Religion calendar

By MICHELLE JONES, Times Correspondent
Published December 22, 2007

Dunedin

Religious Society of Friends Quakers meets at the Scottish American Society Hall, 917 Louden Ave. in Dunedin from 10 to 11 a.m. on Sundays from October to May and every first and third Sunday from June to September. Call (727) 372-6382.

Holiday

St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, 4843 Mile Stretch Road, offers Christmas Eve masses at 4, 6 and 10 p.m. There will be a cantata 30 minutes prior to each mass on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day, masses are at 7:30, 9 and 11 a.m. There will be New Year's Eve masses at 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. and the New Year's Day masses are at 8 and 10 a.m. Call (727) 938-1974.

Holiday Free Methodist Church, 5015 Darlington Road, presents a special service by the church's children's choir at 2 p.m. today and at 10:30 a.m. Sunday. Sunday school, for all ages, is at 9:15 a.m. and Sunday evening service is at 6 p.m. The pastor is the Rev. Richard Keep. Call (727) 937-9375.

Community United Methodist Church, 3214 U.S. 19, offers a Sunday service at 11 a.m. Small group meetings are at 9:30 a.m. Sundays and at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays. A group called "Becoming a Contagious Christian" meets at 10:30 a.m. Fridays. Call (727) 937-3268.

Hudson

Faith United Methodist Church, 12128 State Road 52, will have a half price sale on all Christmas items beginning Thursday at the church's Second Chance Thrift Shop. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Call (727) 856-5000.

St. Martin's Episcopal Church, 15801 U.S. 19, offers worship services at 8 and 10 a.m. Sunday and at 11 a.m. Fridays. Call (727) 863-8560.

First United Methodist Church, 13123 U.S. 19, will hold traditional services on Christmas Eve at 4, 7 and 9 p.m. with Christmas carols, special music by the choir and a monologue by Dr. Richard Schmidt. A contemporary Christmas Eve service will be offered at 5:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Center. Call (727) 868-6178.5

Lakewood Church of God, 12637 Pony Lane, offers worship services at 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sundays. Children's church is during the morning worship. There is a Bible study at 7 p.m. Wednesday and the church offers a club for teens. The Pastor is David Parham. Call (727) 856-1770.

Immaculate Conception Old Roman Catholic Church, 8531 Bolton Ave., a traditional Catholic Church, offers masses at 9 a.m. Sundays and at 9 a.m. Monday through Saturday. Some daily masses are in Latin and the Sunday mass is in English. This Sunday, the fourth Sunday in Advent,the church will be decorated after mass. At 10:30 p.m. Monday, there will be a Christmas Carol sing-along and at 11 p.m. the first mass of Christmas will be celebrated in English. At 7:30 a.m. Tuesday the second mass of Christmas will be celebrated in Latin and at 9 a.m. the third mass of Christmas will be celebrated in English with music. Call (727) 819-3788.

St. Mark's Presbyterian Church, 7922 State Road 52, offers worship services at 8:15 and 10:30 a.m. Sundays with a fellowship hour after each service. Sunday school for children is at 10:45 a.m. Nursery is available for all services. There will be a candlelight service of lessons, carols and communion at 7 p.m. Christmas Eve. Call (727) 863-5646.

Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church, 12321 Canton Ave., offers a contemporary Music and Majesty service at 6 tonight. Sunday services are at 8:30 and 11 a.m., with Sunday school at 9:45 a.m. The Sunday school classes will present the Christmas story at the 11 a.m. service. Call (727) 863-6446.

Lutz

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 20735 Leonard Road, offers a message by the Rev. Gil Kuehn on "The Shepherd's Candle," the fourth in the four-week series "Flames Around the Advent Wreath," at 8, 9:15 and 10:30 a.m. Sunday. On Christmas Eve there will be four services. At 5 p.m. there will be a family service especially for children and at 7 and 9 p.m. the choir will sing the Christmas cantata "Winter Rose." At 11 p.m. a late Christmas Eve service is planned. On Christmas Day there is a 10 a.m. celebration service. Visit holytrinitylutz.com or call (813) 949-7173.

New Port Richey

Asbury United Methodist Church, 4204 Thys Road, offers a Christmas Eve candlelight service of lessons and carols with special music by the Praise Team and the Chancel Choir at 7 p.m. Monday. Call (727) 847-5849.

Westminister Presbyterian Church, 4125 U.S. 19, offers an early Christmas Eve service at 4 p.m. Monday. Dr. Paul Richards' sermon will be "What A Child Can Do." Call (727) 849-4905.

Covenant Christian Church, 6813 Indiana Ave., offers a sermon at 10 a.m. Sunday by Pastor Bob Panariello on "Is There Room Inn Your Heart?" The church offers a men's ministry meeting at 9 a.m. Saturdays, women's ministry at 7 p.m. the second Thursday of each month and services at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Call (727) 842-4566.

Community Congregation Church, 6533 Circle Blvd., offers a Christmas Eve candlelight service at 7 p.m. Dec. 24. There will be special music by the choir and soloists, scripture readings and the singing of Christmas carols. Call (727) 849-1943.

Family of Faith Church, which meets at the Colonial Hills Civic Center, 3852 Prime Place, is a full Gospel believing congregation. Worship service is at 11 a.m. Sundays and Sunday school is at 10 a.m. Call (727) 204-1881 or visit fofchurch.us.

