wales, is celebrating the 26th season benefiting many local charities. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. Browse a new winter boutique line, attic treasures, housewares, clothing for women and children, books, linens, jewelry, vintage items and holiday clothing and decor. Find a new buy-one-get-one surprise every week. Call (215) 699-4604.

Parents and kids

St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church: A Play and Pray Moms and Tots group meets 9:30 to 11 a.m. Thursdays in the Parish Center basement at Cowpath and Derstine roads, Hatfield. Mothers, grandmothers and their little ones, infant through age 5, are welcome to join. Contact Janna at jlkerr8@gmail.com.

Let’s eat

St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church: On Sunday the Knights of Columbus Pius IX Council will be holding Breakfast with Santa, with seatings at 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. It is an all-you-caneat buffet and includes a picture with Santa. Tickets are $9. Drexel Hall at St. Maria Goretti is located at 1601 Derstine Road, Hatfield. Reservation forms are available under the Events section of www.koc4396. org. Contact Linda at (215) 361-7650 or lansdalebws@ gmail.com with questions. All proceeds are used to provide winter coats for children and food baskets for families in the North Penn and Souderton area. Also, the First Thursday Breakfast Club gathers for coffee, tea, juice and breakfast refreshments in the church Narthex following the 8:30 a.m. Mass Dec. 7. Congregation Beth Or: The Brotherhood group’s annual dinner features a performance by Joe Conklin, an auction and a chance to win a $2,000 cash prize at 5:45 p.m. Dec. 5. Cost is $50 for non-members. See more at https://www. eventbrite.com/e/congregation-beth-or-brotherhood2017-annual-dinner-tickets-36762833625. Also, RSVP by Dec. 6 for a brunch and book discussion of “Climate of Hope” by Michael Bloomberg and Carl Pope, which starts at 10 a.m. Dec. 10. RSVP to Barbara at bmurtha@bethor.org and get more information at www.bethor.org. Christ Covenant Church: The church at 2200 Main-

hosts a free community hot breakfast in the fellowship hall, including scrambled eggs, pancakes, breakfast meat, toast, fruit and beverages 8 to 10 a.m. the last Saturday of every month in the fellowship hall. No reservations are required and all ages are welcome. Call (215) 256-8101. Trinity Lutheran Church: TLC Dinner Together, a community meal, is held 5 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays for a $3 donation. The church is at 1000 W. Main St., Lansdale.

Gather together

Church of the Holy Spirit: An Al-Anon Family Group, Pathway to Peace, meets from 10 to 11 a.m. Fridays at the church, Sumneytown Pike and Barndt Road, Upper Salford. If you have, or have had, a family member, friend or coworker whose drinking or drug use is affecting or troubling you, contact Judy at jemorice@gmail.com. Souderton Mennonite Church: Divorce Care, a course offering support, counsel and encouragement to people who have been through the pain of divorce, or are separated from their spouse. Meetings are held 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the church, 105 W. Chestnut St., Souderton. For more information, or to join, contact Pastor John Engle at divorcecare@soudertonmennonite.org. Bethel Hill United Methodist Church: A Prayers Regarding Addiction Recovery prayer group meets at noon the last Sunday of each month in the church sanctuary, 2000 Bethel Road, Worcester. All are welcome. Plains Mennonite Church: Parents and caregivers of a child with autism or Asperger’s syndrome are invited to join a monthly support group that meets at 7 p.m. the second Friday of the month at the church, 50 W. Orvilla Road, Hatfield. Give and receive emotional and practical support, as exchange information and stories to be more effectively equipped with skills and insights to parent children on the autism spectrum. To RSVP or for more information, go to http://plainsmennonitechurch.org/eventscalendar/everyone or call (215) 362-7640. Congregation Beth Or: If you or someone you know is struggling with a challenging life moment or transition, support is available. Cantor David Green facilitates counseling and support groups for a variety of issues, including bereavement (a support group meets the last Wednesday of each month at 8 p.m.), divorce, adult care giving, mental health and addition. Contact dgreen@bethor. org or (215) 646-5806, ext. 218. Holy Trinity Episcopal Church: The church at Fourth and Broad streets in Lansdale hosts a discussion group on various topics each Monday from 2 to 3 p.m. This is open to the community. Anyone who would like to connect with others in a discussion group setting is invited. The Sunday service is at 10 a.m. Fairview Village Church: Celebrate the Journey, a Bible-based support/recovery program, meets at 6:45 p.m. Fridays at The Village Norristown, 329 E. Main St., Norristown, and 6:45 p.m. Mondays at Fairview Village Church, 3044 W. Germantown Pike, Worcester. Large group gathering of prayer and praise, as well as a lesson, begins at 6:45 and small group time takes place from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. Most groups are genderbased — men with men, and women with women. Some groups address a specific need; others are designed to allow each person to bring their unique challenges to a safe place. Each group is strictly confidential and is led by trained leaders with similar life experiences. For information on the Friday Celebrate the Journey, contact Megan at megan. brooks@fvcn.org or (610) 539-3333, ext. 7729. For information on the Monday Celebrate the Journey, contact Pastor Kelly Yetter at Kelly.yetter@fvcn.org or (610) 539-3333, ext. 7717. Christ Lutheran Church: A local chapter of PFLAG, the national organization that supports Parents, Friends and Families of Lesbian/Gay and Transgender individuals, meets at 7 p.m. the fourth Monday of each month in Weaver Hall. For questions or additional information, contact Sue at sdaubert@ yahoo.com. Silverdale Brethren in Christ Church: Singles Connection, a non-denominational Bux-Mont area group for single, widowed, divorced and separated adults age 45+ meets at 7 p.m. Thursdays at the church, 165 W. Main St. (Route 113), Silverdale. For information, call (215) 5939995 or email carolonline1@ verizon.net. Celebrate Recovery: This group meets 7 to 9 p.m. Mondays at Franconia Mennonite Church, Route 113, Franconia. All are welcome.

