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Churches plan Christmas eve services
– Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Sinking Valley, will hold a 7 p.m. Christmas Eve candlelight service with speaker Steve Katcher.
– Wehnwood United Methodist Church will host a 10 a.m. service on Christmas Dve, the fourth Sunday of Advent. The church will host Christmas Eve candlelight services with communion at 4 and 7 p.m.
– Faith Baptist Church of Altoona will host a 6 p.m. Christmas Eve candlelight service with the theme "The birth that changed the world." The service will include hymns of the season, special music, scripture readings and meditations. The church is at 315 40th St., Altoona. Nursery will be provided for children under 2 years old. For more information, call 814-944-2894 or visit the website at www.fbcaltoona.org.
– Hollidaysburg Church of the Brethren, 1028 Penn St. (Route 36), will hold a Christmas Eve service at 7 p.m. A service of the Nativity and a traditional candle lighting will be included.
– Duncansville Lutheran Church, 1200 Fourth Ave., Duncansville, will hold a 6 p.m. Christmas Eve service.
– United Methodist Church, 808 N. Fourth St., Altoona, will hold a Christmas Eve candlelight service at 7 p.m. For more information, contact the church office at 814-942-6065 or visit juniataumc.net.
– A Christmas musical “Hope Fills the Silent Night,” written by Kim Bennett, will be presented at 6 p.m. Christmas Eve at Altoona Alliance Church. The community is invited. The church is at 3220 Pleasant Valley Blvd., Altoona.
– Journey Church will hold a Christmas Eve service from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Hollidaysburg High School auditorium, 1510 N. Montgomery St., Hollidaysburg. There will be no morning services. More information can be found at www.journeychurchpa.com.
– Duncansville Lutheran Church will hold Christmas Eve services at 8 a.m., 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
– Evangelical Lutheran Conference and Ministerium will sponsor two Christmas Eve Services. Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1309 Frankstown Road, Hollidaysburg, will hold a 5 p.m. candlelight communion service and the Barley Evangelical Lutheran Church, 250 Barley Church Road, New Enterprise, will hold an 8 p.m. candlelight communion service. The two congregations are part of a three-church parish in the Altoona – Hollidaysburg – Roaring Spring – Martinsburg and New Enterprise area. On Sunday Morning December 24 the three congregations of the Parish (which includes Faith Evangelical Lutheran, 1320 Route 764, Dunansville, will hold its regular Sunday morning Services for the last Sunday in Advent with the lighting of the fourth candle on the advent wreath.
Free lunch scheduled
Providence Presbyterian Church, 2401 Broad Ave., Altoona, will offer a free lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16. The lunch will include a meal, a dessert and fruit. All are welcome to eat in the social hall.
Food box pick up set
Twenty-eighth Street Church of the Brethren will be open by appointment for food box pick ups between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 15, and Friday, Dec. 22. For an appointment, call 814-207-8293.
Free concert planned
A free piano concert by David Hammond, “Christmas at the piano: Repeat the sounding joy,” will be held at Altoona Alliance Church at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17. The church is at 3220 Pleasant Valley Blvd., Altoona, PA. All are welcome to attend.
Outdoor nativity presented
Hollidaysburg Church of the Brethren will host its annual Outdoor Live Nativity from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 22-23, at 1028 Penn St. (Route 36). The scene will include Mary, Joseph, angel, Baby Jesus, shepherds, wise men and live animals. Refreshments are served inside.
Free lunch offered
Free lunch will be offered from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, at Twenty-eighth Street Church of the Brethren, 28th Street and Union Avenue, Altoona. The meal, available for eat in or take out, includes tacos, rice, corn salad and dessert. All are welcome.
Clothing, household items offered
Grace's Closet at Grace Lutheran Church, 1114 N. Cambria St., Bellwood, will host a clothing giveaway from 9:30 to 11 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 18. In addition to winter clothing, Christmas and household items will be available. Masks are optional. For more information, call the church at 814-742-7501 or 814-742-7416.
