Heritage Alliance

The Lehighton Area Heritage Alliance will not hold a monthly meeting in December.

The next monthly meeting will be on Monday, Jan. 20, at 6 p.m. at the Rec Center.

Trinity Happenings

Sunday worship with Holy Communion at Trinity Lutheran Church, 175 S. Third St., Lehighton, begins at 9:30 a.m. Included during this time is the Christmas program by the Sunday School students. Licensed Lay Minister Kathy Long presides at both worship times. Coffeehouse fellowship begins at 10:30 a.m. in Luther Hall.

Livestream Sunday service will be available at the church website (tlclehighton.com) or on the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/TrinityLehighton). Church phone: 610-377-4303.

Sunday Church School and confirmation preparatory classes will be held at 10:45 a.m. During this time is a Jesus birthday celebration. The Sunday School and confirmation classes will not meet for the next two Sundays. Classes resume Jan. 5.

The Food Pantry is open from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesdays (and third Tuesday from 5:30-7 p.m.) with an outdoor drive-up setting. Residents who reside in the Lehighton Area School District are eligible to receive supplemental food. Please take note that the pantry pickup dates for December are Dec. 23 and 30 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

The Trinity Thrift Store hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays; 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursdays and Saturdays. Donations of household goods and seasonal items will not be accepted until January. Clothing donations will be accepted during store hours. There is a five bag limit. Use door 2 to bring clothing inside. The thrift store will be closed Dec. 25 through Jan. 1.

The choir will be Christmas caroling at Giant grocery store, Carbon Plaza, Dec. 15 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Please call the church office in advance. This would ensure choir director Alex there would be adequate number of songbooks.

Christmas Eve worship services are at 4 and 7 p.m. Family service at 4 p.m. with Holy Communion, family message and singing “Silent Night” as the light of Christ is passed throughout the congregation. Traditional candlelight worship at 7 p.m. with Holy Communion and candle lighting.

Trinity’s annual pork and sauerkraut dinner will be held Jan. 1, in Luther Hall. The snow date is Jan. 2. This free dinner is sponsored by Trinity’s Hospitality Committee. There will be seatings at noon and 1 p.m. Each seating is limited to the first 125 guests and is dine-in only. Call the church office 610-377-4303 no later than Dec. 30, to make your reservation. There will be a free-will offering to help offset the costs of the dinner.

BECC

Bethany Evangelical Congregational Church, 222 North St., Lehighton, will host Sunday Morning Worship at 10:45 a.m.

• Sunday: 9:30 a.m. Sunday school.

• Tuesday: 7 p.m. prayer meeting.

• Thursday: Men’s Bible Study, 5 a.m.; 11 a.m. Women’s group.

Stay informed by visiting www.facebook.com/BethanyECLehighton, becc.churchtrac.com. Church office: 610-377-0724. The church pastor is Dale Oplinger, 610-730-7212.

St. John’s

St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church of Mahoning, 826 Mahoning Dr. W., Lehighton, will hold worship service at 10:45 a.m. Sunday in the sanctuary with special music with the Youth Christmas program.

Confirmation class: 12:30 p.m. on Dec. 15. The students will be Christmas caroling.

Grief Support: 6 p.m. Dec. 16.

Clothing & Coat Drive: From now until the end of December, there will be a large box in the Narthex for items. Items can be any type of winter wear. Donations will be given to the area homeless.

Advent Worship & Soup Supper is held Dec. 18, at 6 p.m.

The church is collecting items for its 2025 rummage sale. Donations can be dropped off in the back half of the Sunday school nursery room. For questions, call Cheryl Kistler at 510-533-5723.

Christmas Eve service: 3 p.m. at St. John’s and 5 and 10 p.m. at Dinkey Memorial Church.

Fun Day worship service: 10:45 a.m. Dec. 29. Wear your favorite funny/ugly Christmas sweater or red and green to church for a Lessons and Carols service.

Dinkey Memorial Church

Dinkey Memorial Church in Ashfield has a food cupboard available to those in need who are members of Dinkey Memorial and St. John’s or residents of East Penn Township. The distribution is the third Thursday of every month from 3:30-5 p.m. in Dinkey’s Social Room. For more information, speak with Pastor Tony.

Ben Salem UCC

Ben Salem UCC, 1965 Church Hill Road, Lehighton, will hold Sunday Worship at 8 a.m. with a Praise Band and at 10:15 a.m. for a traditional service that is also livestreamed on the church website. Communion service will be the first Sunday of each month.

Sunday school is held at 9 a.m. and is open to anyone from nursery through youth.

• Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., Senior Choir Practice.

• Thursday at 6:45 p.m., Handbell Choir Practice; and Men’s Bible study, 7-9 p.m.

Looking ahead:

• Homemade cookie and candy sale: Dec. 14.

• Sr. Choir Cantata during the 10:15 a.m. Worship Service on Dec. 15.

• Blue Christmas Worship Service at noon on Dec. 22.

• Christmas Eve services: 2 p.m., Communion and Candlelight Worship Service; 7 p.m. Musical Prelude; and 7:30 p.m. Communion and Candlelight Worship Service

Visit www.bensalemucc.com or Facebook for more information.

Christ Evangelical

Christ Evangelical Free Church, 2420 Blakeslee Blvd., Dr., West in Lehighton, will hold a Family Christmas program at 10:30 a.m. Sunday. This includes music, puppets and a children’s play.

The church will also hold a Christmas Eve Candlelight service at 6 p.m. on Dec. 24.

Ministries during the week:

Sunday School for children and youth every Sunday at 11 a.m., except the first Sunday of the month.

Sister Chix, a support group for widows and divorced women, is held the last Sunday of each month at noon. Bring a lunch, but dessert will be provided. To attend, call 570-386-4547. Enter through the lower parking lot entrance.

ESL classes are held at 6:30 p.m. every Monday through May 19. To register, call the church office. Enter through the upper parking lot.

Men’s Bible workshop is the first and third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. Lower parking lot entrance.

AWANA — Kids Bible Club is held every Wednesday at 6 p.m. Upper parking lot entrance.

Prayer Shawl Ministry is held the second Saturday of the month from 9-11 a.m.

A Food Bank takes place the third Saturday of the month from 9 a.m.-noon. Please bring a driver’s license or some other form of ID. Lower parking lot entrance.

If you’d like to attend any of these events, contact the church office at 570-386-4547. Please leave a message if calling outside of church hours.

Visit the church’s Facebook page for updates on these ministries at www.facebook.com/christEFree.

Visit www.christfc.net for more details.

To submit a news item, email tneditor@tnonline.com.