Friday April 19, 2024 
Holiday Happenings at Center Brunswick UMC
Please join us at 990 Hoosick Road, Troy to celebrate the Christmas Season.
Sunday School Christmas Program will be during worship on December 11
Bell Choir will play Dec. 18 at 9:00 am and Dec. 24 at 8:00 pm.
Blue Christmas Service will be December 21 at 7:00 for those who are finding difficulty celebrating the season. This service is for those who feel a sense of loss or grief. A service of song, prayer and hope. All are welcome.
Christmas Eve service with choir and bells December 24 at 8:00 pm
No church service on Christmas Day.
Our mission projects for the season include 30 gifts for 2 families and a Mitten Tree that will send mittens, hats and scarfs to Brittonkill Schools for those in need.
The Sunday School will sponsor Brooks BBQ on January 7 watch for further details.
Advent & Christmas at Hope United Methodist Church 566 Brunswick Road, Troy, NY 12180
Advent & Christmas at Hope United Methodist Church, 566 Brunswick Road, Troy, NY 12180
Christmas Potluck & Carol Sing, Friday, December 16th at 6:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary:Enjoy a delicious meal and stay for Christmas carols, special music, and a surprise from our kids!
Live Nativity, Sunday, December 18 at 5:00 p.m. on the front lawn: Come see, hear, and sing the story of how God sent His Son to save us. Warm up with hot chocolate and Christmas cookies afterwards in the Sanctuary.
Kid’s Christmas Eve Service, Saturday, December 24 at 4:00 p.m.. Kids help set up the nativity scene in the Sanctuary. Scripture, song, prayer, candle light, and birthday cake for Jesus.
Candlelight Communion Service, Saturday, December 24 at 11:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary: Traditional Christmas Eve candlelight service with homily and Holy Communion.
Lessons and Carols, Sunday, December 25 at 10:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary: The story of God’s redemption told in scripture and songs of the season.
For information contact the church at: 518-279-1403
First United Methodist Church of E. Greenbush December Services
A Special Church Service: ‘Longest Night” Wednesday, December 21, 7:00 pm livestreamed on the church’s Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/FUMCEG/The Christmas season is one of excitement and joy, but for some people this time of year also comes with loneliness, grief, sorrow, personal pain, anxiety, or other struggles. With a bit of special music the FUMC will be hosting a “Longest Night” service on Wednesday, December 21 – the longest night of the year – as an opportunity to acknowledge our sadness in the midst of a season of hope, to remind us that we are not alone, and to reassure us that the light grows every day forward from here. If you or someone you know is experiencing loss, grief, or worry – unrest of any kind – during this holiday season, please join us for a quiet service of prayer and meditation. Prayer and meditation for hope, inner peace, and a growing light in our lives. Share in our meditative worship of remembering, reflection, and encouragement. All are welcome, December 24, 2022,
Christmas Eve Services
5:00 PM Family Worship Service
7:00 PM Worship Service
9:00 PM Worship Service
December at St John’s Episcopal Church, Troy
Advent Candlelight Meditations—Bask in the beauty of holiness in our candlelit sanctuary. We sit in silence, gently and intermittently broken by a musical soloist, Wednesdays from 4 to 5pm.
November 30th, Ted Phillips, organ
December 7th, Angelina Valente, soprano
December 14th, Tiffany Dzembo, soprano
December 21st, Lauren Hunn, piano
Our next food pantry, which includes fresh produce, will be Saturday, December 3rd, from 10 until noon. All are welcome.
Victorian Stroll—Chimers Andy Mace and Mark Zielinski will give a seasonal chime concert at noon. Afterward, Tom Carroll will be giving his last Tiffany tour of our beautiful sanctuary, and crafters, including award-winning quilter Joanne Tarbox, will be selling their lovely creations.
Christmas Pageant and Lessons & Carols, December 11th at 10 am. Join us as we joyfully anticipate the fast of Jesus’ birth be hearing lessons, singing carols, and re-enacting the mystery of Christmas. For information about this or upcoming children’s events, be in touch with Gaby Gastelum, Children’s Christian Education Director, at ggastelum@nullstjohnstroy.org.
Sunday in-person worship gathers at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. The 8 a.m. spoken service follows a more ancient Eucharistic Rite in Elizabethan English. The 10 a.m. modern Eucharistic Rite is preceded by hymns on the tower chime and is both live-streamed and in-person. Hymns are accompanied on the regal pipe organ, and Communion music is often from contemporary repertoire. And now the choir has begun to sing again! For more information about music at Saint John’s, be in touch with Tiffany Dzembo, Choir Director, at tdzembo@nullstjohnstroy.org. Coffee hour follows in the gym after the 10 a.m. service. Join us!
All activities are at 146 1st Street in Troy (518)274-5884. The Rector, the Rev. Judith Malionek, can be reached also at rev.jmalionek@nullstjohnstroy.org.
Caroling at Church of the Covenant UM
We wish to invite you to come and sing (or enjoy the singing) of Christmas Carols (and secular songs) at Church of the Covenant UM (3055 NY 43, Averill Park NY 12018 — across from Jiffy Mart) on Sunday, December 11th, 2022 from 11:30 -12:30.
We will offer hot beverages, and a place to warm up. Our bathrooms will be open. Come sing and enjoy a time of fellowship!
