BIBLE BAPTIST CHURCH

Pastor Steve Plodinec

35 Sugar Street (Route 302); 426-6484

E-mail, bbcct@IBM.net

Children’s Bible Hour and Adult Bible Groups, 9:30 am, Sunday; Worship, 10:45 am with nursery. Bible and Prayer Group, 7 am and 7 pm on Wednesday.

Calvary Independent Baptist Church

2 Side Cut Road (next to RR station), West Redding

Kenneth Brooks, Pastor

Special service of Christmas music Sunday evening, December 19, at 6 pm, with carols, hymns, readings. Regular services Sunday morning at 11 and Wednesday at 7. Nursery is provided.

CHRIST THE KING LUTHERAN CHURCH

Gregory Wismar, Pastor

Johanna Perry, Parish Worker for Youth and Education

85 Mt Pleasant Road at Tory Lane;

426-6300, 426-0651, FAX, 270-8178

The annual children’s Christmas program will be included as part of the worship service for the fourth Sunday in Advent at 10:30 am on Sunday. The featured choral anthem for the service is “Every Valley.” Sunday School and Bible classes will be held at 9 am. The children’s program also will be presented at the Lutheran Home in Southbury on Sunday at 2:30 pm. The Christmas services at the church will include the Christmas Eve candlelight service at 7:30 pm on Friday and the Christmas Day communion celebration on Saturday at 10 am.

CHRIST THE SAVIOR ORTHODOX MISSION

Middle Quarter Mall

706 Main Street South, Woodbury, CT 06798

Fr  Vladimir Aleandro, Priest; 263-0809

Gregory Curran, Youth Director

Christ the Savior is a pan-Orthodox, all English mission of the New England Diocese of the Orthodox Church in America. Sunday Divine Liturgy 9:30 am. Coffee hour and fellowship afterwards. Saturday Great Vespers, 5 pm.

CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS

Bishop Gary Hutchison

Saw Mill Road; 270-1455

Family History Center 426-1752

Full-time missionaries may be reached at 270-7087. Sunday Sacrament Meeting, 9 to 10 am; Sunday School and Primary School at 10:20 am; Priesthood, Relief Society and Young Women meeting, 11:10 am; Teenagers’ Activities on Wednesday, 7-8:30 pm. The women’s organization also sponsors monthly classes on a variety of topics dealing with the family and homemaking, second Tuesday of each month at 7 pm.

COMMUNITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Meeting in The Old Meeting House

Main Street (at the flagpole)

Rev William Kessler, Pastor

Sunday School, 9:45 am; Worship Service, 11 am; Evening Service, 6 pm; Home Bible Studies and Women’s Bible Study are held in members’ homes. For information about time and location, please call Rev Kessler at 270-3730. For further information, call Chris Crandall at 426-9569.

CONNECTICUT KOREAN UNITED CHURCH

35 Sugar Street, (Route 302); 426-8610

Rev Jun-Soo Han, Pastor

Sunday Worship Service, 2 pm. Wednesday, Praise, Bible, and Prayer Time, 8:30 pm. Saturday Neighborhood Bible Study, 8 pm.

FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST, SOUTHBURY

27 Roxbury Road (corner of Rts. 6 & 67)

Southbury, CT; 262-1944

Sunday Services 11am to noon. All are welcome to hear the worldwide weekly Christian Science Bible Lesson with readings from the Bible and correlative passages from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. Join in singing hymns, silent prayer and the Lord’s Prayer. All children up to age 20 are welcome to attend the Christian Science Sunday School, 11 am to noon. New pupils are asked to come a few minutes early. Child care is provided for children too young to attend Sunday School. Wednesday evening Testimony Meeting, 7:30-8:30 pm. Everyone is invited to listen to passages selected from the Bible and Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures on a timely subject, sing hymns and listen to the congregation testify to the healing effects of prayer in their daily lives, as well as give remarks on Christian Science.

GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH

466 Elm Street, Monroe, CT; 268-7596

Julia Haspel-Schoenfeld, Pastor

On Sunday, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church will have worship services with Holy Communion at 8:00 am and 10:30 am. The Sunday Church School will meet at 9:15 am.

