Bluffton congregations observe Christmas eve in several traditional ways this year. Here is a list of congregations with services planned for Sunday, Dec. 24.
Bluffton Baptist Church
345 County Line Road
At 7 p.m. Christmas eve service is planned.
Bluffton Presbyterian Church
112 N. Main St.
Christmas eve service begins at 6:45 p.m. with prelude music. At 7 p.m. is a service of lessons and carols.
Ebenezer Mennonite Church
Service at Middle School, 116 S. Jackson St.
A 4 p.m. community Christmas eve service takes place in the Bluffton Middle School cafetorium.
Emmanuel United Church of Christ
8575 Phillips Road
A 6 p.m. Christmas eve service is planned.
English Lutheran Church
111 Grove St.
A 7:30 p.m. Christmas eve candlelight service includes children helping with a re-telling of the Christmas story. Special music is by the youth string ensemble. The service concludes with the candlelight singing of “Silent Night.”
An 11 p.m. festival candlelight service of lessons and carols, includes communion and features the choir and Scott Edwards, organist. This service will also conclude with the candlelight singing of “Silent Night.”
First Mennonite Church
101 S. Jackson St.
A 6:30 p.m. Christmas eve service is planned with reading of the Christmas story, and enactment of a Christmas tableau, directed by Gary Wetherill. Special music by Ana, Justin, Laurel and Paul Neufeld Weaver and Jan-Christoph Schultze, and a trio of Kaleigh Coffman and Elizabeth Hartzler, vocals, and Benjamin Hartzler, violin. Deb Niswander is the organist.
First United Methodist Church
116 Church St.
A 6:30 p.m. pre-service of music and 7 p.m. Christmas eve service is planned. The service includes candle lighting, lessons and carols.
St. John’s United Church of Christ
223 W. College Ave.
A 10 a.m. combined Sunday morning worship and Christmas eve service is planned. There will be no Christian Education classes that morning. The service included carol singing, the story of the first Christmas, and music by church choir.
St. Mary’s Catholic Church
160 N. Spring St.
Christmas eve masses are at 10 a.m., 4 p.m., 6 p.m., and 10 p.m.
Tri-County Assembly of God
835 N. Main St.
A Sunday, Dec. 25, 10 a.m. worship service includes a Christmas eve communion service.
Trinity United Methodist
2022 State Route 103
A 6 p.m. Christmas eve candlelight service is planned. Children in the congregation will tell the Christmas story.
Neighboring communities
Pleasant View United Methodist and Mount Cory United Methodist
A 7 p.m. combined Christmas eve candlelight service at Pleasant View, 300 Township Road 37, Bluffton, features a "Service of the Inn," Christmas carols, scripture readings, and communion.
"Heaven Came Down," at the Bethel Family Life Center, 201 W. Washington St., Mount Cory, will be open immediately following the service for anyone wishing to see the display of angels and nativities.
Trinity Lutheran Church
301 N. Main St., Jenera
A service by the students of Trinity Lutheran Church and School, “A Sola Christmas” is at 1 p.m., Friday, Dec. 22, in the church. Students from pre-school through eighth grade tell of the birth of Jesus through word and hymns. High school students are narrators and pre-service music by the youth begins at 12:30 p.m.
A Christmas eve service includes pre-service music 6:30 p.m. At 7 p.m., “A Sola Christmas" (also given Dec. 22) will be presented by the students.
A 9:30 a.m. Christmas Day service, Monday, Dec. 25, has the theme “Rejoice! He is here to set us free! The choir will sing “And the Glory of the Lord” from Handel’s “Messiah.”
