HANUKKAH
Temple Shalom of Northwest Arkansas in Fayetteville, 699 N. Sang Ave., offers many items from Israel, including scarves, trivets and candles and gifts for children, in its Hanukkah gift shop. The shop is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Sunday or by appointment until Hanukkah, which begins at sundown Dec. 6.
Information: 582-1707, 973-2702, templeshalomnwa.org.
COMMUNITY
PERFORMANCES
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Bentonville stake, 1101 McCollum Drive, presents Nativity and Noel on Dec. 11-13, featuring a musical program, international Nativity and live outdoor Nativity display.
The international Nativity exhibit and live Nativity run from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 11-12 and 7 to 8 p.m. Dec. 13.
The 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11 concert features the Village Handbell Ringers, the Ozark Morman Chorale, the Washington Junior High Cantari Choir and the Bentonville High School Chamber Singers. The 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12 concert features the Bentonville High School Chamber Singers, Ozark Morman Chorale, the Fulbright Junior High Advanced Men’s Choir and the Ozark Adventist Academy. The concert Dec. 13 begins at 7 p.m., featuring the Ozark Mormon Chorale.
Information: 254-9755.
BENTON COUNTY
First United Methodist Church in Bella Vista, 20 Boyce Drive, offers an Advent study for all ages from 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. each Sunday through Dec. 20. The study is based on Sent by Jorge Acevedo, with appropriate materials for all ages.
The UMW’s quarterly luncheon will be at 11:45 a.m. Wednesday. The program will be Christmas music presented by the Bella Vista Women’s Chorus under the direction of Larry Zehring.
The Metfield Methodist shepherd group presents a Nativity walk and soup supper at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 7 in Becker Hall.
The UARKettes from the University of Arkansas will present a program of Christmas music at 7 p.m. Dec. 12 in the Sanctuary. The free concert will be followed by dessert.
The choir presents its Christmas cantata, Glory to God in the Highest, during the traditional worship services at 8 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Dec. 13.
The Longest Night, a service of hope and healing for those who grieve, will be from 6 to 7 p.m. Dec. 20 in the sanctuary.
The church offers Carols, Candles and Communion on Dec. 24. Midday at the manger is at noon. The Well praise band offers a contemporary program at 5 p.m. The chancel choir offers a more traditional Christmas Eve service at 7:30 p.m.
Information: 855-1158, lovelearnlead.com.
Grace Baptist Church in Rogers, 2409 W. New Hope Road, presents Guy Penrod in concert at 6 p.m. Sunday. Penrod sang with the Gaither Vocal Band for 14 years before he launched a solo career. His current release, Hymns, debuted at No. 1 on the Nielsen SoundScan Southern Gospel chart and became the top-selling Southern gospel album of 2012. He has performed in Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Sydney Opera House, the Georgia Dome, the Billy Graham Crusades and the White House.
Tickets are $15, general admission, $25, artist’s circle, and available from itickets.com or guypenrod.com.
Information: 636-5269, gbrogers.com.
Highland Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Bella Vista, 1500 Forest Hills Blvd., decorate the church for Christmas at 9 a.m. today.
Information: 855-2780, highlandchristianchurchbv.org.
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Rogers, 1101 W. Hudson Road, is celebrating the Advent season with special Advent services on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. The theme for this week is “The Man Who is God.” There will also be supper from 5:30-6:45 p.m. in the evenings. This weekend the Journeymen group is gathering for Advent by Bonfire on Saturday night and the women for Advent by Candlelight on Sunday night.
Information: 636-1135 or holytrin.org.
Village Bible Church in Bella Vista, 1591 Forest Hills Blvd., will open its Oasis Food Pantry from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday. This ministry is available to anyone who needs help with groceries. A potluck fellowship dinner will begin at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. The community is always welcome. The dinner is followed at 6:20 p.m. by singing, devotions and prayer.
Information: 876-5764, villagebibleefc.org.
The Presbyterian Players and Friends of Presbyterian Church of Bella Vista, 1880 Forest Hills Blvd.,will present Christmas Olio’s and The Christmas Guest drama at 2 p.m. Dec. 6 in the fellowship hall. Admission is free and reservations are not required. An offering will be taken to benefit Open Avenues in Rogers, a training program for adults with disabilities that provides employment education and life skills training.