 

GRACE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP

174 Mt Pleasant Road, Newtown; 270-1005

The Rev Barry Fredericks, Pastor

The Rev Sheila Fredericks, Associate Pastor

Christopher Caton, Administrator

Adam Fredericks, Children & Youth Pastor

Sunday worship 8 am & 10 am; Children’s Church and Nursery at all services. Wednesday worship 7:30 pm. Ladies Fellowship and Bible Study third Saturday of the month 10:00 am at the church. Men’s Fellowship, first Saturday, 8 am breakfast at the church; Care Group second Sunday.

HOLY TRINITY ORTHODOX CHURCH

Eighth and Roberts Avenues, Danbury; 748-0671

Fr Luke Mihaly, Priest

Robert Hubiak, Youth Director

Susan Paltauf,  Choir Director

Sunday Divine Liturgy, 10 am. Coffee hour follows. Church School every Thursday at 6:30 pm Perogie cooking sessions Tuesday, 9 am to noon. We are a New Calendar, English services parish. Guests and visitors always welcome.

MATTATUCK UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY

122 South Pomperaug Avenue, Woodbury

Rev. Bonnie Vegiard

266-4810

service Sunday,at 10:30 am.  The service will take place in the Society’s meetinghouse, 122 South Pomperaug Ave in Woodbury. Religious Education and childcare are available during the service. Visitors are welcome.

Newtown Baptist Church

102 Church Hill Road, Sandy Hook

Pastor Allen Johnson; 426-3819

The Newtown Baptist Church is a local church with a worldwide vision for reaching souls with the Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ. We are a warm and friendly church with a ministering heart. Our goal is to help meet the spiritual needs of the individual, the family, as well as our community. Sunday School - 10 am, Sunday Morning Service 11 am, Sunday Children’s Church 11 am, Sunday Evening Service 6 pm, Wednesday Prayer Meeting 7 pm. (Nursery is provided for all of our services.)

NEWTOWN CHRISTIAN CHURCH

210 Sugar Street, Newtown; 426-6189

Jack Tanner, Minister

Alan Richardson, Youth Minister

For the December 19 service, Jack Tanner will be preaching at the 11 am worship service. Bill and Cyndi Hemby will present a Christmas skit entitled “The Real Meaning of Christmas.” The public is invited to join the church for Christmas caroling at 6 pm. Bible School, 9:45 am; Worship service, 11 am, a nursery is provided; mid-week Prayer at 7 pm Wednesday; mid-week Bible Study 8 pm Wednesday; Youth meetings for middle school and high school age on Mondays at 7 pm. Women’s Fellowship. The church hosts a number of youth activities, including National Youth Week in January, Vacation Bible School in July and August, special outings for junior high and senior high students, and a Christmas workshop during December. The congregation is locally autonomous. For more information, call the church office at 426-6189.

NEWTOWN CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

The Rev Steven Gordon, Senior Minister

The Rev Janice Touloukian, Associate Minister

The Rev Alastair Sellars, Pastor Emeritus

Edwin Corfey, Commissioned Lay Minister

Church at 14 West Street

 Office at 41A Main Street; 426-9024

The Rev Steven Gordon, senior minister, will be preaching Sunday morning at the 10 o’clock worship service. The Rev Janice Touloukian, associate minister, will be assisting. “Now Sing We All Noel” will be the anthem by the Senior Choir with soloists Carol Benson, Gene Marks, David Evans, and Doreen Marcucilli. Choir Director Mary Andreotta and Sharon Goodkowsky will sing “He Shall Feed His Flock” during the offering. Leonard Manz will be at the organ. The children of the Church School will meet at the regular time, 9:45 until 11:15 am at the church house at 41-A Main Street to rehearse for the Christmas pageant. Revs Gordon and Touloukian will be leading an Advent Bible study, “The Bible and Handel’s Messiah” after the worship service at 11:30 am.