Christmas Concert
Saturday, December 10 at 3 PM, the Cornerstone Community choir will present their 31st annual concert, “Carols of Christmas”. Members of several area congregations will participate.
The church is located at 570 Third Avenue, corner of 3rd Avenue and 115th Street in Lansingburgh. Join us for cookies and punch afterward. Free willing offering to benefit Capital Region Food Bank and Ukraine Relief.
Blue Christmas Prayer Service at Our Lady of Victory Church
Sunday, December 18th @ 3:00 pm. Our Lady Of Victory Church, 55 North Lake Avenue Troy.
Join us and bring a friend. This candlelight service of hope and comfort, acknowledges the difficulties many of us face… a loss or hardship such as death, an illness, a financial concern, loss of a job, an addiction, depression…or other reasons that makes celebrating Christmas a struggle. In the midst of our pain and sadness, there is the promise and comfort of the Lord.
Adoration Holy Hour immediately following the service.
“Drop and Shop” Children’s Activities
First United Methodist Church, 1 Gilligan Rd. East Greenush
Are you a parent of children Pre-k – 5th grade and need some time to get Christmas shopping done? Sr. Youth group is hosting a “Drop and Shop” fundraiser. We are inviting all children to come play games, make and eat bagel pizza, decorate Christmas cookies, and do crafts while parents get some Christmas shopping done.
This will be held on December 11 from 11:30 am -2:30 pm the cost is $25.00 for one child, $40.00 for two children and $60.00 for three children. All adults have been background checked and have been through Safe Sanctuaries Training (which is training to prevent child abuse through the church). Please register your child by emailing Amber at Youthleaderamber@nullgmail.com
Holiday Bazaar at the North Chatham United Methodist Church
On December 3rd The North Chatham United Methodist Church will host a Holiday Bazaar from 10 AM to 3 PM. This is sponsored by the Women of Faith of the North Chatham and Grace (Nassau) United Methodist Churches.
The church is located at 4274 Route 203 in the hamlet of North Chatham. There will be a nice variety of vendors and this is a great chance to do some Christmas shopping locally! Quarts of soup and a bake sale will be available and all proceeds will go to Mission Projects. For more information on the North Chatham UMC, please call 518-766-3535 or visit their website (northchathammethodistchurch.org).
For more information on the Grace UMC, please call 518-766-9628. Thanks, and we hope to see you on December 3rd!
Christmas Bazaar at Church of the Covenant
The Church of the Covenant in Averill Park will host its annual Christmas Bazaar from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday December 3. Come do your Christmas shopping at more than a dozen handcraft, gift, and food shops. You’ll find plenty of holiday-themed items, as well as year-round gifts and décor.
When you enter, get your Shop-All-Day form so you can shop at all the booths without having to pull out your wallet at each one. Pay as you leave, cash or checks only; we are not able to accept credit cards.
On the main level, visit The Doll Boutique with handmade doll clothing, the Pet Corner with gifts for your pet, the Sweet Shoppe with homemade candy and baked goods, Plants & Greens, Collectibles, The Country Store, Handcrafts & Decorations, and Religious Items. Have lunch at the COC Cafe, specializing in chili, macaroni & cheese, sausage & peppers, assorted soups, and other homemade foods.
Downstairs, Yuletide for Youth has a cookie-decorating station and crafts for children, as well as the ever-popular Kids-Only store, where children do their own shopping and have their gifts beautifully wrapped, ready for giving.
The Church of the Covenant, also known as “The Round Church,” is at 3055 Route 43 near the blinking light in Averill Park, just west of Burden Lake Road.
Blue Christmas Service
Please put on your calendar our Blue Christmas Service, Sunday, December 18th 4pm. Stephentown Federated Church 1513 Garfield Road, Stephentown, NY 12168- Honoring life and loss in the holidays.
The Christmas season is a time of nostalgia. Memories come flooding in–those of love and loss, gratitude and grief. Blue Christmas honors the fact that many of us feel a sense of loss during this season—loss of relationship, loss of trust, loss of job, loss of health, loss of faith, the loss of joy.
Authentic spirituality does not hide this truth, but instead allows us the space for honesty, reflection, and community. No matter your circumstance, this is an open service of candlelight, songs, prayers, and hope. The community is welcome. Handicapped accessible.
Thrift Shop
The Johnsonville Methodist Church Thrift Shop, 22 Bridge St., Johnsonville, NY 12094 is open every Wednesday and the first Saturday of each month from 9- 12. Closed on major holidays. Look for our sign at the corner of Rte. 111 and Rte. 67.
A great selection of adult and children’s seasonal clothing, vintage, special occasion and career clothes, jewelry, shoes, boots, purses, toys, linens, puzzles and games, household and decorative items. Our well-organized book room has over 1,000 books.
Cancer Support Group
BRUNSWICK – There are very few of us who have not been affected by cancer, either as a patient, family member, or friend. If you are dealing with the stress of this disease for whatever reason, talking with others in similar circumstances can be very beneficial.
A warm invitation is extended to attend a Zoom cancer support group, led once a month (the third Monday) by retired pastor Ted Wright, he himself a cancer patient. If you have any questions or would like the zoom link, please contact Ted at twright@nullbrunswickchurch.org.
This is a ministry in conjunction with Brunswick Church at 42 White Church Lane (just off Rt. 351). Our worship services are Sundays at 9:30 AM and all are welcome. Church participation is not required to have cancer support.