Christmas services and other activities in churches this week include the following:
Apostles Lutheran
Apostles Lutheran Church, Gloucester, will hold a candlelight Holy Communion worship service at 7 p.m. Christmas Eve. There will be a service of Lessons and Carols at 10 a.m. Sunday. Pastor Jay Serafin will lead both services. Links to the services via Zoom or YouTube are on the church’s website at apostles-elca.org. The bulletins will be sent to the congregation via email.
Beech Grove Baptist
Beech Grove Baptist Church, Hayes, will hold a Christmas Day service at 10:30. There will be no Sunday school.
Bellamy United Methodist
Bellamy United Methodist Church, Gloucester, will offer two worship services on Christmas Eve. A family service will be at 5 p.m. All children attending are invited to dress up as a shepherd, angel or a wise person and participate in the telling of the Christmas story. The 7 p.m. traditional service will be a candlelight service.
Christmas Day service at 10:30 a.m. will be a carol sing. There will only be one service.
Bethany United Methodist
Bethany United Methodist Church, Gloucester Point, will celebrate Christmas Eve at 7 p.m. with a family candlelight worship service featuring special music and scripture readings by the children and youth.
The church will celebrate Christmas Day with a service of Lessons and Carols, with Holy Communion. Sunday school will not meet.
Bethel United Methodist
Bethel United Methodist Church, Onemo, will hold a Christmas Eve open communion from 3-4 p.m. and 6:30-8 p.m.
There will be no worship service on Sunday. The church wants to give time for families to be together and honor the quality family time that comes on Christmas morning.
New Year’s Day worship service will be at 10:50 a.m. and Sunday school will be at 10.
Central United Methodist
Central United Methodist Church, Mathews, will hold a Christmas Eve service at 5 p.m.
A Sunday service will be held at 11 a.m.
Church of the Living Word
The sermon title of Dr. Gregory Woodard at the 10 a.m. Sunday service in Church of the Living Word, Hayes, will be “Merry Christmas.”
The Book of Acts will be the Wednesday Bible study in-person topic at 6:30 p.m.
First Baptist, Mathews
First Baptist Church, Mathews, will celebrate on Christmas Day, with a one-hour service from 10-11 o’clock.
Gloucester Point Baptist
Gloucester Point Baptist Church will have a Christmas Eve service at 5 p.m. It will be a Christmas presentation of Living Scenes and a message of “The Garment of Humanity” presented by Deacon Sandy McElfresh.
The sermon title of Pastor Larry Bierman, guest speaker, at the 11 o’clock Christmas Day service will be “God With Us.”
Gloucester Union Relief Association of Missionary Baptist
The Gloucester Union Relief Association of Missionary Baptist will hold its New Year’s Eve closing service at 6 p.m. in Gleaning Baptist Church, Dutton. The Rev. Stevens Burrell, pastor of Gleaning Baptist will bring the message. Gleaning Baptist Choir will sing. The Rev. Vincent Pryor, president of GURA and pastor of New Mt. Zion Baptist Church, will be the worship leader.
Groves Presbyterian
Groves Presbyterian Church, Glass, will have a Christmas Eve service at 4 p.m. The sermon title of the Rev. Michael Condrey will be “Make a Place for Jesus.”
There will be no Christmas Day service.
Gwynn’s Island Baptist
Gwynn’s Island Baptist Church will hold a Christmas Eve candlelight service at 5 p.m. Saturday inside the church sanctuary, with special music provided by Autumn Jenkins. The message title of Dr. Ed Jordan, pastor, will be “The Servant King.”
There will also be a 10 a.m. service on Christmas Day in the church sanctuary. The devotional will be: “First Impressions.” Both services are casual.
Kingston Episcopal Parish
Kingston Episcopal Parish, Mathews, will observe Christmas Eve at two services: Christmas pageant and Holy Eucharist Rite II will be held at 5 p.m. at Kingston Chapel on Main Street; candlelight Christmas concert and Holy Eucharist Rite I will take place at Christ Church on Williams Wharf Road at 8 p.m.
On Christmas Day, Holy Eucharist Rite II will be held at Christ Church at 10:30 a.m.
The office will be closed until Jan. 3. Sunday services are livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube. For more information and the ID and passcode, call the church office at 804-725-2175.
Mathews Baptist
Mathews Baptist Church, Hudgins, will hold two in-person services on Sunday: contemporary at 9 a.m. (also online) and 11 a.m. (in-person only).
The sermon title of the Rev. Brian Kramer, pastor, will be “Three Unusual Gifts.”
Mathews Chapel United Methodist
Mathews Chapel United Methodist Church, Cobbs Creek, will hold a Christmas Eve Celebration, “Joy To the World,” at 9 p.m.
The sermon title of Pastor Marcus Stallworth at 11 a.m. Sunday will be “God of the Dark and the Light.”
Mt. Zion United Methodist
The sermon title of the Rev. Calvin Griffin of Mt. Zion United Methodist Church, Gloucester, at the 9 a.m. in-person Sunday service will be “A New Song.”
New Hope Christian
The sermon title of Pastor Cheryl Forrest of New Hope Christian Church, 498 Church Street, Mathews, at 11 a.m. Sunday will be “A Trustworthy God.”
