Calvary Church of God in Christ

646 Ala.

Sunday: Public invited to attend a Christmas celebration, “A Wonderful Child Was Born,” featuring music, poems and choreography, at 6 p.m.

Calvary Temple Assembly of God

606 S.W. 29th St. Terrace

Sunday: Elaine Lackrone’s children will perform a piano recital at 3 p.m.

Dec. 19: Children’s church Christmas program, “Happy Birthday Jesus,” 10:30 a.m.; Christmas pageant, “The Real Untold Story,” presented at 6:30 p.m.

Clinton Parkway Assembly of God

3200 Clinton Parkway

Sunday: Special ministry time for children, using puppets and Bible stories to teach about Advent; the Rev. Jim Meadows will share during the service.

Dec. 18: Men’s breakfast, 8 a.m.; Worship Involving Severely Handicapped, 10:30 a.m.

Dec. 19: Candlelight Communion service, 6:30 p.m.

Episcopal-Lutheran Campus Ministry

1116 La.

Sunday: Celebration of Advent season, 5 p.m., followed by free home-cooked meal, 843-4948.

First Baptist Church

1330 Kasold Drive

Sunday: Chancel choir will present Magnificat, composed and directed by Scott Murphy, Kansas University professor, 10:45 a.m.; Combined choirs will present the musical play, “The Drum,” by Katherine K. Davis.

Faith Church of the Nazarene

1020 Kasold Drive

Sunday: Church celebrates the third Sunday of Advent, 10:45 a.m. to noon; 5:30 p.m. service will have the theme “Come Home for Christmas,” with short concert, followed by supper of homemade soups and breads.

First Christian Church

1000 Ky.

Congregation welcomes a new youth pastor, Nick Prather, and his family. Nick and his wife, Jenelle, are originally from Medicine Lodge; they attended Barclay College in Haviland. The couple has two children, Caden, 3, and Devin, 1.

First Church of the Nazarene

1470 N. 1000 Road

Sunday: Community invited to attend a children’s Christmas music drama, “Three Wise Men and a Baby,” 10:15 a.m.

Dec. 24: Church will offer its annual “Christmas Eve Carols by Candlelight,” 6 p.m.

Heartland Community Church

619 Vt.

Sunday: During the 11 a.m. worship service, the Rev. Paul Gray will interview Marine Lance Cpl. Ryan Chapman, who will receive a Purple Heart for the head wound he suffered while fighting in Iraq Nov. 16. Chapman, a 2001 graduate of Lawrence High School, is a member of Heartland.

Dec. 19: Church will offer two identical Christmas services at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.; nursery and children’s programs through sixth grade available during both services; Gray will speak, Mike Hall will present a drama, “Take a Clean Slate,” and contemporary music presented.

Dec. 24: Traditional candlelight Christmas Eve service, 6 p.m., featuring wide variety of Christmas music; Communion served; worshippers encouraged to bring non-perishable food items for the Leo Center’s food pantry.

Immanuel Lutheran Church and University Student Center

15th Street and Bob Billings Parkway

Sunday: New member Sunday observed at 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. services; special musical presentation, Jazz Nativity, 7:30 p.m., sanctuary.

Wednesday: Advent supper, 5:30 p.m.; Advent service, 7:30 p.m., sanctuary; theme, “Great with Child.”

Dec. 19: Children’s Christmas program, 8:30 a.m. service.

Dec. 24: Three special candlelight services, 5:30 p.m. (children and family); 7:30 p.m. candlelight service; 11 p.m. (carols and Scripture candlelight service).

Dec. 25: Communion worship, 10 a.m.

Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve Communion service, 7 p.m.

Lawrence Wesleyan Church

3705 Clinton Parkway

Today: Women can meet at 5:30 p.m. at church for “Girls Night Out” at Eat at Joe’s Crab Shack in Olathe, followed by shopping at Great Plains Mall.

Sunday: Children will present “Baby Jesus, We Love You!” at 6 p.m., followed by cookie reception.

Thursday: Annual Ladies Christmas Tea, 7 p.m., featuring cheesecakes, ornament making, carols.

Dec. 24: Candlelight Christmas Eve service and Communion.

Ninth Street Baptist Church

847 Ohio

Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve Watch Night Service; dinner, 6 p.m.; service, 7:30 p.m., 843-6472.

