DECEMBER 17, 2009 ISSUE
All Are Invited to Attend Upcoming Area Holiday Services
A number of local faiths will hold special holiday services next week, and High Country Press provides an alphabetized selected list of upcoming services around the High Country. All the faiths welcome community members to celebrate with them during this special season.
Boone Jewish Community
The Boone Jewish Community will hold its regular Friday night service at 7:00 p.m. on December 18 and 25, at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, located at 170 Councill Street in Boone. For more information, click to www.templeofthehighcountry.org.
Boone Unitarian Universalist Church
The Boone Unitarian Universalist Church will hold a service on Sunday, December 20, titled “In Anticipation of Christmas” and featuring readings and poetry, songs and a sermon from Ben Edwards—“I am enough, you are enough, there is enough”—which is excerpted from a sermon by Maj-Britt Johnson. The service, led by Jerry Rothschild, incorporates the annual Christmas Cookie Communion, which is an adaptation of the Christian communion service, and everyone attending is asked to bring some Christmas cookies that replace the usual wafers in the communion service. On Thursday, December 24, “Winter’s Light: An Interfaith Celebration of Story and Song” will take place, and members of several faith traditions will share music, stories or poetry on the theme of light and darkness. The service includes the singing of familiar carols, as well as songs that represent the diversity of winter celebrations. Attendees are asked to bring cookies to share after the service. Rev. Melanie Childers, chaplain at Watauga Medical Center, and Connie Green will lead the service. The church is located at 381 East King Street in Boone. For more information, click to www.buuf.net or call 828-264-4456.
Boone United Methodist Church
Boone United Methodist will hold Christmas Eve services, featuring candlelight and communion, at 6:00, 8:00 and 11:00 p.m. in Blackburn’s Chapel, located at 3986 Railroad Grade Road in Todd. For more information, call 828-264-6090.
Brookside Presbyterian Church
For the 17th year in a row, Morris Hatton will be the special guest musician for the annual Service of Adoration, Communion and Candlelight at Brookside Presbyterian Church-ARP on Christmas Eve at 7:00 p.m. This nativity service of lessons and carols was inspired by and patterned after the famous service of “Lessons & Carols” held each Christmas Eve at the King’s College Chapel at Cambridge University in England. Brookside is located in Boone at 1122 Old 421 South, off Highway 421 (turn at the Nissan dealership). All are welcome. For more information, call 828-262-5020.
FaithBridge United Methodist Church
FaithBridge United Methodist Church will hold a Christmas Eve service at 7:00 p.m. at the Blowing Rock School Auditorium on Sunset Drive. For more information, click to www.FaithBridgeUMC.org or call 828-295-8333.
First Baptist Church of Boone
First Baptist Church of Boone, located at 375 West King Street, will hold a “Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion” service at 6:00 p.m. The church hosts a lunch open to anyone from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. on Christmas Day. For more information, call 828-264-2441.
First Presbyterian Church of Boone
First Presbyterian, located at 663 Howard Street in Boone, hosts its Christmas Eve candlelight service at 6:00 p.m. For more information, call 828-264-3906.
Grace Lutheran Church
Grace Lutheran Church, located at 115 East King Street in Boone, will hold Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Services at 4:00, 7:30 and 11:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 24. Prelude music will begin half an hour before each service. Instead of the usual 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. Sunday services, one 10:00 a.m. service will be held on Sunday, December 27, with no children’s church or coffee hour. For more information, call 828-264-2206.
High Country United Church of Christ
On Thursday, December 24, at 6:00 p.m., High Country United Church of Christ will hold a Christmas Eve Service featuring carols, lessons and communion that is open to all. The church is located at 8233 Highway 421 North in Vilas. For more information, click to www.highcountryucc.org.
Holy Cross Episcopal Church
Holy Cross Episcopal Church on Highway 194 in Valle Crucis will hold a Christmas Eve service at 5:00 p.m. for families with children, which includes a pageant, and another service, with no pageant, that begins at 8:00 p.m. and is preceded by a 7:30 p.m. choir concert that leads directly into the evening service. Christmas Day Service will be held at 10:00 a.m. The church is located at 122 Skiles Way in Valle Crucis, and the phone number is 828-963-4609.
Mount Vernon Baptist Church
Mount Vernon Baptist, located at 3505 Bamboo Road in Boone, will hold two Christmas Eve services, at 5:30 p.m. and at 7:00 p.m. Family and friends are welcome to attend either service. For more information, call 828-266-9700.
Rumple Presbyterian Church
Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church in Blowing Rock holds three Christmas Eve services: at 5:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. All services are candlelit. The address is 1218 Main Street. For more information, call 828-295-7675.
St. Bernadette’s Catholic Church
Located at 2085 Highway 105 in Linville, St. Bernadette’s Catholic Church will have a special music program at 4:00 p.m., service at 4:30 p.m. and midnight mass on Christmas Eve. For more information, call 828-733-2919.
St. Elizabeth of the Hills Catholic Church
St. Elizabeth of the Hills Catholic Church in Boone will hold Christmas Eve family mass at 4:00 p.m., a Spanish mass at 7:00 p.m. and an evening mass at 9:00 p.m. Christmas Day mass is at 10:00 a.m. For more information, call the church at 828-264-8338.
St. Luke’s Episcopal
The Christmas Eve service at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church begins at 5:00 p.m., with a Festive Christmas Holy Eucharist: Rite II with the Family Choir, and the service includes building the crèche and a manger scene. Children should arrive at 4:30 p.m. to get dressed for the Christmas play. At 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 24, the Christmas Choral Concert takes place and the Festive Christmas Holy Eucharist: Rite II with the Christmas Choir will take place at 10:00 p.m. On Christmas Day, an informal Holy Eucharist: Rite II will take place at 10:00 a.m. The church is located at 170 Councill Street in Boone. For more information, call 828-264-8943.
St. Mary of the Hills Episcopal Church
St. Mary of the Hills Church, at the corner of Main and Chestnut streets in Blowing Rock, has a 5:00 p.m. children’s mass and pageant on Christmas Eve. A choral offering takes place at 10:30 p.m. and midnight mass begins at 11:00 p.m. A Christmas mass takes place at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, December 25, and lessons and carols take place at 3:00 p.m. For more information, call 828-295-7323.
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