Janeen Bertsche Johnson, Campus Pastor of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Ind., will preach during the 10:30 a.m. worship service Sunday, Jan. 10 at First Mennonite Church, 301 N. Jackson St., Bluffton. Her sermon title is “Seeing Ourselves in the Other.”
During the 9:15 a.m. Sunday school hour, Bertsche Johnson will reflect on a learning tour of Israel/Palestine in which she participated in November 2015. She was one of six pastors from the Central District Conference of the Mennonite Church USA who attended the tour led by the Mennonite Central Committee.
First Mennonite Church will hold a Christmas Eve service of scripture, music and candelighting at 6:30 p.m. All are welcome to attend!
The church is located at 101 S. Jackson St., Bluffton. Parking is plentiful and the church is handicap accessible, with an elevator available at the Jackson Street entrance.
Wanda Stopher is the pastor and Steven Yoder is the associate pastor.
On Sunday, Dec. 27, the church will hold a potluck brunch at 9:15 a.m., with worship to follow at 10:30 a.m. Again, all are encouraged to attend.
An afternoon Christmas Eve service by the students of Trinity Lutheran Church and School, Jenera, called “Did You Know?” will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 23 at 1 p.m. in the church at 301 North Main Street, Jenera.
The students from pre-school through eighth grade will tell of the birth of Jesus through Word and Christmas hymns. High school students will be narrators and pre-service music by the youth will begin at 12:30 p.m. The Choir will sing “Mary, Did You Know?” A free DVD “My Son, My Savior” will be given to guests.
A candlelight Christmas Eve service at St. John's United Church of Christ will focus on the birth of Christ through scripture readings and carol singing. Holy Communion will be observed, and everyone is welcome to attend.
The service begins at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 24, and opens with a prelude of Christmas piano and organ duets beginning at 3:45 p.m. St. John's United Church of Christ is located at the corner of Jackson Street and College Avenue in Bluffton.
The Advent service held at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Jenera, at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 9, will include special music service with interspersed readings.
Music will be by the handbell choir, organ, piano, guitar and trumpet. here will be a vocal selection and the choir will sing “Infant Holy, Infant Lowly” and “Peace, Peace,” which is an arrangement of “Silent Night.”
Riley Creek United Methodist Church invites the community to its annual Christmas Carol Sing on Sunday, Dec. 6, at 7:30 p.m. The program will feature congregational singing of many traditional carols, as well as readings from Scripture about Jesus’ birth, performances by the Pandora United Methodist Church Choir, Ottawa Sts. Peter and Paul Choir, other musicians, and a candle lighting ceremony.