Plymouth Congregational Church

925 Vt.

Sunday: Chancel choir and chamber orchestra present Magnificat by Johann Pachabel, directed by Geoffrey Ward and featuring soloists Heidi Schellman, Sharon O’Connell Campbell, Kevin Miller and Steve Bradt.

Dec. 19: Christmas pageant, “A Brand New Star,” presented during 9:30 a.m. traditional service; all children invited to the Sam Elliott Christmas party after the pageant; junior and senior youth groups leave at 12:30 p.m. from the church for skating and shopping at Crown Center, Kansas City, Mo.

Redeemer Lutheran Church

2700 Lawrence Ave.

Today: Decorating church for Christmas season, 6 p.m.

Wednesday: Advent services conducted by the Rev. Robert Leiste, 7 p.m.

Sunday: Children’s Christmas program, 10:15 a.m.

St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church

1234 Ky.

Today: Our Lady of Guadalupe celebrated, 9 a.m.; festivities follow in church hall, with Mexican cookies, breads and hot cocoa; gift bazaar and pinata for children; sacrament of the anointing the sick offered after evening liturgies (also after all Sunday liturgies).

Tuesday: Reconciliation celebrated in a communal service with private confession, 7 p.m.

St. Luke AME Church

900 N.Y.

Dec. 18: Annual men’s Christmas dinner and musical program, noon; men’s choir will sing during meal; dinner tickets cost $7 for adults, $5 for children, 841-1707 or 749-1239.

St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church

5700 W. Sixth St.

Sunday: Special receptions will follow all services, celebrating the Dec. 5 groundbreaking ceremony; annual Hanging of the Greens follows 5:30 p.m. service.

Dec. 18: Holidays with Octarium Concert.

Trinity Episcopal Church

1011 Vt.

Today: Eucharistic visitors meet for prayer and discussion, 8 a.m.; rehearsals for children’s Christmas pageant, 9:30 a.m. (also Sunday), nave; all children invited to participate.

Sunday: Forty Good Minutes, group will discuss “Behind America’s Rush to Memorialize Death,” by G. Jeffrey MacDonald, 9:30 a.m., Holy Spirit Chapel; service of Advent Lessons and Carols, 5 p.m., led by Henry Heller Smith, with readings and Christmas music; all are welcome.

Trinity Lutheran Church

1245 N.H.

Sunday: Bach Cantata #140 sung in German, featuring choirs and instrumentalists, guest soloists Antonio and Stanton Felix, at 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. services, sanctuary; children’s Christmas program with meal, after 11 a.m. service, fellowship hall and sanctuary; confirmation members and families Christmas party, 5 p.m., fellowship hall.

Monday: Men’s Night Out, 6 p.m., Lawrence Memorial Hospital Conference Room E; Women’s book study, “Bad Girls of the Bible,” 6:30 p.m., home of Ruth Sarna.

University Community of Christ

1900 University Drive

Sunday: Christ Cafe breakfast, 8:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.; special business meeting, 9:15 a.m. to 10 a.m.; guest speaker, Diane Yeamans, president of Lawrence Interdenominational Nutrition Kitchen, 10 a.m. during worship service.

Tuesday: Bible study class, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.; open to public.

Dec. 19: Special holiday musical program, “Celebrate the Gift!”, during 10 a.m. worship service; potluck meal follows service.

Unitarian Fellowship of Lawrence

1263 N. 1100 Road

Sunday: Spiritual celebration, “The Expanding Gift of Care,” the Rev. Michael Nelson, All Souls Unitarian-Universalist Church, 9:15 a.m.-10:15 a.m.; musical program, 10:30 a.m.-11:15 a.m., Melanie Hadley, Aleksandr Snytkin; coffee and fellowship, 11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.

Unity Church of Lawrence

900 Madeline Lane

Sunday: Special holiday service, “Spirit of Love,” featuring guest singers Nicole and Rita Rials, Lawrence Church of God Choir.

Dec. 19: Children’s handbell choir performs during special holiday concert, 6:30 p.m.

Collections under way for two community holiday projects for children of students at Haskell Indian Nations University and Women’s Transitional Care Service, 841-1447.

West Side Presbyterian Church

1024 Kasold Drive

Sunday: Third Sunday of Advent; reception of eight new members; installation of the Rev. Bill Woodard, 4 p.m., reception, fellowship hall.

Dec. 19: Fourth Sunday of Advent, children’s Christmas concert, noon, followed by reception; caroling to shut-ins, 2 p.m.

Dec. 24: Christmas Eve candlelight service, 7 p.m.