It’s Christmas in Fayette and Coweta counties. Christians once again are celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ with special worship services both on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, which, this year, falls on Saturday and Sunday. Some services are formal, some informal, but all reverently celebrate the birth of the person who is the very heart of the Christian religion.
As festivities wind down and the real meaning of Christmas comes near, several local churches in the area have announced weekend services. Some have included New Year’s services and later events since many celebrate through Epiphany in January.
For those who want an informal, outdoor family community service, Rolling Hills Baptist Church will celebrate Christmas with a special “Christmas by Candlelight” event on Saturday, Dec. 24, from 6 -6:30 p.m. at the Fayetteville Town Square. The event will include singing Christmas carols at the Gazebo, reading the Christmas story, and singing Silent Night by candlelight. The event is open to the public.
“Our real motive here is to offer something to a community of people who sense there is something more to the holiday than what they’ve experienced previously” says Frank Mercer, senior pastor at Rolling Hills. “There are many who might feel cynical about attending a church service or hypocritical about attending only on Christmas Eve. This is a simple gathering for friends and neighbors who are looking for the hope, joy and love that Christmas promises.”
Rolling Hills worships on Sunday mornings at 9:30 am at the NCG Cinemas at Fischer Crossings. For more information on Rolling Hills, visit http://WheresTheSteeple.org.
• All Saints Anglican Church will have three services on Christmas Eve: a 5 p.m. Family Service (nursery provided); a 10:30 p.m. service featuring “The Story Behind the Carols” and an 11 p.m. “Midnight” Candlelight Mass. On Dec. 25, Christmas Day, there will be a 10:30 a.m. Holy Communion service. On Jan. 8 at 10:30 a.m. the church will present the Children’s Epiphany Pageant. All Saints meets at 225 South Peachtree Parkway in Peachtree City. Call the All Saints office for further information, 770-486-5374.
• Brooks Christian Church will have a Candlelight Communion Service on Christmas Eve at 6 p.m. Included in the service will be selections accompanied on the violin and flute. On Christmas morning there will be one service at 11 a.m. Brooks Christian Church is at the corner of Ga. Highway 85 Connector and Church Alley in downtown Brooks, just four miles south of Starr’s Mill. Go to the website, www.brookschristian.org, for more information.
• Brooks United Methodist Church will have a Candlelight Service at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve. On Christmas morning there will be one service at 11 a.m. Brooks UMC is at the corner of Ga. 85 Connector and Morgan Mill Road in Brooks, just 3 miles south of Starr’s Mill. Call the church office, 770-719-7593, or go to the website: www.brooksumc.com, for more information.
• Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church in Peachtree City will offer four services on Christmas Eve and one on Christmas morning. All services on Christmas Eve are candlelight communion services with traditional carols accompanied by the organ. A children’s choir will sing at 4:30 p.m. The 6:30 p.m. service will feature special music by GraceFlock Band “unplugged,” the contemporary worship group playing original Christmas songs. At the 8:30 service young soloists will provide music, including Luke and Morgan Wiese, Ansley Jacobson, Eli Anderson, Claire Avery, and Sarah Juhasz. Sanctuary Choir and Joyful Noise Ringers will lead the 10:30 service. Childcare is offered at 4:30 and 6:30.
The Christmas Morning Communion service (casual dress) is at 10 a.m. Services of Lessons and Carols with Communion are scheduled for New Year’s Day at 8:30, 10:50 and 11 a.m.
Christ Our Shepherd is at 101 N. Peachtree Parkway. For more information, call 770-487-8717 or visit www.coslutheran.org.
• The Cathedral of Christ the King Charismatic Episcopal Church will have a Christmas Eve Communion Service at 7:30 p.m. The service will feature songs of the season, a message by Father David Epps and a visit by St. Nicholas of Myra who will have a gift for the children.
On Christmas Day there will be no early service. A combined worship service will be held at 10:30 a.m. and will include songs of the season, a message by Father David Epps and Holy Communion. The church is at 4881 Ga. Hwy. 34 East, Sharpsburg. For information, call 770-252-2428.
• Dogwood Church will have three Christmas Eve services: 3 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. On Christmas Day, once service will be held at 11 a.m. The church is at 975 Ga. Hwy. 74 North, Tyrone. For more information, phone 770-487-6691 or visit www.dogwoodchurch.org.
