Debby Shutak and Gwen Atkinson will present music for the Sunday service at the Butler Church of the Nazarene, 4410 Oakdale Road and Route 68.

The Hanging of the Greens service will be held Nov. 28. Anyone interested in decorating the church for Christmas is welcome.

The café at Christ Community United Methodist Church, 205 N. Duffy Road, Butler Township, will be open from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. Sunday. Cost is a food donation for the Covenant Food Cupboard.Rehearsals for the Surprising Christmas Pageant will resume Tuesday in the sanctuary. Practice will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The performance is set for 5:30 p.m. Dec. 16. Apotluck family dinner will follow the performance in Oz Hall.

Christ's Outreach Church, 120 Walker Ave., will accept orders for Christmas Poinsettias through Dec. 2.The Wednesday night fellowship dinner will resume at 5:45 p.m. Nov. 28 with pizza and salad. Wednesday night classes will also resume.Families are encouraged to gather for worship Dec. 2, the first Sunday of Advent. The handbell choir will practice at 4:30 p.m. and the adult choir at 6 p.m. that day.Children's Bible Quizzing will be at 6 p.m. and Children's choir at 7 p.m., also on Dec. 2.

Communion will be celebrated at the 10:15 a.m. Sunday service at Community Life Church, McQuistion Elementary School.The Youth Group will meet at 7 p.m. Nov. 29 at the home of Ben and Amanda Ogle for a service.The church is currently collecting toys for the Lighthouse toy drive.

The Noisy Offering of loose change will be collected during the 11 a.m. Sunday service at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 230 E. Jefferson St.first English LutheranThe Junior Youth of First English Lutheran Church, 241 N. Main St., will bake pumpkin bread at 12:30 p.m. Sunday.The Senior Youth will be Christmas shopping for the children at Trinity North Side. Call the church office for more information.

The offices of Glade Run United Presbyterian Church, 1091 Pittsburgh Road, Valencia, will be closed on Thursday and Friday in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.Basketball and cheerleading practice for the Upward Basketball Program begins Monday.The Hanging of the Greens will take place at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 30. This is a family event. Pizza will be served to all participants.

The office at Grace @ Calvary Lutheran Church, 123 E. Diamond St., will be closed Thursday for Thanksgiving.All newsletter items are due to the office Friday.Aworship service with traditional hymns and Communion will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday. Those in need of transportation should call the church office at 724-283-0830.

Lyric Ackelson, Patty Miller, Joyce Moore and Dave West will provide music for the 10 a.m. Sunday service at GraceWay Community Church, Center Township Elementary School, Mercer Road.The first Sunday of Advent will be observed this Sunday. Rick and Susie Hilliard will light the first candle representing the hope God gives the world.The Children's Choir is practicing Sunday mornings during Children's Church for a presentation Christmas Eve. For information, call 724-290-7007.

The Rev. Peter Mwangangi from Kenya, Africa, will be the speaker at the 11 a.m. Sunday service at Homeacre Chapel, 340 Whitestown Road. The public is invited.

The Lord's Supper will be celebrated Dec. 2 at New Life Christian Ministries, South Butler Primary School, 328 Knoch Road, Saxonburg.Relevant Student Ministries will meet from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Dec. 2 at the home of Jim and Amy Brown. For details, contact youth leader Brad French at 724-372-0201 or brad@newlifexn.org. Details are also available at www.liverelevant.com.The Christmas Card Post Office will open Dec. 2. Members may drop off greeting cards for their church friends. The post office will be open on Sundays through Dec. 23. Lisa Kirkpatrick is serving as the team coordinator.The church nursery will reopen at 10 a.m. Dec. 2. Ali Campbell is the nursery coordinator. The nursery is open to children age 3 and younger. The nursery is held in the music room at South Butler Primary School.Those interested in serving on the Cutting Edge Ministries mission team to Louisiana, Jan. 5 to 12, should contact Wendy Kovach at 724-898-1062.

At 7 p.m. Friday, Mandy Gruver, violinist and vocalist from Anderson University, will present a free concert in the sanctuary of North Main Street Church of God, 1201 N. Main St. Ext. An offering will be collected, with proceeds going to fund Mandy's missions trip in December to Guatemala.At noon Sunday, there will be a Cookie and Punch Reception in the Fellowship Hall for Pastor Brian Smith. There will be a card box for cards and words of appreciation.There will be a Red Cross Blood Drive at the Haven youth center from 2 to 7 p.m. Nov 28. Walk-ins are welcome.Open Fellowship will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. Nov. 28 at the Haven with Pastor Brian Smith. Everyone is welcome.Poinsettias may be ordered in the church office to be placed in the sanctuary during the Christmas season. Forms and prices are available at the church office.

Old Union Presbyterian Church, 200 Union Church Road, Mars, will hold its annual Christmas Cookie Tray fundraiser on Dec. 8. The trays hold 4 dozen cookies and sell for $15. Sign up in the back of the church if you will be able to make a donation.The Worship Committee and the Missions Committee will both meet after worship this week.

Rider Lutheran Church, 189 Rider Church Road, Center Township, will celebrate Christ the King Sunday this weekend.A congregational meeting will be held after the 10 a.m. Sunday service to vote on continuing participation in the SAM program. Election of new church council members will also be discussed.

