CHURCH NEWS
Highlands Church (United Methodist)
The next blood drive is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 19, and is organized by the HUMMERS (Highlands United Methodist Men). Free cholesterol screening is available. Eat well and drink plenty of fluids prior to the blood drive. A photo ID is required.
Highlands Church will have a family Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion worship service at 4 p.m. Dec. 24. Get an early start to Christmas Eve festivities with this service, ending with a candlelit rendition of Silent Night. Little children will have light sticks so as not to miss out on the beauty of this service. Everyone is welcome.
St. Theodore’s Episcopal Church
St. Theodore’s Episcopal Church will hold two services on Christmas Eve. Service one will be at 4 p.m. to include candlelight Holy Eucharist and 15 minutes of congregational Christmas carol singing prior to service. Incense will not be used at this service. Service two will be 11 p.m. to include candlelight Holy Eucharist with vocal solos and ensembles and 15 minutes of congregational Christmas carol singing prior to service. Incense will be used at this service.
There will be a celebration of Holy Eucharist and a Blessing of the Christmas Gifts on Christmas morning at 10:30 a.m. Casual attire is welcome. All are invited and welcome.
Presbyterian Church of Bella Vista
The community is invited to worship this blessed Christmas season at 10 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 23 (traditional worship service for the fourth Sunday of Advent), at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve worship and communion), and at 11:15 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 25, Christmas Day.
Bella Vista Lutheran Church
Services this Christmas season: Dec. 24, Christmas Eve — A worship service at 6 p.m.
Dec. 25, Christmas Day — A celebration service at 10 a.m.
Dec. 30, Sunday After Christmas — There will be only one worship service at 9:30 a.m.
Dec. 31, New Year’s Eve — There will be a special worship service at 6 p.m.
If anyone needs transportation to any of the services, please contact the church office at 479-855-0272.
The Family Life Ministry Team
is collecting caps and mittens for school children. The collection box is in the church narthex.
The Shepherd’s Food Pantry is open every Friday from 10 a.m. until noon. It is in need of pie filling and cereal. A container for donations is in the church narthex. So far this year the food pantry has helped over 5,000 people.
Village Bible Church
Wednesday, Dec. 19, the Oasis Food Pantry will be open from 10 a.m. to noon. This ministry is available to anyone in the area who needs help with groceries and would appreciate the compassion and encouragement of friendly volunteers.
Sunday, Dec. 23, Pastor Mark Voll will continue his Advent and Christmas sermon series. His sermon title is “All in God’s Perfect Christmas Plan — Part 4: Caesar Augustus and the Innkeeper,” with a text of Luke 2:1-7.
Monday, Dec. 24, a Christmas Eve Candlelight worship service will be held at 4 p.m.
Unitarian Universalists
Sunday, Dec. 23: “Resources for Living.”
Unity Church of the Ozarks
From 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 19, the season will be celebrated with the annual Christmas Sing-a-long. The community is invited to share in this holiday tradition with a singing of favorite holiday tunes and refreshments.
Bella Vista Community Church
BVCC’s Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service is at 3 p.m. Monday, Dec. 24, in the sanctuary.
To receive church weather closing notifications via text message or email, please call the church office to sign up. If Bentonville schools close, the office closes and church and community activities are canceled.
Village Baptist Church
Sunday, Dec. 23, at 5:30 p.m. everyone is invited to join in a candlelight service of singing and scripture readings to wish one another a very merry Christmas.
First United Methodist Church
Christmas Organ for the Season will present two Advent organ recitals. One at noon Sunday, Dec. 16, and the other at 6:55 p.m. Christmas Eve in the sanctuary. The community is invited to hear organist Broc Hite as he performs both Christmas music and secular numbers with beautiful sounds of the season.
Following a Nov. 8 concert at FUMCBV, the Arkansas Musicworks Brass Band won the U.S. Open Championship for British Brass Bands that was held in Chicago Nov. 10. This qualifies it to compete for the International championship that will be held in England in 2019. It has scheduled another concert at FUMCBV at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 20. Everyone is invited to hear these excellent musicians.
Walking Through The Longest Night is a service of hope and healing and comfort at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 21, in the sanctuary. The church invites all to join in the “Longest Night Service” as a walk together through the darkness of the winter in struggles and begin to see the dawning of the light of a new day.
Christmas Eve carols, candlelight and communion services will be held at noon, 5 and 7:30 p.m. The noon and 7:30 p.m. services will be traditional services, and the
5 p.m. service is a family service with a more contemporary flavor. The invitation is open to all for the celebration of Jesus’ birth.
There will be a Christmas Day potluck from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. hosted by the Campbell Family. Turkey will be provided and those coming for the meal are asked to bring a dish to share. If unable to bring a dish, please donate $5 to cover the expense of the meal.
Please make anyone spending the holiday alone aware of this potluck and the invitation to join. Make reservations at the office, 479-8551158, by Thursday, Dec. 20. If you are able to help in the kitchen or with the setup or cleanup, please let the office know.
Two weekly meetings of AA are hosted at the church on Monday and Saturday. Please call or stop by the church for more information.