By Vickie Rhodehamel
Arcanum News
What is your Christmas Eve Tradition? Every family celebrates special holidays in their own way. Christmas Eve is no exception, with families incorporating a wide variety of traditions. Our family treasures memories of attending a candlelight service on Christmas Eve. While attending church together is a family tradition, there’s something uniquely moving about the dim lighting, the glow of the candles and the words of the age-old Christmas hymns.
There’s no other evening quite as magical as Christmas Eve; in fact, my most treasured time of worship during the Christmas season. I just loved raising my candle in this collective effort to praise Him for the light he brought to our dark world. Attend a service this year with your family and even pray about inviting someone to come with you! Listed below are the times of special services being held here in our community on the 24th (these are most of our local churches in the Arcanum area; and all the information I had at my deadline.)
Arcanum Faith United Methodist, located at 101 E. South Street invites you to come and join in a time of celebration of Jesus’ birth at 8 p.m. on December 24th. All are welcome to join them to celebrate for a traditional Candlelight service and hear the story of Jesus, sing his praises, and share in the love of Christmas. Pastor Mike Back and the congregation look forward to hosting and welcome all to join them.
Grace Church, 4805 State Route 49, invites you to join them for a Christmas Candle Lighting service at 7 p.m. on the 24th. On Christmas Eve Morning, there will be NO worship.
SonRise Church (formerly known as Gordon Grace UMC and St. Matthew Lutheran ELCA Partnership), located at 750 Arcanum-Ithaca Road, invites you to join them for their Christmas Services. There will have Carols, Traditional Candlelight and a Holy Communion Service at 7 p.m. with Pastor Maggie Sykes.
Pleasant View Missionary Church, 5231 Gettysburg-Pitsburg Road will celebrate the birth of the Saviour at their Christmas Eve Services at 7 p.m.
Community of Faith located at 109 West George Street is excited to see your entire family on Christmas Eve morning. You are welcome to attend just as you are, you will see people wearing all types of clothing. Their morning services are at 9:30 and 11 a.m. COF welcomes you to join them.
Trinity Lutheran Church will host Christmas Eve Services featuring Holy Communion at both 4 and 10 p.m. Special music by Larry Harter will be shared during both services. Trinity is located at 8520 Oakes Road, Pitsburg. You are most welcome to join at either service.
Christmas Eve Services at Castine Church, 624 US Route 127, Castine, invites you to join them for their 7 p.m. service. They will also have services on Christmas Eve morning at 10 a.m.
First Baptist Church of Laura will hold candlelight Christmas Eve services at 6 p.m. You are invited to join them as they celebrate the true meaning of Christmas and then finish the services in candlelight and song. FBC is located a 1661 Haworth Road, Laura.
The annual Candlelighting Service at Trinity Methodist Church will be held at 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve with Pastor Doug Baker. Special music will be shared on the organ and piano. The church is located at 112 West South Street.
Immanuel Baptist Church at 500 West South Street invites the community to celebrate the Christ Child’s birth on Sunday the 24th at their Morning Worship Service at 10:30 a.m. The Adult Choir will present a Cantata directed by Barbara Jackson. As always, coffee and donuts will be served in the church narthex. Pastors Greg Greve and Pastor Dan Kuhbander and the congregation welcome you to join them!
Family of God Ministries will host their annual Candlelighting Service at 7 p.m. FOG is located at 310 West South Street.
Pitsburg Church of the Brethren will host Christmas Eve services at 10 p.m. Pastor Ken Oren welcomes you to join them at 8376 Pitsburg-Arcanum Road.
Ware’s Chapel will host a Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship from 7 to 8 p.m. as they worship Christ on the Eve of his miraculous arrival to earth. Ware’s Chapel is located at 1060 Foos Road, West Manchester. They will have morning services at 9 and 11 a.m. Pastor Kenneth Stewart and the congregation welcome you to join them.
Can’t make it to church with small children or elderly relatives? Then bring the warmth of the experience to your living room. Just dim the lights, let members of the family read the Christmas Story from the scripture in Luke Chapter 2, and sing your favorite carols by the glow of candles. My family and I wish you a Merry Christmas and send you the spirit of love, joy, and giving, remember to unwrap it on Christmas Eve.
Please note that there was an error in my column last week – the author of the special book about the D&U Railroad’s name was misspelled – the correct spelling is Todd Clemmons. The book is no longer available at the Arcanum Wayne Trail Historical house but is available at both S&S Vintage Warehouse and Fourman’s Variety store as previously noted.