NEWTOWN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

The Rev Terry W. Pfeiffer, pastor

Rev E Sue Klein, deacon

92 Church Hill Road; 426-9998

Newtown United Methodist Church will hold Worship Service each Sunday at 8 am. Adult Church School Classes are at 8:45 am followed by Family Worship with Church School at 10 am.

STEPNEY BAPTIST CHURCH

423 Main Street, Monroe; 268-9680

Rev Dr George W. Britt, Pastor

David Edwards, Youth Director

Sunday School for all ages (birth-adult) 9 am; Fellowship time 10 am; Worship Service, 10:30 am, childcare available. Youth Group (grade 7-12) meets Wednesday evening 6:30-8:30. For more information, contact the church office at 268-9680.

ST JOHN’S EPISCOPAL

The Rev William Padgett, Priest

Kim Keenan and F. David Minor, Co-Wardens

(St. John’s continued)

Washington Ave (PO Box 716) Sandy Hook; 426-9938

Sunday, Holy Eucharist and Sermon, 9:30 am; Church school for  children, 9:30 am. Child care provided. Annual events include Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper. St John’s is the home of FAITH’s food pantry, an ecumenical ministry which distributes to those in need on an emergency basis. Hours are Tuesday, 10 am to noon, and Thursday, 6 to 7:30 pm. St John’s is presently housing the Backdoor Cafe, sponsored by Newtown’s public schools.

ST PETER AND PAUL ORTHODOX CHURCH, OCA

A mission parish of the Orthodox Church of America

93 Dodingtown Rd, Bethel, CT

Vespers, Sat. at 6:00 pm; Divine Liturgy, Sunday 10:00 am. Prayer ministry on Wednesdays at 7:30 pm with class following. Calls us at 203/791-9994 or visit www.oca.org for directions. Services in English, All are welcome!

ST ROSE OF LIMA CHURCH

The Rev Robert E. Weiss, Pastor

The Rev Lawrence A. Larson, Parochial Vicar

The Rev Peter J. Towsley, Parochial Vicar

Deacons are Kenneth Stroud, Thomas F. Curran

46 Church Hill Road; 426-1014

Daily Masses, 6:45 and 9 am; Saturday, 8 am and 5 pm; Confessions are Saturday from 4-5 pm, or by appointment; Sunday Masses are 7:30, 9, 10:30 am and noon; pre-baptismal instruction on first Sunday at 1:30 pm (register with the parish secretary); legal holiday Mass, 8 am only; Holy Day Vigil, 7:30 pm; Holy Day Masses, 6:45 and 9 am, 5:30 and 7:30 pm. Director of Religious Education, Alice Kohler; Organist and Choir Director, Delores Gerety. Parish Advisory Council Chairman, Stan Karpacz; Women’s Club President, Debra Sennefelder. Annual events include a parish carnival, a Christmas fair and parish dances. Christmas Mass Schedule: Friday, December 24: 4 pm Masses in the church, church hall, and Newtown High School (Family Mass), also 11 pm in the church (preceded by a concert at 10:30 pm). Saturday, December 25: 7:30 am, 9 am, 10:30 am, noon (there is no 5 pm Mass). Sunday, December 26: regular Sunday Schedule. Confessions: Saturday, December 18, 3-5 pm; Penance Service, Tuesday, December 21, 7:30 pm.

