Submit details on holiday services

Submit details on holiday services

The Vindicator will publish a listing of area services that are open to the public in observance of Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, and Christmas Day, Dec. 25. The list will run Dec. 17.

The deadline to submit information is 5 p.m. Wednesday. Information should include the denomination and name of the church, address, city or suburb, time of Christmas Eve or Christmas Day services, your name, and a phone number for verification.

Information also may be submitted on services for New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, and New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, 2012. A list of these services will be published Dec. 24.

Send the information to Religion desk, The Vindicator, 107 Vindicator Square, Box 780, Youngstown, Ohio 44501-0780; by fax to 330- 747-6712; or by email to religion@vindy.com.

Concert at church

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For Grace will be in concert at 5 p.m. Dec. 17 at Grace African Methodist Episcopal Church, 1137 Main St.

Winter solstice

liberty

The Unity Centre for Spiritual Living’s second annual Winter Solstice Celebration will be at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17 at the center, 1226 Naylor Lloyd Road.

The event will be part prayer, part meditation and part medieval pageant, according to Kirk Kupensky, music director. Colleen McNally-Harris will perform.

The performance is free, but donations will be accepted.

Christmas cantata

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A Christmas cantata will be presented at 7 p.m. Thursday at Bethel Lutheran Church, 425 Crestview Drive, featuring the Bethel choir, handbells and praise band.

Vespers service

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The music department of Pleasant Grove Presbyterian Church, 3919 Southern Blvd., will present the 64th annual candlelight music vespers service Dec. 18.

Wassail will be served in the parlor at 3:30 p.m.; an instrumental prelude will be at 4:15.

The program will feature choirs, handbell ringers and instrumentalists.

Margie Burnett is music director; Andrea Dreier, organist; and Dr. Kathleen Montgomery, pianist.

Christmas pageant

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“Back to the Manger," a Christmas pageant, will be presented at 2 p.m. Dec. 17 and 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. Dec. 18 at Good Hope Lutheran Church, 98 Homestead Drive.

Night of song

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Celebrate Christmas through a “Night of Songs” by candlelight at 7 p.m. Dec. 17 at Bread of Life Church of God in Christ, 702 Cameron Ave. Rocco V. Wellington is pastor.

‘Blue’ service

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Western Reserve United Methodist Church and the Lane Family Funeral Homes will offer a “blue Christmas service” at 6 p.m. Dec. 18 at the Anstrom Chapel, 8387 Tod Ave.

The service is designed to help anyone cope with loss during the holidays. It maybe the loss of joy, the loss of the meaning of life, the loss of a loved one, the loss of a broken relationship or the loss of a job.

For information or to RSVP, call 330-792-5805.

Learning session

liberty

Subdeacon George Mansour leads the talks on church history and other topics at 6 p.m. Wednesdays at St. Mark’s Antiochian Church, 3560 Logan Way.

Christmas music

New castle, pa.

The eighth annul “O Come, All Ye Faithful — A Musical Celebration of Christmas” will be staged at 7 p.m. Dec. 18 at First Presbyterian Church, 125 N. Jefferson St. The program of sacred, traditional and contemporary music will be directed by Steve Pridon. It will feature the Celebration Ringers and Singers of the church, Faithfull Bells of Westfield Presbyterian Church, Sheet and Tube Brass Quartet and soloists Cindy McMillin and Pastor Nathan Loudon. Allison Rodgers will sign songs for the hearing impaired. Refreshments will follow in the church hall.

Ancient rituals

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The Rev. Andrew Gromm, pastor of St.Michael Orthodox Church, 127 Steel St., conducts a weekly lesson at 6 p.m. Thursdays on ancient rituals of the church. The same lesson is offered at 4 p.m. Fridays. Lessons will focus on the liturgy’s origins from the first to fourth centuries but also beyond this era.

Father Gromm also preaches the Gospel and church history at noon Saturdays on WSOM AM 600 on the show “On Earth As In Heaven.

Priest is on the air

youngstown

The Rev. Andrew Gromm, pastor of St.Michael Orthodox Church, 127 Steel St., teaches the Gospel and church history from the ancient Eastern Christian perspective. “On Earth As In Heaven” is the name of the radio show airing at noon Saturdays on WSOM AM 600.