Saturday, December 19, 1998

Churches plan Christmas Eve services

By LORETTA FULTON

Senior Staff Writer

The soft glow of candlelight will illuminate the city and the hearts of its residents Thursday night as numerous churches host traditional Christmas Eve candlelight services.

For those wanting a more festive service, SpringBrooke Church will present its annual "Christmas Eve at the Paramount," a Broadway-style variety show with music, drama, and choreography.

SpringBrooke minister Kelly Pigott said about 800 people attended the service last year, and he is expecting 1,000 for the 7 p.m. performance this Christmas Eve.

"It's probably the best attended thing we do all year," Pigott said. "We've been getting a little bit more every year."

The same can be said for traditional churches as they see their numbers swell dramatically on Christmas Eve. Dr. Cliff Stewart, pastor of First Central Presbyterian Church, said his church will be filled with regulars, their guests, and other visitors for the 6:30 p.m. candlelight service and Holy Communion.

"It certainly is an event," Stewart said. "It's just packed with visitors."

Knowing that some of those visitors will only be in church once or twice a year makes ministers work even harder on their sermon.

"I try to be inviting on Christmas Eve, and I look for it not to be the same old thing," Stewart said, and added that "it takes some doing."

This is the fifth year SpringBrooke Church has hosted "Christmas Eve at the Paramount." The church formerly met each Sunday morning at the Paramount but has since moved to the Windsor Hotel ballroom. However, the Christmas Eve production will be at the Paramount.

The event is free, but tickets are needed and may be ordered by calling 676-1977. Children are welcome and dress is casual. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services at Abilene churches include:

CHRISTMAS EVE

BAPTIST

-- First Baptist Church, 1333 N. 3rd, will have a family-oriented service at 6 p.m. Thursday with family singers. Child care will be provided.

The 11 p.m. traditional service will include the Lord's Supper, candlelight, choral music, handbells, special organ music, violinists, and vocalist Gayla Day accompanied by Dan Mitchell on guitar.

The 11 p.m. service will be televised on KRBC-TV.

-- Wylie Baptist Church, 6097 Buffalo Gap Road, will have a Lord's Supper service at 6 p.m.

-- Pioneer Drive Baptist Church, 701 S. Pioneer, will have a silent observation of the Lord's Supper at 5 p.m. Thursday. A service of carols and candles will follow at 6:30.

The 5 p.m. service lasts about 30 minutes and offers a break from the hustle of Christmas. The 6:30 p.m. service, an hour in length, includes congregational singing and specials as well at he Lord's Supper. The service concludes with everyone holding a lit candle and singing "Silent Night."

CATHOLIC

-- Holy Family Catholic Church, 5410 Buffalo Gap Rd., will have Masses at 5:30 p.m. and midnight on Christmas Eve.

-- Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 837 Jeanette, will have Masses at 6:30 p.m. and midnight Thursday.

DISCIPLES OF CHRIST (CHRISTIAN)

-- First Christian Church, 1420 N. 3rd, will celebrate the birth of Jesus in a candlelight worship service at 7 p.m. Thursday.

The service will include congregational singing, the entrance of the Christ Candle, the reading of the Christmas word, special musical presentations, a meditation, and the celebration of the Lord's Supper.

-- Brook Hollow Christian Church, 2310 S. Willis, will have a candlelight and communion service at 7 p.m. Thursday.

EPISCOPAL

-- St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 3150 Vogel, will celebrate the Holy Eucharist at 7 p.m. Thursday. The worship service will include Christmas carols, special choir music, the Christmas sermon by the Rev. Kelly Schneider, rector, and the Holy Eucharist.

Everyone is invited to stay for refreshments in the parish hall following the service. The church is located one block east of Mann Middle School.

-- Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest, 602 Meander, will have two services on Christmas Eve. At 5:30 p.m. the Holy Eucharist will be celebrated in a candlelight service.

At 10:30 p.m. Tajette Travenia, violinist, and Dr. Laura Ellis, organist, will perform. The Holy Eucharist will be celebrated at 11 p.m.

The Christmas Eve concert will include such favorites as "Ave Maria" and "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring."

Travenia, a graduate of Abilene High School, is concertmistress of the Sam Houston State University Orchestra. Her mother, Madelyn Mitchell, is orchestra director at Mann Middle School. LUTHERAN

-- Zion Lutheran Church, 1011 Briarwood, will have a candlelight pageant at 7 p.m. Thursday.

The worship service will include Christmas carols, readings, a Christmas Eve sermon, choral music, and a candlelighting ceremony.

-- Grace Lutheran Church, 1202 S. Pioneer,will have a service of carols and candlelight at 7 p.m.

At 11 p.m. a service of carols, candlelight and holy communion will be held.

-- Our Savior Lutheran Church, 4933 S. 7th, will have a Sunday School children's program at 7 p.m. Thursday and the candlelight and communion service at 11 p.m. METHODIST

- St. Paul United Methodist Church, 525 Beech St., will have two Christmas Eve services, at 6 and 11 p.m. The 6 p.m. service will feature the children of St. Paul in costume as they enter the church and create a live Nativity during the reading of the Christmas Story. Holy Communion will be celebrated and Christmas carols will be sung.

The 11 p.m. service will feature carols, candlelight service and Holy Communion. The Chancel Choir with soloists Richard Burke and Jane Guitar will sing strains of Handel's "Messiah." The service will be telecast live on KTXS-TV.

-- Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 1741 Sayles, will have a candlelight service with Holy Communion at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

-- First United Methodist Church, 1318 S. 2nd, will have a communion service at 6 p.m., followed by a worship service at 6:30 with carols and a sermon.

-- St. James United Methodist Church, 3100 Barrow, will have a service at 6 p.m. which will include music and candlelight.

-- Wylie United Methodist Church, 3130 Antilley, will have a service of communion and candlelight at 6 p.m. Thursday.

PRESBYTERIAN

-- Westminster Presbyterian Church, 4515 S. 14th, will have services at 7 and 11 p.m. Thursday.

Both services will include candlelight and communion.

First Central Presbyterian, 400 Orange, will have a candlelight and Holy Communion service at 6:30 p.m.

CHRISTMAS DAY

CATHOLIC

-- Holy Family Catholic Church, 5410 Buffalo Gap Rd., will have a Christmas Day Mass at 11:30 a.m.

-- Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 837 Jeanette, will have a Christmas Day Mass at 10 a.m. Friday.

EPISCOPAL

-- The Holy Eucharist will be celebrated at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 3150 Vogel, at 10:30 a.m. Friday.

-- The Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest, 602 Meander, will celebrate the Holy Eucharist at 10:30 a.m. Friday.