• Edgefield Baptist Church will have a Christmas Day service Sunday, Dec. 25, at 10 a.m.
The church’s Celebration of Christ will continue on Saturday, Dec. 31, at 10 p.m. when the Watch Night service will be held with the theme, “The Best is Yet to Come.” Edgefield is on Church Street in downtown Fayetteville.
• The Episcopal Church of the Nativity will have two Christmas Eve services on Saturday, Dec. 24: A Christmas Eve Children’s Pageant at 5 p.m. and Holy Eucharist at 11 p.m. On Christmas Day, Holy Eucharist will be celebrated at 10 a.m. The church is at 130 Antioch Road, just off Georgia Route 92, south of downtown Fayetteville:
• Fayette Family Church, located at 1729 Ga. Hwy. 54 West, will have a Family Candlelight/Communion Worship service, Sunday, Dec. 25 at 10:45 a.m. on the following Saturday, December 31, starting at 10 p.m., there will be an Old-Fashioned Watch Night Service, featuring singing, preaching and communion. Music will be Southern Gospel featuring the Singing Purcells. Everyone is welcome. To welcome the New Year, Sunday, Jan. 1, there will be one joint worship service at 10:45 a.m. A children’s church and nursery are provided. For more information, call the church, 770-461-6235.
• Fayette Presbyterian Church will have a Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion service with living Nativity at 7 p.m. A nursery will be provided for children age 4 and under. On Christmas Day, there will be a combined service at 11 a.m. A nursery will be provided. No Sunday School classes will be held on Christmas Day. The church is at 791 Forest Ave. (Ga. Hwy. 92 North), Fayetteville. For more information, call the church, 770-461-7147.
• Fayetteville First Baptist Church will have a Christmas Eve service at 5 p.m. At 8 p.m., the church will offer a Korean Christmas Eve service in the Korean language only. On Sunday, Christmas Day, there will be a combined English and Korean worship with the Lord’s Supper at 10 a.m. No evening activities will be held. The church is at 205 East Stonewall Ave., Fayetteville. For information, call 770-461-8378.
• Fayetteville First United Methodist Church will have Christmas Eve services on Saturday evening at 4, 6 and 11 p.m. No nursery will be provided during the 11 p.m. service. There will be one service on Christmas Day at 11 a.m. Children and youth Sunday School classes will not meet. The church is in downtown Fayetteville across the street from the old Fayette County Courthouse. For more information, call 770-461-4313.
• First Presbyterian Church of Peachtree City will have Christmas Eve Candlelight services at 5 and 8 p.m. On Christmas Day, the service will be at 11 a.m. New Year’s Day service will also be at 11 a.m. No Sunday school classes will be held on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day. The church is at 206 Willowbend Rd. in Peachtree City. For information, call 770-487-7757, or visit www.firstpresptc.com.
• Flat Creek Baptist Church will have a Christmas Eve service at 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 24, and a Christmas Day family service at 10 a.m. No evening service or activities will be held. The church is at 161 Flat Creek Trail between Ga. Highway 54 and Tyrone Road. For information, call 770-487-4890.
• Freedom to Live Ministries will have a special Candlelight Christmas Service Celebration with communion on Christmas Day. The service starts promptly at 8 a.m. The church meets at 85 N. Business Parkway, Suite 105, Fayetteville. (FTLM shares a church with Abundant Life Word Church.) For information, call 404-419-6408 or visit www.freedomtoliveministries.org.
• Hopewell United Methodist Church will have two Christmas Eve services. At 5 p.m. the service will focus on families and children and will feature candlelight and communion. At 7 p.m. the service will be traditional candlelight and communion. The Christmas Day service at 11 a.m. will feature the blessing of the toys. All children are asked to bring their favorite toy to be blessed (no animals, please). Children may come in their pajamas if they like. Sunday school will not be held on Christmas Day. The church is at 351 Jenkins Rd., Tyrone (across from Sandy Creek High School). For information, call 770-306-7537.
• Inman United Methodist Church, located at 151 Hills Bridge Road, Fayetteville, will have Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion services at 5 and 9 p.m. The Christmas Day service will be at 10 a.m. No Sunday school classes will be held. The church is located off Ga. Highway 92 South.
• McDonough Road Baptist Church will have a Christmas Eve Candlelight service at 5 p.m. and Christmas Day Worship (worship only) at 10:55 a.m. The church is at 352 McDonough Rd., Fayetteville. For information, call 770- 460-5423.
