• Trinity Lutheran Church, 527 Washington St., Reading, will hold two Christmas Eve worship services. The Trinity Orchestra, under the direction of David Himes, and the Mixed Ensemble will present special music at the 5 p.m. service. At 10, a half-hour musical presentation featuring the Trinity Choir and Trinity Ringers, under the direction of retiring Minister of Music Karen S. Eddinger and Cantor-elect Dr. Cameron Lee Wentz, will precede the 10:30 service. The Rev. Hans E. Becklin, Trinity’s senior pastor, will preach at both services.
• Community United Church of Christ, 3330 St. Lawrence Ave., St. Lawrence, will feature the music of Brass Menagerie during its 10:30 p.m. worship service on Christmas Eve.
• Reformation Lutheran Church, 3670 Perkiomen Ave., Exeter Township, will hold a Christmas Eve worship service at 4:30 p.m. with vocalists and instrumentalists. The 8:30 service will also include a brass quartet, timpani, handbell choir and the Reformation Choir. The 10:30 service will be livestreamed on Facebook.
• St. John's Lutheran Church, 4125 Penn Ave., Sinking Spring will have three Christmas Eve services: 5 p.m., geared toward children and young families; 7:30 and 10, with special holiday music at all three services. Take-out pork and sauerkraut dinners will be available on Jan. 1 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.,. $12 each, includes slow-roasted pork, mashed potatoes, rolls and dessert. Call Deb Scheidt for tickets at 610.468.5923.
• Zion Spies Evangelical Reformed Church, 318 Spies Church Road, Alsace Township, will feature “A Noel Celebration” cantata by its choir and the Zion Spies Lutheran Church choir during the 10:30 a.m. worship service on Sunday. On Christmas Eve, the 7:30 p.m. service will include special music selections.
• St. John’s Gernant’s Church (A Federated Congregation), 13 Gernant’s Church Road, Ontelanuee Township, will worship Sunday at 9:30 a.m. in the Memorial Hall. It will be Jingle Sunday, with the collecting of loose coins to help those in need. Christmas Eve worship will start at 7 p.m. with music from the choir and brass ensemble. The service will start at 7:30.
• West Lawn United Methodist Church, 15 Woodside Ave., Spring Township, will offer five Christmas Eve worship services, beginning at 11 a.m. This first service, titled “Eye Spy Christmas,” is designed especially for children and families and will include numerous special effects such as a flying angel, artificial snow, glowing candles and a newborn baby representing Jesus. Worshipers will look for the real gifts of Christmas, such as hope, joy, love and peace, all while playing a game of eye spy with miniature magnifying glasses. The 3, 7 and 9 p.m. services will include music accompanied by a vocal or bell choir. The 5 p.m. service will feature the West Lawn UMC contemporary praise band.
• St. Peter’s United Church of Christ, 2901 Curtis Road, Spring Township, will hold a Blue Christmas service of healing and hope at 6 p.m. on Sunday. This is a gentle, contemplative service for those to honor and set down their pain or loss during this season of celebration and focus on the hope we find in Christ. Also, the Christmas Eve service will be held at 7 p.m. with special music starting at 6:30. Cookies and hot chocolate fellowship follow the service.
• St. John's Lutheran Church, 45 N. Reading Ave., Boyertown, will offer a free drive-through take-out meal today from 4:30-5:30 p.m., no registration required. There also will be a free Christmas meal on Wednesday from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Christ Lutheran Church, 222 Niantic Road, Douglass Township, Montgomery County, will have Coffee and Conversation on Sunday at 8:30 and 10 a.m. in the Welcome Center. Also on Sunday, the church will host a Christmas open house from 4-6 p.m. with tours and information about the church, crafts, activities for kids, Santa, cookies and hot chocolate and the singing of carols.
• Schwarzwald Lutheran Church, 250 Church Lane Road, Exeter Township, will hold a special outdoor Advent wreath lighting on Sunday at 5 p.m. in the church parking lot. There will be two services on Christmas Eve, with special music beginning at 2:15 p.m. for the 3 p.m. service and at 6:30 p.m. for the 7 p.m. service.
• Friedens United Church of Christ, 337 Main St., Oley, will celebrate Music Sunday during the 10:15 a.m. worship service on Sunday. The Vintage Brass Quintet will be providing music, and children will present a program entitled “A Christmas Surprise.” Guest Musician Bonnie Levan and the adult choir, under the direction of Teri Hoffman, will provide the music for choir anthems and solo performances.
• Calvary United Church of Christ, 640 Centre Ave., Reading, welcomes harpist Janet Witman to its 10:30 a.m. worship service on Sunday. The monthly Faith Forum will feature Laura Biancone, executive director of the LGBT Center of Greater Reading, at 9 a.m.
• The Rev. Dr. Steve Shussett will the guest pastor during the 9:30 a.m. worship service on Sunday at Salem Lutheran Church, 8410 Lancaster Ave., Bethel Township.
In order to have an event listed in the religion digest, it must be something that is not just a regular worship service. This includes things such as guest musicians or vocalists who are not members of the church choir; guest speakers; flea markets and other sales, meals, etc. Send information to life@readingnews.us.