Pastor Ed Schmidt,
Lakeland Reformed Church:
“November 29 is the first Sunday in Advent for the 2015 Christmas season. The Black Friday sales have started weeks earlier and lots of seasonal activities and plans are filling up the calendars. Here at Church and in our community, we will be looking forward to remembering and honoring the “reason for the season.” The Hope, Joy, Love, and Peace during the Sundays of Advent assist us in realizing what God provides to us and to the world in Jesus. Our worship events will include the message of God’s gift and grace in Jesus through a children’s drama and the music of our senior choir’s cantata. The efforts and sacrifices of many people greatly broaden our transmission of the Christmas message. I trust you will participate and appreciate the imagination and retelling of God’s significant “intervention” in Christmas. You may have “heard it all before.” But each and every year at Christmas God’s significant gift needs to be celebrated and realized.
There will be one Christmas Eve service this year at 7 p.m. and will conclude in candlelight.
Pastor Buff Coe, Vicksburg United Methodist Church:
Our church always plans a number of special activities during the weeks leading up to Christmas.
On Thursday, December 3 at 7 p.m., the United Methodist Women will present an evening of music by the Vicksburg High School Jazz Band. A freewill offering will be taken to benefit the high school music program. Light refreshments will be served.
The church choir carolers will be singing in downtown Vicksburg before the parade and during the tree lighting ceremony in Oswalt Park.
We will celebrate a service of Holy Communion on Sunday, December 6 at both services. Of course, all of our Advent worship services will include the lighting of the Advent candles.
On Sunday, December 13, the Sunday School children and youth will present their annual Christmas program at both worship services. The program this year is called “Something Happened!”
The Chancel Choir will present its Christmas cantata, “Silent Was the Night,” at both worship services on Sunday, December 20.
The season will culminate with our two Christmas Eve services at 7:00 and 11:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 24. Both services will include communion and the lighting of our Christmas candles. Child care will be available at the 7:00 service.
Chapman Memorial Church of the Nazarene:
The family Christmas will be celebrated at 6 p.m. on Sunday, December 13.
No Christmas Eve service has been planned for this year.
Volunteers from the church will be taking part in the Christmas in the Village in downtown Vicksburg. They will be providing cookies and hot chocolate to the children and their parents while they wait in Oswalt Park to speak with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Other volunteers will be stationed at Hill’s Pharmacy to provide free gift wrapping to anybody that comes in to be served on the three Saturdays leading up to Christmas.
Carolers from the church will be strolling through the village on December 5 to sing Christmas carols for shoppers at the Farmers’ Market and the other boutique shops that will be open in the afternoon.
Schoolcraft Presbyterian Church:
The Christmas Walk is Friday, December 4, from 6-9 p.m. at DeVries Law office and Saturday, December 5, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Westminster Hall. A delicious lunch will be served from 11 a.m-2 p.m. Everyone’s participation is needed to have a successful year. Whether you can provide items for the clothing boutique or white elephant sale, donate a raffle prize, bake something yummy, have a craft item you made or can volunteer as a worker, anything you can do is appreciated!
Christmas Carol Sing on Sunday, December 13th, 3 p.m. in the sanctuary.
Thank you for the Thanksgiving food bags for our local pantry. If you haven’t had a chance yet, we will continue to collect food bags for distribution through December. Bags may be dropped off at Westminster Hall Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and the community library during open hours. Your support is helping to feed our local families in need. Thank you.
If you are willing to sponsor a family this Christmas, or, know of a business that can do so, please contact Jill Strake. 269-624-1740
Schoolcraft United Methodist Church & Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church:
Three Christmas Eve services will be presented with 5 p.m. being non-traditional, 7 p.m. at Pleasant Valley, and 11 p.m. the traditional service by candlelight in the church on Grand Street. The Sunday services on December 6, 13, and 20 will be at 9 a.m. at Pleasant Valley and 11 a.m. in town. The bell choir will perform in the Schoolcraft church. Julia Humenik is the pastor for both churches.