Churches in Brief: December 11, 2025

The Chancel Choir of Clarksbury Church in Hardyville will present a cantata titled “God’s Promise of a Savior” during the Sunday morning worship service at 10:30 a.m. on Dec. 14. This will be the premiere performance of a script written by Patricia Hooper, a member of Clarksbury. Choral music by Joel Raney, Mark Hayes, Jill Gallina, Lloyd Larson, Bruce Greer, Pamela Martin, Patrick Liebergen and Larry Shackley will be included in the cantata. The telling of the story of the birth of Christ will come alive in the readings and the musical selections.

Ann Thomas and Becky Wilhite will play organ and piano, respectively. Also, Ouida Archinal will share a medley of Christmas music on her hammered dulcimer, and Simon Funk will play the flute.

All are welcome to come and celebrate the music of Christmas and join them for Christmas snacks immediately following the cantata.

For information, call 804-832-2003.

Christ Church Parish (Episcopal) wishes everyone a joyous Christmas season. Visit the Christ Church Parish Christmas Tree in the Urbanna Festival of Trees. Christ Church is proud to have been voted third place in the contest. The last Advent dinner will be on Wednesday, Dec. 17, at 5:30 p.m. in the Christ Church Fellowship Hall at 56 Christchurch Lane in Christchurch. All are invited to this informal gathering.

Join them for Christmas Eve service on Wednesday, Dec. 24. Caroling will begin at 4:30 p.m. followed by the Eucharist service at 5 p.m. The Christmas Day service on Thursday, Dec. 25, will be at noon.

On Jan. 11, 2026, Christ Church Parish will begin a special children’s program during the 10:30 a.m. service. “Godly Play” employs ideals of Montessori learning allowing children to wonder, play, and learn about God’s love. This program is perfect for children in pre-kindergarten to grade five. It will be held on the second Sunday of each month in the parish hall. Children will then join their parents for worship in the church.

Our regular services are offered every Sunday at 8 and 10:30 a.m.

Everyone is welcome!

For information, email pammcclelland46@gmail.com.

Christchurch School (CCS) will present the 46th annual Festival of Lessons and Carols on Sunday, Dec. 14, in St. Peter’s Chapel on the CCS campus, 49 Seahorse Lane, Christchurch. There will be two seatings – one at 4 p.m. and one at 6:15 p.m. The public is invited and there is no charge for admission.

The festival will include performances by Cantorion, faculty and alumni singers, musicians, readers, and the Faculty Children’s Choir.

For information, email jhomer@christchurchschool.org.

The Jewish Festival of Lights, observed this year from Dec. 14 to 22, will be celebrated on Sunday, Dec. 14, at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Rappahannock (UUFR) church, 366 James Wharf Road, White Stone.

“Please join us for the service at 10:30 a.m. led by Jeff Rosenfeld,” a  UUFR spokesman said. “He will tell the story of Hanukkah, explore Hanukkah’s relationship with Christianity and explain the meaning of the symbols, including the Menorah.”

The ceremony will highlight the lighting of the menorah and blessing over the candles by Eva Abel with her daughter, Eden Abel, and friends.

There will be communal music with Eva on the guitar, marking this season of joy and hospitality. All are welcome as they honor the values of religious freedom and resilience to oppression, inviting participants to reflect on light amid darkness within a warm, community setting.

For information, call 804-450-1031.

Zion Hill Baptist Church, 10256 Indian Road, Gloucester,  will have in-person worship service on Sunday, Dec. 14 at 11 a.m. The Rev. Desmond Smith of Emmaus Baptist Church, North, will preach and the Youth Choir will sing. In-person Sunday school will be offered at 9:45 a.m.

Bible study will be offered on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. via conference call. The conference call number is 978-990-5000 and the access code is 667896.

Christ Church Parish (Episcopal) welcomes all to its Sunday worship services at 8 and 10:30 a.m. Located at 56 Christ Church Lane in Christchurch, the vibrant congregation streams services live on Facebook. Visit christchurchmiddlesex.com for details.

The Advent season kicks off with Advent dinner on Wednesday, Dec. 17, at 5:30 p.m. in the Christ Church Fellowship Hall. This informal gathering is open to all.

“Save the date” for the annual Live Nativity on Friday, Dec. 12, from 5-7 p.m. Park your car, join the carol singing and enjoy hot cider and cookies. Earl the donkey returns, the Three Wise Men will greet visitors, and families can experience the song “No Room at the Inn.”

For information, email pammcclelland46@gmail.com.

Congregants at Lower United Methodist Church (LUMC) at 120 Lower Church Road, Hartfield, invite everyone to join them this Sunday at 10:30 a.m. for their traditional worship service in their historic sanctuary when they will observe the second Sunday of Advent.

Adult Sunday school is offered Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m. in the LUMC Fellowship Hall, preceded by Coffee Fellowship beginning at 9:15 a.m. LUMC’s women’s choral ensemble, Wellspring, meets Monday at 6 p.m.; and at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, their handbell choir, Embellish, will practice.

The community is invited to stop by LUMC Fellowship Hall Wednesdays from 7:30 to 9 a.m. for free coffeehouse drinks.

All are invited to a time of group prayer every Wednesday at 4 p.m.

For information, visit, lowerumc.org.

