Churches Offer Holiday Pageants, Special Services

As parents rush out to buy last-minute gifts, and children all over Spokane squirm in anticipation of the big day, churches are also preparing for Christmas. This is the last week of Christmas pageants and other special holiday occasions.

Many churches are also holding worship services on Christmas Eve, which provide the perfect opportunity to take some time to relax and get into the true spirit of the season.

Here is a rundown of some North Side events:

The First Church of the Open Bible will present “A Church-Mouse Christmas” at the 8:30 and 11 a.m. worship services on Sunday. The children’s choir will perform a musical story about the Christmas adventures of Christopher Church-Mouse.

The church, located at 8303 N. Division, will also host a Christmas Eve worship service at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

The members of Central Baptist Church are inviting members of the community to drive or stroll by their live Nativity scene that will be on the corner of Shannon and Atlantic, one block west of Division. Joseph, Mary, and the Three Wise Men will be on the corner from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

The church, located at 19 W. Shannon, will also hold a special candlelight worship service at 9 p.m. Wednesday. The service will include a children’s story, a reading of the Christmas story and Christmas carols.

The children of St. Francis Xavier Catholic School will present their annual Christmas program today at 7 p.m. The musical comedy, “Miracle on Bethlehem Street,” is a story about an innkeeper in Bethlehem who capitalizes on the flood of people coming into town by making his inn a haven for the rich, with “valet camel hitching and a fig on every pillow.”

Admission is a can of food per person. The program will be held in the school auditorium, located at 544 E. Providence.

St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, located across the street from the school, will host a Christmas Vigil Mass at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

The children of Messiah Lutheran Church, 4202 N. Belt, will present their Christmas program during the 11 a.m. worship service on Sunday.

The church’s Christmas Eve celebration will begin with caroling at 6:40 p.m. on Wednesday. A family-oriented worship service will follow at 7 p.m. Christmas carols will be sung again at 9:40 p.m., followed by a Communion candlelight service at 10 p.m.

Country Homes Christian Church, 8415 N. Wall, will present a Christmas pageant at 4 p.m. on Sunday. The children of the church and the adult choir will present the play, “The Little Star of Christmas Fantasy.” The pageant will be followed by a potluck dinner.

The church will have a Christmas Eve worship service at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

The children of Emmanuel Presbyterian Church, 1926 W. Chelan, will present their Christmas program, “More than a Manger,” during the 10:30 a.m. worship service on Sunday. Refreshments will be served following the service.

The church will also host a worship service at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday.

The choir of North Addison Baptist Church will present the musical “Joy in this Place” at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday in conjunction with the choir of the Russian Baptist Church. Refreshments will follow.

The church, located at 6120 N. Addison, will have a candlelight worship service at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

The Sunday school children of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 3909 W. Rowan, will present their Christmas program, “The Noisy Night,” at 9:45 a.m. on Sunday. The church will have a worship service at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. A candlelight service will be at 9 p.m.

The St. Paul Lutheran Church, 2159 N. Hamilton, will present a Christmas program titled, “Hark, the Herald Angel,” Sunday at 7 p.m. The program will feature the Sunday school youth, special education class, and choir. Refreshments will be served following the program. The church will host a candlelight worship service at 9 p.m. on Wednesday.

The students in the Sunday school program at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 1703 N. Washington, will present their Christmas program after the 10 a.m. liturgy on Sunday.

The church will hold the Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil in celebration of Christmas Eve at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

St. Peter Lutheran Church, 4620 N. Regal, will present its Sunday school program at 9:30 a.m. Sunday. The church will also host Christmas caroling from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday. Refreshments will be served following the singing.

The church will celebrate Christmas Eve with a family-oriented service at 7 p.m. Wednesday. A candlelight service will be held at 11 p.m.

The Spokane Central Seventh-day Adventist Church will host singer Wes Wagner and harpist Leslie Stratton Norris in a special Christmas concert Friday at 7 p.m. All are welcome to attend the free concert.

A free community dinner will be served preceding the concert at 6 p.m. The church is located at 828 W. Spofford.

The St. Gregorios Syrian Orthodox Church of India will celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord in the Flesh at 6 p.m. on Wednesday. The liturgy will be held in the lower level of the chapel located at 2404 N. Howard.

Christmas Eve services offered

On Wednesday the following churches will hold special worship services to celebrate Christmas Eve.

Life Center Foursquare Church, 708 W. Nora, will have services at 3:30, 6:30 and 8 p.m. All services are contemporary and include drama.

St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 1620 N. Monroe, will have a service of lessons and carols at 7 p.m.

Shadle Park Presbyterian Church, 5508 N. Alberta, will have a contemporary service at 5:30 p.m. and a traditional service at 9 p.m.

Lidgerwood Presbyterian Church, 4449 N. Nevada, at 9 p.m.

First Assembly of God Church, 828 W. Indiana, at 7 p.m.

Audubon Park United Methodist Church, 3908 N. Driscoll Blvd., at 6 and 11 p.m.

Saint Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church, 1325 E. Queen, will celebrate High Mass at 11 p.m.

North Hill Christian Church, 4620 N. Post, will have a family oriented service with Christmas carols at 6 p.m. A candlelight Communion service will be at 10:30 p.m.

The Mead United Methodist Church, 2515 E. Farwell Road, will have a candlelight service featuring the cantata “Wonders of His Love” at 7:30 p.m.

, DataTimes