Love is for Eternity Ministries (L.I.F.E), 7511 Little Road, Building C, offers Christian recovery, growth and support groups each week. There are groups for alcoholics, an Alanon group, Biblical 12-step groups for all addictions and a parents' support group. Call (727) 847-0222 for times and dates or visit loveisforeternity.com.

Faith Lutheran Church, 5443 Sunset Road, offers worship services at 8 and 11 a.m. Sundays. Sunday school and Bible classes are at 9:30 a.m. Call (727) 849-4418.

First Church of the Nazarene, 5342 Avery Road, offers Sunday school at 9:45 a.m., morning worship is at 10:45 and evening worship is at 6 each Sunday. The church has a Wednesday service at 7 p.m. Call (727) 849-3998.

St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 5326 Charles St., offers the Holy Eucharist at 5:30 p.m. each Saturday and services are at 7:30, 9 and 11 a.m. Sunday with nursery available at the 9 and 11 a.m. services. Church school is at 9 a.m. A Healing service is at 10 a.m. each Thursday with a Bible study afterward. The Rev. Raymond E. Dage also conducts a Bible study at 7 p.m. Thursdays. The church will celebrate the birth of Jesus at 7 p.m. Christmas Eve, with Holy Eucharist and the Children's Christmas pageant. At 10:30 p.m. Christmas Eve, a carol sing and music with be followed by the first mass of Christmas, a solemn high mass at 11 p.m. A reception will be held in the Parish Hall after the service. Holy Eucharist will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Christmas. The Feast of St. Stephen will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Wednesday, the Feast of St. John at 10 a.m. Thursday and the Feast of The Holy Innocents at 10 a.m. Friday. Call (727) 849-4330.

Joyful Spirit Lutheran Church, 8812 Old County Road 54, offers contemporary services at 8 and 9:15 a.m. and a traditional service at 11:15 a.m. each Sunday. There will be three Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) services at 6, 8:30 and 11 p.m. Each service will include Christmas carols, candle lighting, and Holy Communion. The 6 p.m. service will be geared to children. The Rev. Jerry Nordsiek is the pastor of the church. Call (727) 376-0919.

Calvary Chapel Worship Center, 6825 Trouble Creek Road, offers worship services at 8:10, 8:45 and 11:15 a.m. Sundays. The pastor is the Rev. Bill Strayer. There is a Thursday evening service at 7 p.m. The church offers three candlelight Christmas Eve services at 4:30, 6 and 7 p.m. Visit ccwc.org for times and days of other ministry services, or call (727) 376-7733.

Odessa

Spirit of Life Unitarian Universalists, 18412 Burrell Road, offers a service at 11 a.m. each Sunday with a coffee discussion group at 10 a.m. Children's activities and childcare also begin at 10 a.m. Call (813) 792-1622.

Port Richey

First Presbyterian Church, 7540 Ridge Road, offers a 7 p.m. Christmas Eve worship service. The church will celebrate the birth of the Lord with carols, candles and Holy Communion. Call (727) 849-1898.

Calvary Chapel Pasco, 6454 Ridge Road, offers contemporary worship and Bible teaching at 10:30 a.m. Sundays with children services at the same time. The church also has Bible study at 7 p.m. Tuesday and a 7 p.m. worship service on Wednesdays. Call (727) 534-1626.

Salvation Army the Corps and Worship Center, 7745 Ridge Road, offers Sunday school at 9:45 a.m. and a morning worship service at 11 a.m. each Sunday. Call (727) 815-8539.

King of Kings Lutheran Church, 10337 U.S. 19, offers a Christmas Eve candlelight service at 7 p.m. Pastor Howard Nielsen will conduct the service. Call (727) 868-5744.

Tarpon Springs

Congregation B'nai Emmunah, a Reform Jewish Synagogue, 3374 Keystone Road, offers early Shabbat services at 6:45 p.m. the first Shabbat of each month. Other Shabbat evening services are at 8 p.m. every Friday with a member-hosted Oneg afterward. Hebrew reading and Torah Topics are offered most Tuesday evenings. The congregation has been accepted into the Union for Reform Judaism after a long and challenging process of affiliation. The membership provides vision and leadership to Reform Jews and gives congregations' guidance in spiritual, ethical, social justice and management issues. More than 900 congregations in North America are part of the movement. Call (727) 938-9000.

Trinity

Chabad of West Pasco, meets at Trinity College, 2430 Welbilt Blvd. in room 203 on the second floor, offers bi-weekly Torah studies at 7:30 p.m. the first and third Monday of each month. A Mommy and Me class is offered at 10 a.m. bi-weekly. The next class is Monday. The chabad also offers a Jewish Women's Circle. Call (727) 376-3366 for times and dates.

Wesley Chapel

Atonement Lutheran Church, 29627 State Road 54, offers a home-based, Bible study Internet program for members of the church, non-members and for believers and non-believers who would like to read through the Bible in one year with an investment of just 20-30 minutes a day. This study begins Jan. 1. Call the church at (813) 973-2211 to register. Weekly church services are at 10 a.m. Sundays.

Please send religion story ideas and religion notes to Michelle Jones at mjones721@tampabay.rr.com or fax to (813) 684-2457 or call (813) 685-2200. Correspondence can also be mailed to Michelle Jones at P.O. Box 558, Valrico, FL 33595.

[Last modified December 21, 2007, 21:12:20]