This month, Catholic Church of the Visitation’s (COV) Adult Bible Study Group is beginning a four-lesson study from Little Rock Scripture Study entitled, “Panorama of The New Testament.” This study is a follow up to COV’s recently completed “Panorama of the Old Testament” study. Some of the “Journey Through The Bible” notes that run each week in the COV bulletin have cited material from both Panorama studies. The group is planning to meet every other Wednesday morning after daily Mass for about an hour. 

The current schedule looks like this:

• Wednesday, Dec. 31, Lesson One — The Gospels of Matthew and Mark.
• Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, Lesson Two — The Writings of Luke and John.
• Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, Lesson Three — The Pauline Letters.
• Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, Lesson Four — Other New Testament Writings.

This study includes four sets of discussion questions with which to wrestle and summary videos participants can watch after their lesson discussions. Participants should get additional perspective on the entire New Testament, most of which they will have just read in  November and December.

If you are interested in joining this study, please drop an email to jaweidner1@verizon.net.

Catholic Church of the Visitation is located at 8462 General Puller Highway in Topping. For information, call 804-758-5160.

The Southside Rappahannock Baptist Association Concert Choir under the direction of Marcellus Dungee, and the Northern Neck Baptist Association Convention Choir under the direction of the Rev. Andrew Tribble, will present a Combined Christmas Concert on Saturday, Dec. 13. It will take place at Essex High School, 833 High School Circle, Tappahannock, at 3 p.m. The doors will open at 2 p.m. The concert is free to the public.

For information, email gimcgui@aol.com.

The Men of Grafton Baptist Church joyfully invite you to join them for a special evening of celebration, fellowship and song as they usher in the Christmas season together at their Christmas Holiday Celebration and Song Program. The celebration will be on Sunday, Dec. 14, at 3 p.m.

This gathering is more than just a concert — it’s a time for men of all ages and backgrounds to come together in unity, to praise and reflect on the true meaning of the season.

Whether you are a seasoned vocalist or simply love the sound of Christmas music, they invite you to come ready to sing, celebrate and connect with other men in the community.

Light refreshments will be served following the program, and they encourage you to bring a friend, neighbor or family members along.

For information, call Deacon Neil Wake at 804-347-4794 or email him at neilwake@hotmail.com.

A weekly Bible study will be offered at the Middlesex County Public Library’s Urbanna branch. All denominations are welcome. It will meet Mondays 10:15-11:15 a.m.

For information, call 804-815-1170.

Catholic Church of the Visitation (COV) in Topping recurring events include:

• 8:30 a.m. Sundays — New Worship Area Rosary (Cindy Jessee).
• 9:30-10:30 a.m. first Thursday of the month — Adoration (Cindy Jessee).
• 9:30 a.m. second Monday of the month — Visitation Singers (Carol McCormack).
• 5:15 p.m. third Wednesday of the month — Knights of Columbus meeting (Al Langer).
• 1 p.m. second and fourth Mondays of the month — Shawl Ministry (Sandi Delagrange).
• 9 a.m. first Friday of the month (other weeks 9:45 a.m. Thursdays) — COV Gals (Louise Petralia/Eileen O’Brien). 
• TBA second Thursday of the month — Liturgy Meeting (Noelle Harvey).

For information, email office@COVTopping.org.

No matter what the circumstances, grief is a painful, confusing process. A Grief Share group is a safe, welcoming place where people understand the difficult emotions of grief. At this 13-week support group program, you’ll discover what to expect in the days ahead and what’s “normal” in grief. Since there are no neat, orderly stages of grief, you’ll learn helpful ways of coping with grief, in all its unpredictability — and gain solid support each step of the way.

At each weekly meeting, you will view a video featuring respected counselors, pastors, and healthcare professionals on grief-related topics, plus you’ll hear relatable personal stories of grief. After that is a small-group discussion to allow people time to talk, share support, and personally apply what they learned on the video. Everyone will receive a book to take home filled with valuable exercises for navigating their personal grieving process.

Topics include how to manage grief-related emotions such as loneliness, anxiety, sadness, anger, and regret; how to cope with the changes in your life and relationships; and how to recognize what’s normal in grief and what to do if you feel stuck or hopeless.

Grief Share group par-ticipants have repeatedly shared that they feel comforted and encouraged by being in a place where people truly understand what they’re going through. And they feel a sense of relief when they’re given guidance and tips on how to deal with the daily challenges.

Your bereavement experience may be recent or not so recent. No matter how long it’s been, this is an opportunity to be around people who understand what you are feeling.

If you have experienced the death of a family member or friend, you are invited to attend. For more details, and to find and register for a group, visit griefshare.org.

Urbanna Baptist Church, 121 Watling St., Urbanna, hosts 6:30 p.m. grief support sessions every Tuesday through the fall.

Contact Nell Robinson at 804-758-2720 or nellubcsecretary22@gmail, if you have questions or concerns.

Make-A-Way Church, 100 Flats Road, Urbanna, is now starting its Sunday morning program with a 9 a.m. Sunday school gathering. Its worship service is at 10 a.m.

All are welcome to fellowship with them.

Apostle Dr. Jesse and Prophetess Edna Ransom are the pastors.

For information, email ransomedna7@gmail.com.

Want to come to church? You are always welcome at Church of Latter-day Saints, 51 Devils Bottom Road, Kilmarnock.

Reach out to the church’s missionaries at ComeUntoChrist.org/Jesus.

Come and find a community for you. For information, visit https://local.churchofjesuschrist.org/en/us/va/kilmarnock/51-devils-bottom-road or call 804-435-2408.

Have a blessed one!