Catholic parishes to have annual Advent Prayer Service
An Advent Prayer Service with Bishop John M. LeVoir will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Church of St. Peter in Canby, and again at 7 p.m. at the Church of St. Raphael in Springfield. Participants are encouraged to bring the Baby Jesus figure from their home nativity set to be blessed by the bishop.
A "swaddling clothes" collection (blankets, sleepers, layette items, etc.) will be taken for donation to the Diocese of New Ulm's Mission Parish of San Lucas Toliman in Guatemala, as well Birthright or Human Services.
For further information contact the diocesan Office of Religious Education or Catholic Schools, 507-359-2966; cblickem@dnu.org.
Bethlehem presentation Sunday at St. Stephen
St. Stephen Lutheran Church in Marshall invites the public to attend "Born in Bethlehem: The Story of Redemption in the Holy Land" at 4 p.m. Sunday. The presenters are Travis and Brandy Gerjets, interim ministers currently serving at St. Stephen.
This presentation will offer reflections on the ongoing story of suffering and redemption in the Holy Land - a story that the Gerjetses experienced first-hand during their stay in the spring of 2009. The public is welcome.
Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols Sunday at St. James
The annual candlelight service, "A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols," will at 7 p.m. Sunday at St. James Episcopal Church, 101 N. Fifth St., Marshall. Daniel Rieppel will serve as choirmaster and organist for the service with Beth Steuck assisting at the organ.
The choir includes singers from St. James, members of the community and students from Southwest Minnesota State. Following the Candlelight Service, hot cider and Christmas cookies will be served by the Episcopal Church Women.
Since first introduced by King's College, Cambridge, England in 1918, the service begins with the singing of "Once in Royal David's City." It is one of the signature liturgies of any Anglican or Episcopalian parish and the only one offered in this part of the Diocese of Minnesota.
Traditionally the first verse is sung by a young person; this year the soloist will be 8-year-old chorister Anders Svenningsen. Emily Lodine, renowned mezzo-soprano and member of the award-winning Conspirare Ensemble in Austin, Texas, and member of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Luverne, will serve as soloist.