Christmas, Chanukkah parties planned
There are several events planned for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Chanukkah this year in the Mother Lode. Here’s a partial list.
The annual Christmas Eve Dinner at Mother Lode Fairgrounds is scheduled 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 24. The event is intended to benefit families and individuals who are less fortunate, and everyone is invited. Full meals are served to one and all. There will be live holiday music, gifts and visit with Santa. This year’s event is planned in the Sierra Building. The street address for Mother Lode Fairgrounds is 220 Southgate Drive, Sonora.
Rides to and from the event are available and meals may be delivered. Reservations for delivery of meals and/or rides needed must be received by 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21. Community volunteers and donations are welcome. For more information and to make reservations call Cathie Peacock at (209) 586-4802.
People at Twain Harte Bible Church are planning to host a traditional Candlelight Service 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve, Tuesday, Dec. 24. The church is at 18995 Twain Harte Drive in Twain Harte.
Organizers with the Columbia Presbyterian Church of the 49ers invite the community to a Candle
light and Choir Christmas Eve service at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 24. The service, led by the Rev. Keith Reid, will include Christmas caroling, readings from the Bible telling the story of Jesus' birth, and special music by the 49er Chancel Choir. To end the service, the sanctuary will be darkened and the congregation will sing “Silent Night” by candlelight. Everyone is welcome to come as they are and bring their children. The church is at 11155 Jackson St. in Columbia. For more information, call (209) 532-2441 or go online to www.churchofthe49ers.com. —
On Wednesday, events will include a Christmas Day dinner hosted by Calvary Chapel Sonora from 1 p.m. to about 4 p.m. Dec. 25 at the Sonora Opera Hall & Community Center at 250 S Washington St.
“They'll keep feeding people if people keep showing up or until the food runs out,” Justin Flores, administrative pastor with Calvary Chapel Sonora, said Friday in a phone interview. The event is free and everyone is welcome to attend.
“It would be hard for us to have a Merry Christmas knowing anyone is hungry and cold on Christmas Day,” Flores said. “So we hope people will come join us for a warm meal and a warm environment. Get in out of the cold. We'll have the heaters going.”
For more information about the Calvary Chapel Sonora Christmas Day dinner at the Opera Hall call Bob Wilson 209-768-7038.
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Also on Christmas Day, people with the community group Murphys Friends plan to host their annual free Christmas Day Dinner, open to anyone and everyone, starting at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 25 at the Native Sons Hall in Murphys. The dinner is expected to end about 3 p.m.
Organizers with Murphys Friends say they have been inviting the public to the holiday meal for more than 30 years. They say they draw a diverse, amiable crowd sharing food, drink, presents and visits with Mr. and Mrs. Claus. They estimate 600 people come out to the free event annually. Meal deliveries are offered for residents everywhere in Calaveras County, for anyone who makes a request.
Volunteer Ray Beaudreau spends much of Christmas Day each year delivering holiday dinners across Calaveras County. In past years, he and others have delivered as many as 175 meals. Call (209) 736-6177 for information and (209) 728-2633 to have a meal delivered to your home.
People with The Union Congregational Church in Angels Camp plan to host their all-church pageant on Sunday, Dec. 22. Worshipers are invited to participate as angels, shepherds, magi, and townspeople as they reenact the Christmas story. The pageant will take place instead of regular worship service at 10 a.m. Sunday. The church is at 1141 S. Main St., Angels Camp. For more information, call Vicky Oneto at (209) 7364281.
On Saturday, Dec. 28, people with the Mother Lode Jewish Community are hosting their annual Chanukkah party for about 80 attendees in Murphys.
Chanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, commemorates the rededication during the second century B.C. of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, where Jews had risen up against their Greeksyrian oppressors. They witnessed what they believed to be a miracle, as there was only enough oil to keep the temple's menorah burning for a single night, and the flames flickered for eight nights, leaving them time to find a fresh supply.
There's a waiting list for the Dec. 28 Chanukkah party in Murphys and organizers expect some cancellations. To learn more, call (209) 533-1650.
Contact Guy Mccarthy at gmccarthy@uniondemocrat.com or 588-4585. Follow him on Twitter at @ Guymccarthy.