New Point Friends
The sermon title of Pastor Thomas Bunting of New Point Friends Church at 10 a.m. on Christmas Day will be “Celebrate Jesus.” A “Birthday Gift for Jesus” offering will be taken.
Newington Baptist
Newington Baptist Church, Gloucester, will hold a Christmas Eve candlelight service, “No Room at the Inn,” at 7 p.m.
Pastor Chris Grella will continue from his Advent sermon series, “Christmas in Bethlehem: A Christmas Dream,” at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, the church meets in person, but is also livestreaming on the church’s Facebook page and YouTube. The nursery, for infants and toddlers, will be available.
A Family Game Watch Night service will be held from 6-10 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.
Olive Branch United Methodist
Olive Branch United Methodist Church, Gloucester, will hold a Christmas Day service at 9:30 a.m.
New Year’s Day service at 9:30 a.m. as the church brings in the new officers and has worship and communion.
Salem United Methodist, Gloucester
Salem United Methodist Church, Gloucester, will hold a Christmas Eve service, carols and candlelight at 6:30 p.m.
A Christmas Day service will be held at 11 a.m.
New Year’s Day service will be at 11 a.m. as the church brings in the new officers and has worship and communion.
Severn
Severn Church, Naxera, will have a Christmas Eve service at 5 p.m.
Christmas Day worship will be at 11 a.m.
Shepherdsville Baptist
Shepherdsville Baptist Church, Gloucester, invites all to join them for songs, prayer and praise at 11 a.m. Sunday at the in-person service. Pastor Douglas Riley and the church family welcomes the community to come and celebrate the birth of Jesus, a release said.
Singleton United Methodist
Singleton United Methodist Church, Ware Neck, will have a Christmas Eve candlelight service at 7 p.m.
The sermon title of the Rev. Calvin Griffin at 11 a.m. Sunday will be “The Light.” The service will also be available on YouTube. For Zoom login information, email Calvin.griffin@cox.net.
Bible studies resume in January. Monday morning Bible study, “I Give Up,” at 9:30 and Wednesday night Bible study, “The Seven Deadly Sins,” at 7.
Spring Hill Baptist
Spring Hill Baptist Church, Cobbs Creek, will conclude the series of Advent messages taken from Isaiah 9:6 at 11 a.m. Christmas with “His Name … Prince of Peace.” There will be no Sunday school this week.
St. James On-the-Glebe Anglican
St. James On-the-Glebe Anglican Church, Gloucester, will hold a family Christmas Eve service at 4 p.m. with a cappella hymns and setting the Crèche. There will also be a 11 p.m. candlelight Midnight Mass.
A Christmas Day Mass with hymns will be at 10:30 a.m.
St. Stephen’s Mass will be at 10 a.m. Monday; St. John’s Mass at 10 a.m. Tuesday and Holy Innocents Mass at 10 a.m. Wednesday.
The daily prayers of the church are said at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday. The “Chicken Coop” Chapel is open daily for quiet and prayer between morning and evening prayer. Contact the Rev. Kevin Fife to schedule a confession time.
St. Matthew United Methodist
St. Matthew United Methodist Church, Peary, will not have a Christmas Day service. The church wants to give time for families to be together and honor the quality family time on Christmas morning.
New Year’s Day regular worship service will be at 9:30 a.m.
The First United Baptist
The sermon title of Pastor E. Randolph Graham of the First United Baptist Church, White Marsh, at the 11 a.m. Sunday service will be “Celebrating Jesus’s Birth … as … Immanuel with Us.” Praise and worship will begin at 10:45. The in-person service will be streamed via Zoom and Facebook Live.
Union Baptist
Union Baptist Church, Hayes, will hold a Christmas Eve service at 5 p.m.
Christmas Day worship will be at 11 a.m. (with no Sunday school).
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of The Rappahannock
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Rappahannock, White Stone, had a Winter Solstice Celebration, caroling around the fire, at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.
A Christmas morning celebration will be held at 10:30.
Westville Baptist
The sermon title of Pastor Bob Huff of Westville Baptist Church, Mathews, at 10:45 a.m. Sunday will be “Let’s Go to Bethlehem.” Sunday school will begin at 9:45; coffee and doughnuts will be served. December is Lottie Moon International Mission Month.
Wednesday Bible study, “I Samuel,” will begin at 3:30 p.m.
Toiletries are still being collected for Mathews Social Services and non-perishables for Hands Across Mathews.
Zion Hill Baptist
Zion Hill Baptist Church, Gloucester, will have in-person worship service on at 9:30 a.m. Sunday. Pastor Eugene Comithier II will preach and the Inspirational Voices will sing. Contact tracing, temperature check, and face masks are required.
Sunday school was held at 7 p.m. Wednesday via conference call. The dial-in number is 978-990-5000 and the access code is 667896.
There will be no Bible study until Jan. 4, 2023.
Zion Poplars Baptist
Zion Poplars Baptist Church, Gloucester, will observe its inside and Facebook service at 10 a.m. Sunday. The sermon title of Pastor Ronald W. Gayle Sr. will be “The Heart of Christmas is to Think, Feel, and Do.”