• Peachtree City United Methodist Church will host Christmas Eve services at 5, 7 and 9 p.m.
The 5 p.m. service will be a family worship service led by the Family Ministry team with a festive atmosphere. This is a child friendly service and will include the lighting of the candles. There will be childcare available for babies through PreK.
The 7 p.m. service will be a traditional worship service with communion and reverence by candlelight. Childcare will be available for babies through PreK.
The final Christmas Eve service will be at 9 p.m. and will also be a traditional worship service with communion and candlelight. Childcare will not be provided for this service.
There will be one special service on Christmas Day. This informal (pajamas allowed) service will be at 11 a.m. and will include Holy Communion. Childcare will not be provided.
The church is at 225 Robinson Rd. in Peachtree City. Call 770-487-6499 or visit the church website at www.ptcumc.org for more information.
• Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, located in Fayetteville on Hwy. 314, between Lowe’s and The Pavilion, invites all the community to worship in Christmas Eve Candlelight Services at 4 p.m. (Live Nativity in the Life Center), and at 7, 9, and 11 p.m. (traditional services with Communion in the sanctuary). For more information go online at www.princeofpeacefayette.com or call 770-461-3403.
• Providence United Methodist Church welcomes the community to Christmas Eve Services for all. The Family Service at 4 p.m., “Gather at the Manger,” will be a special service designed for families with children. There will be music, drama, scripture readings, kid-friendly candle lights and even some surprises. No costumes or child participation is required.
The Contemporary Christmas Eve Service at 6 p.m. will be led by Providence’s seven member praise and worship band, Soularize. There will be contemporary versions of Christmas hymns, special music will be Soularize singing U2’s, “Magnificent,” along with a message, candlelight and communion.
The traditional worship service at 8 p.m., “Candlelight & Communion” includes a full Christmas Choir, Handbell Choir, special music, sermon, candlelight and Holy Communion. Christmas Day and New Year’s Day worship services will be at 10:30 a.m. only.
Free childcare is provided for all services. Providence UMC is at 592 Bernhard Rd. in southern Fayette County between Ga. Hwy 85 and Redwine Road. Call 770-719-8800 for more information or go to www.provumc.com
• Saint Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in East Coweta County will have Masses on Christmas Eve at 4 p.m. (Vigil Mass), 6 p.m. (Children’s Vigil Mass), and midnight (Midnight Mass), with Midnight Mass preceded by a musical prelude at 11:30. Nursery is available at the 6 p.m. Mass.
On Christmas Day, Masses will be celebrated at 9 a.m. and at noon, with ASL interpretation available at the noon Mass.
On New Years Eve, a Vigil Mass will be celebrated at 5 p.m. On New Year’s Day, Masses will be celebrated at 9 a.m. and at noon. A nursery is available at both Sunday Masses and ASL interpretation is available at the noon Mass. The church is at 3 Village Road, near the intersection of Ga. Highway 154 and Lower Fayetteville Road. For information, call 770-253-1888.
• St. Andrew’s in the Pines Episcopal Church will have Christmas Services beginning with a Children’s Pageant and Holy Eucharist on Saturday, Dec. 24 at 4:30 p.m. A traditional Christmas Eve service with a full choir and Holy Eucharist Rite II will begin at 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 24.
On Christmas Day the church will have Holy Eucharist Rite I at 10 a.m.
On Sunday, Jan. 1, the church will have a service of Lessons and Carols at 10 a.m.
St. Andrew’s is at 316 N. Peachtree Parkway, Peachtree City.
• St. Paul Lutheran Church will have a Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at 6 p.m.
On Christmas Day, Sunday morning, a Christmas Day Combined Service with Holy Communion will be held at 10 a.m.
St. Paul Lutheran is on Ardenlee Parkway off Ga. Highway 74 in Peachtree City.
• The Summit Church (PCUSA) will have a Christmas Eve service Saturday, Dec. 24, at 7 p.m. The church is at 1373 Ga. Hwy. 92 South, Fayetteville. For information, call 770-460-3335.
• Woolsey Baptist Church will have a Christmas Eve Candlelight and Communion service at 6 p.m. One service will be held on Christmas Day at 10:45 a.m. No Sunday School or evening activities will be held. Woolsey Baptist is at 115 Hampton Rd., Fayetteville. For information, call 770-461-9618.