The youth of Saint Andrews United Presbyterian Church, 201 East Jefferson St., will be selling luminaries to be displayed outside the church Christmas Eve. The luminaries can be bought in honor or in memory of a loved one.Reservations are now being accepted for the Dinner with Friends gathering Dec. 9 at the Rose Haven Bed and Breakfast. For details, contact Becky Thomas.Both adults and children have started work on music programs for December. New members are being accepted in both choirs. Rehearsals are held from 8 to 8:30 p.m. Thursdays.Musicians are being sought for an instrumental ensemble. Music for the group will be chosen based on instruments and the group's abilities. For details, contact Rebecca Veith.Poinsettia orders are being taken. Cost is $6.50 each, and payment must accompany orders. The poinsettias will be used to decorate the sanctuary for the holiday season and may be taken home following the Christmas Eve service. The deacons will take any remaining poinsettias to the shut-ins.The Covenant Food Cupboard is requesting donations of baby food, formula, diapers (all sizes), bread mix, muffin mix, applesauce, jelly and jam. A cart for donations is in the Narthex.

The Music Committee of St. John's United Church of Christ, 501 E. Main St., Evans City, will meet after the conclusion of the 11 a.m. Sunday service.The Adult Choir will meet at 6 p.m. Sunday to begin technical rehearsal for the Festival of Christmas Music.The Hospitality Committee will host a Cookies and Crafts program from 2 to 4 p.m. Dec. 8. The event is intended for children and their families.

St. Mary Roman Catholic Church, Our Lady of Guadalupe, 101 W. High St., Kittanning, will have a special Mass at 9 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, including the blessing of bread. Music will be prepared by the parish choir under the direction of Sandy Ashley. The Rev. Emil Payer, pastor, will be celebrant and homilistOn Sunday, the feast of Christ the King, the parish will have special devotions at 2 p.m., including an outdoor procession with the Most Blessed Sacrament and Benediction. Everyone is welcome.

There will be no Religious Formation classes Sunday at St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 218 E. Jefferson St.Holy Communion will be served at the 8:15 and 10:30 a.m. Sunday services.A program on contemplative prayer will be held at 9 a.m. Dec. 1 at Trinity Cathedral in Pittsburgh. The event will conclude with Communion at noon. For details, call the church.Children are invited to stay at the church after the 10:30 a.m. service Dec. 2 for games. Pickup time is between 3 and 4 p.m.Articles for the December newsletter should be submitted no later than Friday.St. Richard R.C.The youth of St. Richard Roman Catholic Church, 3841 Dickey Road, Gibsonia, will volunteer at the Lighthouse Food Bank at 4:30 p.m. Nov. 29.

Summit Presbyterian Church, 181 Caldwell Drive, Jefferson Township, will host Advent Luncheons again this year. The first luncheon will be held at noon Tuesday in Fellowship Hall. The theme of the luncheons is "Christmas Traditions." The speaker for the first lunch will be Carol Novy, Summit Church's director of Christian education. For information, call the church at 724-287-2378.

Christ the King Sunday will be observed this weekend at Trinity Lutheran Church, 120 Sunset Drive, Center Township. The Lord's Supper will be shared at the 6:30 p.m. Saturday and 8:30 and 11 a.m. Sunday services.The children from Kid's Club will lead the 11 a.m. Sunday service.Items for the Fair Trade Fair will be displayed after all weekend services and on Family Advent Night, held at 6 p.m. Sunday.Trinity Youth will meet at 11:30 p.m. Friday at Meridian Lanes for Cosmic Bowling.The church office will be closed Friday.Trinity will be donating baked goods for Meals on Wheels in early 2008. Members are asked to consider baking extra desserts during the holidays to donate.

The youth of Trinity Presbyterian Church, 107 Staley Ave., Butler Township, are now collecting items for Christmas for the Mars Home for Youth. Wish list copies are available on the narthex table. Members may purchase items from the list or give a monetary donation. Donations are due to the office Dec. 9.Reservations are being accepted for the Soup Supper to be held at 6 p.m. Dec. 1.Poinsettia orders are due Sunday. Order forms are on the narthex table.

The office at Valencia Presbyterian Church, 80 Sterrett St., will be closed Thursday and Friday for the holiday.The children of the church will sing at the 10 a.m. Sunday service.The Laura S. Dickson class will hold a Christmas Luncheon for the ladies of the church at noon Dec. 3 in Fellowship Hall. Reservations are due Sunday. Participants can sign up in the church lounge.Children and youth interested in participating in the Christmas play to be performed at the Christmas Dinner on Dec. 15 should contact Nancy Schaeffer. Rehearsals are held after Sunday services. Adults are also needed to help with costumes and scenery.

A traditional hymn sing will be held during the 10:30 a.m. Sunday service at West Sunbury United Presbyterian Church, 215 East Church St., West Sunbury. The congregation will sing both traditional hymns and songs from the new church hymnal.To assist the Butler Chapter of Habitat for Humanity, members of the church will be wrapping Christmas presents at the Clearview Mall on Dec. 4 and 8. To volunteer, call the church office 724-637-2436 or sign-up on Sunday.

Shepherds at Zion United Methodist Church, Bear Creek Road, Sarver, should check their mailboxes for updated reports.The Nursery Revitalization Project will begin Friday with the painting of rooms 4 and 9. Volunteers are needed and should arrive by 2 p.m. For information, contact Donna Scholl.Volunteers are welcome to help decorate the church from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. or 6 to 9 p.m. Monday.Cookie donations for the live Nativity on Dec. 1 and 2 are needed. Any donations can be dropped off in the Fellowship Hall kitchen by 4 p.m. each day.