Berks County churches schedule Christmas Eve, Christmas services

• Maidencreek Church, 261 Main St., Maidencreek Township, will have two Christmas candlelight services. The 4pm service will have music by David Wentzel, bass clarinet; Jamie Ayrton, trumpet; Marissa Benedick and Kimberly Ayrton, vocal duet; Anya Flicker and Sophie Esterly, piano duet; Carter Flicker, Amelia Rarick and Connor Rarick, piano solos. At 6:40 p.m., the Brass Ensemble plays trumpets Jamie Ayrton, Jaime Baver, Collin Border and Amy Powlus; and trombones Sophie Esterly, SaraAnn Harbonic and Julia Powlus. The 7pm service will have music by Jeremy Powlus and Megan Esterly, vocal solos; Senior Choir with Bell Choir and soloist Jeremy Powlus; Kelli Rosenberger, flute solo; Sophie Esterly and SaraAnn Harmonic, piano solos; and Jamie Ayrton and Amy Powlus, trumpet duet. The 9 a.m. Christmas Day service is a service with lessons and carols. The music includes a violin duet by Sophia Ayrton and Chris Bieber; a duet with Glenn Fisher, flute, and Maynard Koplin, clarinet (two pieces); a vocal solo by Becky Wright; a violin solo by Bieber; a trumpet solo by Kimberly Ayrton; and two piano solos by Kimberly Ayrton. The personal service will be streamed live on Facebook and YouTube. For links see www.maidencreekchurch.org.

• The United Church of Christ, 301 W. Penn Ave., Robesonia, will hold Christmas Eve services at 7:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. The handbell choir will ring, the altar choir will sing, organ music will inspire, Holy Communion and individual candlelight will be offered, and one of the Christmas legends will be introduced. The Christmas Day service is at 9:15am, sharing another legend of Christmas. Bible studies are not taking place this week. Worship is available in person, via YouTube, Facebook and telephone. See 1zion.org or sprucc.org for details.

• Black Forest United Church of Christ, 75 Church Lane Road, Exeter Township, will hold two in-person and Zoom Christmas Eve services. Bonnie Levan will be the guest pianist at the 7 p.m. service. The 11:00 pm candlelight service features special music by Jody Goodhart and Katherine Berry. The Christmas service will take place at 10:30 a.m. in person and on Zoom. You are welcome to come in your pajamas. All services will be available on YouTube. For more information, visit www.schwarzwalducc-pa.org.

• Reformation Lutheran Church, 3670 Perkiomen Ave., Exeter Township, will hold 4:30pm and 8:30pm services with Holy Communion and candle lighting. Special music at the 4:30 service will feature instrumentalists and singers. The service at 8.30 p.m. will be accompanied by a brass quartet, timpani and the Reformation Choir under the direction of Dr. Heidi Rochlin. The 8:30 am service will be streamed live on Reformation’s Facebook page and can be viewed live or later at www.Reformationlutheran.org under Worship Videos. The personal service on Christmas Day with Holy Communion and Christmas carols takes place at 9:30 am. Rev. Paul Metzloff will post a Christmas Day message on Reformation’s Facebook page on Christmas morning.

• St. John’s Lutheran Church, 4125 Penn Avenue, Sinking Spring will hold candlelight services at 5:00 pm (Children’s service), 7:30 pm and 10:00 pm

• The Black Forest Lutheran Church, 250 Church Lane Road, Exeter Township, will hold in-person Holy Communion services at 3pm and 7pm. Each service is preceded by 45 minutes of special music. On Christmas Day at 10:30 a.m. there will be a short, contemplative, personal service with a quiet communion

• Trinity United Church of Christ, 2449 Cumberland Ave., Mount Penn, will hold a 7:00 pm Christmas Eve candlelight service with Holy Communion beginning with Christmas music provided by the Handbell Choir and instrumental and vocal soloists . Worship will be held at 9:00 am on Christmas Day. Scott Troutman will sing and Derek Lehn will perform a violin solo.

• St. John’s Reformed Church, 4001 Penn Ave., Sinking Spring will hold two Christmas services. The children’s service begins at 5:00 p.m. and shows the children acting out the well-known story through writing and singing. The traditional Christmas Eve service begins at 7:30pm and includes bell choir performance, communion and candlelight. On Christmas Day, the church holds a single service of traditional worship (no Sunday school) starting at 10:30 am. On New Year’s Day, starting at 10:30 am (no Sunday School), the church holds a single service with the worship team from Just Worship.

• Calvary United Church of Christ, 640 Center Ave., Reading, will hold Christmas Eve services at 5 and 7 p.m. with special music in between. On Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve there is a service at 10:30 am. For more information, visit www.calvaryreformeducc.org.

• St. John’s Lutheran Church, 45 N. Reading Ave., Boyertown, will worship at 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve. The Christmas service is at 10:30 a.m., with a complimentary meal from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. There will be a class and carols service on January 1st at 9:30am and a service on January 6th for Ephiphany at 7pm Every Saturday (except today) will be a free one from 4:30pm to 5:30pm Takeaway ride offered No registration necessary. Visit stjohnsboyertown.org for more information.

• St. John’s Gernant’s Church (A Federated Congregation), 13 Gernant’s Church Road, Ontelaunee Township, will celebrate Christmas Day at 9:30 am. The musician of the day will be Fern Kulp. Pastor Fran Merkel will play a flute solo titled “Christmas Medley”.

• Maranatha Baptist Church, 25 Gaul Road, Lower Heidelberg Township, will have a Christmas Eve candlelight service at 4:30 pm, a time when carols and a message will be sung. A special Christmas service will be held at 10am

• Pennside Presbyterian Church, 253 N. 25th St., Mount Penn, will hold a 7:00 pm Christmas candlelight service with music by David Cullen, Scott Piergrossi, Zoe Banks, Katie McClain and Isaac Duquette.

• Berne Reformed United Church of Christ, 3196 Bernville Road, Berne Township, offers live worship on Christmas Eve at 7pm or join the parking lot from your vehicle via FM 87.9 broadcast or on Facebook. The service will include a video of the birth of Christ Child, a choir hymn, Christmas carols, a safe way to receive Communion and take-home battery-powered candles.

• St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, 5 W. Jackson St., Fleetwood, will have a service on Christmas Day at 9:30 am. Special music will be a traditional Christmas carol, “I Saw Three Ships”. Worship leader will be Jim Goldman. For links to Facebook and YouTube, visit www.stpaulsfleetwood.org. There will also be a service on New Year’s Day at 9:30 am

• Peace United Church of Christ, 337 Main St., Oley, celebrates Christmas Eve at 7:00 pm with a special candlelight service with Holy Communion and a children’s message. Each child gets a present, there is special music and a choir hymn. The Christmas service with lessons and Christmas carols takes place at 9 am. Worship services are held in person as well as via Zoom and YouTube.

• Christ Episcopal Church, 425 Court St., Reading, will hold a service on Christmas Eve at 10pm with special music. On Christmas morning at 10 am there will be a service without music, including the celebration of the Eucharist. At 9:00 am, carols will be sung on the piano in the parish hall, conducted by Steve Geyer. Parking is available in the Abe Lincoln Hotel parking garage and the M&T Bank parking lot, both located on Washington Street. Parking is also available next to the church on Court Street for those with disabilities or those in need of assistance. Morning prayers from the Book of Common Prayer will be held in the church room on Thursday at 11 a.m. To access the Centering Prayer Zoom link or to learn more, go to rdgchristchurch.org.