Holy Hour

St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church: The monthly Holy Hour to pray for the needs of the church (especially vocations to the priesthood) will be held on the Thursday evening, before the first Friday of every month, at 7 p.m. The church is at Derstine and Cowpath roads, Hatfield.

Study

Montco Bible Fellowship: A study from the Book of James starts at 10:30 a.m. Sundays at the church, 160 E. Main St., Lansdale. Call (215) 855-0899 or visit www.montcobf.org. Congregation Beth Or: Torah study is held at 9:30 a.m. Saturdays, after the 9 a.m. Shabbat Worship, at 239 Welsh Road, Upper Dublin. Trinity Lutheran Church: A Bible study exploring the Acts of the Apostles is held 10 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesdays in Room 125⁄127. Bring your favorite Bible translation. The church is at 1000 W. Main St., Lansdale. Central Schwenkfelder Church: Spend Thursday nights reading and studying the Old Testament with a Bethel Bible Program (now in its 44th year). The program meets 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursdays through May 2018 in the church’s Bethel Room, 2111 S. Valley Forge Road, Worcester. Dates will be decided by the class members and meetings will not be held on the fourth Thursday of the month. Each lesson has a picture with concepts noted, with several pages of reading, as well as assignments of scripture. For those who have previously taken the course, it has changed — with new pictures and detailed study guides. Register with the church office, or call Allen at (610) 584-5379 or e-mail tennislob31@comcast.net. Holy Trinity Episcopal Church: The church at Fourth and Broad streets in Lansdale will be holding a weekly Bible study on Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m. All are invited to attend.

Play time

St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church: Games Day for adults 50+ is held 1 to 4 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month in the Parish Library, Derstine and Cowpath roads, Hatfield. Presentation of Our Lord Ukrainian Catholic Church: Weekly Wednesday Bingo is held at 1564 Allentown Road, Towamencin. Doors open at 5 p.m., with food available for purchase, and the games begin at 6:30. For questions call (215) 362-9599. St. Anne Ukrainian Catholic Church: The church at 1545 Easton Road, Warrington, hosts bingo Tuesday nights. Games start at 6:45 p.m. and cost is $13, extra for bonus sheets and rip-offs. Visit www.stanneukrainiancc.com or email stannesecretary@comcast. net.

Help others

Christ Covenant Church: During December, Christ Covenant Church, 2200 Mainland Road, Towamencin, will be supporting Shepherd’s Shelf in Kulpsville with donations of non-perishable food/ items. Supplies especially needed in restocking the pantry are: canned soups, canned fruits/vegetables, stewed tomatoes, tomato paste, fruit juice in plastic containers, peanut butter and jelly, tuna, beef stew, spaghetti sauce, chili, pasta, instant potatoes, minute rice, hamburger helper and spaghetti-o’s, personal hygiene products, diapers, baby food and paper products. Contributions may be dropped off at the church office Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sundays 9 to noon. Call (215) 256-8101 or visit www.christ-covenant. org.

New reading

Adath Israel: Meet Lauren Belfer, the author of this year’s “One Book One Jewish Community” book, “And After the Fire,” at a free event 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the synagogue at 250 N. Highland Ave., Merion Station. Check out http:// jewishlearningventure.org/ building community/ one book.