Communal Penance Services set
The season of Advent is a time for Catholics to experience God’s healing and forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The following is a schedule of Communal Penance Services at various Blair County parishes in the coming days. For a schedule of Communal Penance Services at parishes in other counties, visit the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown website and Facebook page. Contact individual parishes for other Reconciliation opportunities leading up to Christmas.
– 7 p.m. Dec. 18, St. Matthew Parish, Tyrone.
– 6 p.m. Dec. 19, Holy Rosary Parish, Altoona.
– 6 p.m., Dec. 20, Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Altoona.
– 5:30 p.m. Dec. 21, Sacred Heart Parish, Altoona.
Pet pantry seeks items
Duncansville Lutheran Church is accepting pet food and financial donations for the All Creation Pet pantry. Duncansville Lutheran, 1200 Fourth Ave., Duncansville, can be contacted at 814-695-0508 for more information.
Christmas concert planned
Juniata Church of the Brethren, 306 N. Ninth Ave., will host a Christmas concert with Steve and Apryl Caldwell at 3 p.m. Dec. 17. For more information, contact the church office at 814-944-6725.
Concert offered
Second Ave Global Methodist Church will host the 3 Heath Brothers in concert at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 20. The church is at 130 Second Ave., Altoona, and is handicap accessible. Call the church office at 814-943-2072 or visit 3heathbrothers.com for more information.
Blue Christmas Service set
Juniata United Methodist Church, 808 North Fourth St., Altoona, will hold a Blue Christmas service at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 21. The service is held on the longest night of the year to honor people who have lost loved ones and are experiencing grief or have a hard time finding joy in the Christmas season. All are welcome.
For more information, contact the Juniata United Methodist Church office at 814-942-6065 or web at juniataumc.net.
Musical to be staged
Using Scripture passages from the Book of Luke dealing with the birth of Christ, Lorie LaSala has created a sacred Christmas musical that will be presented for the first time at 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17, in the sanctuary at St. John's Reformed Church in Loysburg.
A volunteer choir of 15 voices, plus three instrumentalists, will present the program. The public is invited.
Several choir members have solo roles. These include Dennis Holderbaum, singing Zachariah; Brad Gable singing the angel Gabriel; Beverly Smith, singing Elizabeth; Bella Gable, singing Mary; Mark Sell, singing Joseph; and David Snyder, singing Simeon.
Barbara Thomas will accompany the choir on piano, Lorie LaSala will be on the violin and Ethan Hess will play trumpet. Spoken roles will be filled by Bruce LaSala as narrator with special speaking parts by Cindy Johnson and Kim Rodgers.
The program will be followed by refreshments and fellowship in the church fellowship hall.
The event is free.
Nativity festival returns
St. Mary and St. Michael parishes in Hollidaysburg will host a Nativity Festival in the St. Mary social hall, 312 Clark St., Hollidaysburg, from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15; noon to 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16; and 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17.
The live nativity will be outside from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, and the free concert by the Altoona Community Band will be in St. Mary Church at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17.
This year, nativity scenes from St. Catherine, St. John, St. Patrick, St. Thomas More and St. Joseph Parishes will be included, along with the personal nativity scenes of their parishioners. The event is free.
Wehnwood lists December services
December services at Wehnwood United Methodist Church, 2511 Juniata Gap Road, Altoona, include the Bell Choir at the 11 a.m. service on Sunday, Dec. 17, and the Christmas Eve candlelight service at 4 and 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 24.
Drive-thru nativity planned
Faith Baptist Church of Altoona will host a free drive-thru live nativity at Highland Park from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14, through Saturday, Dec. 16.
The journey will begin at The Faith Baptist Church of Altoona, 315 40th St., where each car will receive an audio connection and refreshments, and then be directed to Highland Park. From the warmth and comfort of your car, visitors can experience the Biblical account of the birth of Christ.
For more information, contact the Faith Baptist Church of Altoona at 814-944-2894 or visit the church's website at www.fbcaltoona.org.