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The following churches have announced Christmas Eve services:
– Faith United Church of Christ, 711 Seventh Ave., Altoona, will hold two services on Christmas Eve. The 10:45 a.m. service will include Christmas carols and the choir. A candlelight and communion service will be held at 7 p.m. This will be a service of scripture readings and carols. The church is handicapped accessible.
– Twenty-eighth Street Church of the Brethren, 28th Street and Union Avenue, Altoona, will host worship at 10:30 a.m. featuring the youth. A candlelight service will be held at 7 p.m.
– Juniata Church of the Brethren, 306 N. Ninth Ave., will host a 7 p.m. candlelight service featuring "The Hope of Christmas" musical with congregational singing and reflections from Romans 15:13. The children's message, "One Night in Bethlehem," will also be featured. The message by Pastor Robert Wharton will be on the "Meaning of a Name" based on Matthew 1:21. Refreshments will be served after the service.
– Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Sinking Valley, will hold a 7 p.m. Christmas Eve candlelight service with speaker Steve Katcher.
– St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, Marklesburg, will host a 7 p.m. Christmas Eve service at the Old Stone Church, 11 miles south of Huntingdon on Route 26 between Heston and Marklesburg. The church has the original high pulpit and is lit only by oil lamps and heated by a pot-belly stove.
– Wehnwood United Methodist Church will host a 10 a.m. service on Christmas Eve, 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.
– St. Luke's Lutheran Church, Roaring Spring, will hold a Christmas Eve candlelight service at 7 p.m. Special music will begin at 6:40 p.m.
– 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 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/New Enterprise area. On Sunday morning, Dec. 24, the three congregations of the Parish (which includes Faith Evangelical Lutheran, 1320 Route 764, Duncansville) will hold its regular Sunday morning Services for the last Sunday in Advent with the lighting of the fourth candle on the advent wreath.
The Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown has scheduled the following Christmas Eve Masses at Blair County parishes:
– Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Altoona -- 5 p.m., midnight with Bishop Mark Bartchak
– Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Altoona -- 4:30 p.m. (Children's Mass)
– Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Altoona -- 4 p.m., 5 p.m. at Assumption Chapel, Midnight
– Sacred Heart Parish, Altoona -- 5:30 p.m. (Children's Mass), 9 p.m.
– St. John the Evangelist Parish, Altoona -- 4 p.m., 10 p.m.
– St. Joseph Parish, Bellwood -- 4 p.m., 9 p.m.
– St. Mary Parish, Altoona -- 4 p.m., midnight
– St. Mary Parish, Hollidaysburg -- 4 p.m. (Children's Mass), 6 p.m., 10 p.m.
– St. Matthew Parish, Tyrone -- 5:30 p.m., midnight
– St. Michael Parish, Hollidaysburg -- 4 p.m. (Children's Mass), 8 p.m.
– St. Rose of Lima Parish, Altoona -- 4 p.m., 7:30 p.m., midnight
– St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish, Altoona -- 5 p.m., midnight