TRINITY CHURCH

The Rev Kathleen E. Adams-Shepherd, Rector

The Rev Kurt J. Huber, Assistant to the Rector

36 Main Street; 426-9070

Holy Eucharist, Sunday at 8 and 9:45 am; Morning Prayer, Tuesday, 9:30 am; Wednesday, Holy Eucharist and Healing, 7:15 pm; Wednesday, Bible Study, noon; Girls Choir, Tuesday, 5 pm; Boys Choir, Thursday, 5 pm; Primary Choir (call church for day and time); Adult Choir, Thursday, 7:30 pm. Administrative Assistant, Patricia G. Ehlers; Organist/ Choirmaster, Maria Coffin; Parish Secretary, Margaret Cassin; Sexton, Jack Qubick; Church School Director, Carol Zimmerman. Wardens, Paul Parvis and Anne McWhirter; Treasurer, Ellsworth Stringer; Clerk, Patricia Patrick; Altar Guild Co-Director, Sallie Meffert and Peg Watson. Friday, December 24, Christmas Eve, carol singing led by Boys’ and Girls’ Choirs, 4:45 pm; 5 pm service with Holy Eucharist for those whom the 10:30 service may be too late. It will include a children’s moment instead of an adult sermon and festive music with the Boys’ and Girls’ Choirs. It will be shorter as well. A candlelight procession with Vivaldi’s Gloria, soloists, chamber music and organ will be held at 10:30 pm, followed at 11 pm with Festival Holy Eucharist with choir (incense will be used at this service). Christmas Day service, Saturday, December 25, will be at 11:30 am, Holy Eucharist, with music.

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY

of Northern Fairfield County

Rev Dr Daniel Simer O’Connell, Minister

Karen Judd, Director of Religious Education

9 Picketts Ridge Road, West Redding 06896

438-4281 (main office) or

 438-2534 (minister’s study)

The Unitarian Universalist Society of Northern Fairfield County has two Sunday Services at 9 and 11 am. Religious Education and childcare are available during both services. Two special intergenerational Christmas Eve services will be held at 5:30 and 7 pm on Friday, December 24. Our minister, Rev Dr Daniel O’Connell, and our DRE, Karen Judd, will lead a cast of dozens, with plenty of singing, good music, candles and reflections. Childcare for young children will be available during both services.

VALLEY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCUSA)

21 West Whisconier Road, Brookfield; 775-2624

The Rev Royal Garren

A six-week series of one-hour adult study classes on “Basic Christianity” began on Sunday, November 14. A small-group setting will be used to explore basic issues surrounding the Christian faith. The discussion group will be held at Valley Presbyterian Church and will start after the 9:30 am worship service. The discussion group is open to the public. Coffee, snacks, and childcare will be provided. For more information call the church office or Rev Royal Garren. Christmas Eve will be celebrated at 8 pm with a service of lessons and carols. Violinist Bonnie Aher and organist Jean Wurster will play music by Telemann. The Adult Bell Ringers and flutist Kate Yackel will play “Away in a Manger.” The Sanctuary Choir directed by Sue Yackel will sing “A Cannon for Three Choirs” by Mozart. “Rejoice O Virgin” by Rachmaninoff, and three carols, “Sussex Carol,” “O Holy Night” and “Gloria in Excelsis.” Sue and Kate Yackel will sing “Tiny Baby, Little One” during the lighting of the candles.

Area Synagogues

B’NAI ISRAEL

122 South Pomperaug Ave

Woodbury, CT; 263-3213

Friday services at 7:30 pm.

CONGREGATION ADATH ISRAEL

Rabbi Moshe Betan

PO Box 623, Huntingtown Road

426-5188 or 426-6817

Friday Night Services, 8 pm, except the first Friday of the month, at 7:30 pm, which is a family service; Saturday services on the second and fourth Saturday of the month, 9:30 am; Hebrew School, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 4:15 pm; Sunday School at 8-10 am and 9:45 am-noon. President, Dr Henry Danziger, 270-9827. The sisterhood is made up of ladies of the synagogue. President, Susan Morse, 426-5197. Traditional events include a Purim Carnival, Community Seder, Progressive Dinner, Corn Party and Community Break-the-fast.

CONGREGATION B’NAI ISRAEL

“Danbury’s Only Conservative Congregation”

193 Clapboard Ridge Road, Danbury; 792-6161

Rabbi Vivian S. Mayer

Laura Duvall, President

Congregation B’nai Israel services holds services every Saturday morning at 9:30 am. All are welcome. On Friday, December 18, Vayigash: Joseph reveals himself to his brothers and reunites with his father.

UNITED JEWISH CENTER SYNAGOGUE

141 Deer Hill Avenue, Danbury; 748-3355

Rabbi Bradd Boxman

Reform Services Friday 8 pm. Family Service, 3rd Friday of each month at 7:30 pm. Saturdays during the school year at 11:15 am. Traditional services, Saturday 8:45 am.