Churches in area plan Christmas services

A variety of services will be offered this Christmas season at area churches. Residents can choose from candlelight services, to choir cantatas, to somber services, as a way to celebrate the season. Below is a listing of what’s going on, and when it all begins.  Central Christian Church will hold a candlelight Christmas Eve service at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the church, 525 W. North St., Lima. That service will include the offer of Holy Communion, Scripture and music.  Cridersville Calvary United Methodist Church will host the Christmas Eve service, “In Silent Night,” beginning at 7 p.m. Monday at the church, located on East Sugar Street, Cridersville. The candlelight program will include carols, Scripture reading, meditations, special music, and Holy Communion.  At Elm Street Church of the Brethren, the Christmas worship service, “Receiving the Unbelievable Gift,” will begin at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at the church, 619 E. Elm St., Lima. That service will include children’s stick choreography. On Christmas Eve, the service, “Receiving the Gift of Jesus,” will begin at 7 p.m. That will include Cathy Carter Heiser performing “O Holy Night.”  Family of Faith United Methodist Church will host a Christmas Eve service at 7 p.m. Monday at the church, 801 Bellefontaine Ave., Lima. The service will include a message by Pastor Jim Loescher, a Christmas program by the junior church class, music by the church choir, and carols.  A Christmas musical will be observed at 4 p.m. Sunday at Fellowship Baptist Church, 304 N. Cole St., Lima. Highlighting the service will be the Fellowship mass choir, along with several Lima area groups telling the Christmas story in song.  First Baptist Church will offer the message, “The Parents of Jesus” at the 10:30 a.m. service Sunday at the church, 451 N. Cable Road. On Christmas Eve, an 11 p.m. candlelight service will include carols, choir music, and the message, “Keeping Christmas.”  First English Lutheran Church of Wapakoneta will close its year-long 150th anniversary with the performance of a choir cantata at the 10 a.m. Sunday service at the church, 107 W. Mechanic St., Wapakoneta. Also at that time, a reenactment of the original mortgage burning will be held. All activities, congregational photos, newspaper clippings, DVD recordings, and documents, will then be placed in a sealed vault until the church’s 200th anniversary.  Grace United Methodist Church will observe the Fourth Sunday in Advent at the 10:30 a.m. Sunday at the church, 125 W. Kibby St., Lima. Also at that time, the Martha and Ewart Turner Love Offering concludes. On Christmas Eve, a traditional candlelight worship service will begin at 11 p.m., with music at 10:30 p.m.  Immanuel Lutheran Church will hold a traditional candlelight service at 7 p.m. Monday at the church, 2120 Lakewood Ave., Lima. Preceding the candlelight service, a brass ensemble will play. The service will follow A Service of Lessons and Carols. On Christmas Day, the church will host a worship service at 10 a.m. that will celebrate Holy Communion.  At Market Street Presbyterian Church, the Christmas Eve service will begin at 10:30 p.m. Monday with an organ concert by Dwane Grace. That will be followed at 11 p.m. with lessons and carols, and the offering of Holy Communion. The church is located at 1100 W. Market St., Lima.  Mendon First Church of God will host its Christmas program following the 9 a.m. service Sunday at the church, 106 N. Wayne St., Mendon. The Community Christmas service will begin there at 7 p.m. on Sunday. On Christmas Eve, a service will begin at 7 p.m. at the church.  New Creation Lutheran Church will hold a Christmas Eve service at 8 p.m. Monday at the church, 2701 Allentown Road, Lima.  Only Believe Ministries Christian Center will celebrate Christmas with a 6:30 p.m. service Sunday in the main sanctuary of the church, located off I-75, at exit 104, Botkins. The service will include traditional Christmas music, and the offer of Holy Communion.  The Pandora Church of Christ will hold a Christmas candlelight Communion service at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the church, located at the corner of Pearl and Monroe streets, Pandora. Refreshments will be served following the service.  Perry United Methodist Church will offer a Sunday worship service at 10 a.m., followed at 6 p.m. Sunday by a bean supper and carry-in dinner at the church, 3250 E. Breese Road, Lima. A Christmas cantata will begin at 7 p.m. Sunday. On Christmas Eve, the church will host a service at 7 p.m.  St. Charles Catholic Church will offer a 4 p.m. Children’s Mass, and a 6:30 p.m. candlelight Mass on Monday at the church, 2200 W. Elm St., Lima. Also on Christmas Eve, a midnight candlelight Mass will offered. On Christmas Day, a 10:30 a.m. Mass will be offered.  St. Mark United Methodist Church will host a candlelight Christmas Eve service at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the church, 1110 N. Metcalf St., Lima.  Spencerville Friends Church will host a Christmas play, “How Christmas Began,” at 7 p.m. Sunday at the church, located at the corner of Third and Mulberry streets, Spencerville. On Christmas Eve, a candlelight service will begin at 11 p.m.  The Church at Allentown will host a Somber Blue Christmas service at 7 p.m. Sunday at the church, 4900 Allentown Road, Lima. The service is designed to offer hope and healing during the Christmas season. Participants are asked to bring a symbol of their loss to give to God. The service will feature a time of silence.  Trinity United Methodist Church will host the children’s pageant, “The Last Noel,” at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at the church, 301 W. Market St., Lima. On Christmas Eve, a traditional service will begin at 7 and 11 p.m. Prelude music will begin at 10:30 p.m.  Unity Church of Lima, 1230 Brice Ave., will hold a candlelighting and carol sing service at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at the church.  Westside United Methodist Church will offer two services on Christmas Eve. The first, a contemporary service, will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Family Life Center at the church, 608 Gloria Ave., Lima. The second, a traditional service, will begin at 11 p.m. in the church sanctuary. Both services will be held by candlelight.