Information: 855-2390, pcbv.org.
The Unitarian Universalists of Benton County have relocated to 1110 S.E. Evergreen St. (Little Einstein Montessori School) in Bentonville, near the southeast corner of 14th and J streets. The Sunday service, which begins at 11:00 a.m., is preceded by coffee and social time beginning at 10:30 a.m.
Sunday’s service will feature a potluck and the introduction of Chalica, a week-long celebration of the seven Unitarian Universalist Principles. The holiday first emerged in 2005 out of a wish to have a holiday organized around Unitarian Universalist values. Chalica begins on the first Monday in December and lasts seven days. Each day, a chalice is lit and the day is spent reflecting on the meaning of that day’s principle and doing a good deed that honors that principle.
Information: 553-8194, uubcar.com.
Bella Vista Community Church, 75 E. Lancashire Blvd., sponsors a Christmas English Tea today. Tickets for the 3 p.m. seating still are available. The entertainment by Charles and Company begins at 2 p.m.
The Christmas cantata Lead Me Back to Bethlehem by Pepper Chopin will be performed by the music department at 3 p.m. Dec. 13. The cantata will be followed by a reception.
Information: 855-1126, bvcommunitychurch.org.
Bella Vista Christian Church, 103 Riordan Road, sponsors the Caring Hearts Ministry in its annual holiday food drive, with donations supporting the Oasis and Shepherd’s food pantries in Bella Vista.
The Women’s Ministry will host a Mugs, Muffins ‘N Mittens on from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Dec. 12. Pam Stephens will be the guest speaker. All ladies are invited. Bring a mug and a favorite sweet treat to share. RSVP on the church website.
The Men’s Ministry will host a Christmas party with a catered dinner for men and women at the church at 6 p.m. Dec. 15. Cost is $10. Bring a white elephant gift for the exchange. Call the church office at 855-1616 to RSVP.
The church will hold three Christmas Eve Services on Dec. 24 — 3, 5 and 6:30 p.m. All will be highlighted by Christmas carols, a relevant message for the season and a lighting service.
The 3 p.m. service will be a sensory friendly/ specials needs service. It is open to everyone, but will be geared for families with children and adults with special needs, both developmental and physical, as well as sensory processing issues and autism. Lighting will be kept at a normal room level and the sound level will be kept lower than during typical services. Those in attendance will be free to move around as they need and speak or make noises. Santa Claus is going to stop by for a visit before the service starts.
A Christmas Day Dinner will be at noon Dec.
- Everyone is welcome. Please RSVP on the church website.
Information: 855-1616, bellavistachristian.com.
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Robinson Avenue Church of Christ in Springdale, 1506 W. Robinson Av., offers “Grace-Based Parenting,” a fiveweek Sunday morning class. The class is from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. starting Nov. 29. The content will teach how to create an atmosphere of grace in one’s home. The class is free. Babysitting for infants and classes for children will be provided. Call to register, 751-4887.
Information: 751-4887, racoc.net.
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Fayetteville, 2925 N. Old Missouri Road, presents “Dear White Christians: For Those Still Longing for Racial Reconciliation,” a lecture by Jennifer Harvey at 6 p.m. Dec. 12.
Harvey is a writer and associate professor of religion at Drake University. She is interested in how social structures shape who we are and how we can transform ourselves into people who create more just, compassionate social structures. She is particularly passionate about matters of racial justice and the problem of whiteness, as well as queer and LGBT life in contemporary religious contexts.
This public lecture is free and open to the public, thanks to a generous grant from the Alton Center Fund.
Information: 521-2113, gslcfayetteville.org.
REGION
Evangel Temple Assembly of God in Fort Smith, 1110 S. 12th St., will give all guests a free DVD of the film “Letters To God” this Sunday.
Information: 782-9121.
Unitarian Universalists Fellowship of Fayetteville, 901 Cleveland St., will presents its winter jazz concert at 7 p.m. Dec. 11. Tickets are $25 each and proceeds support community projects, such as a monthly lunch program in collaboration with Southern Hills Homeless Center and Central United Methodist Church of Fayetteville. Dessert and wine follows the concert.
Information: 521-8422
Compassion Fayetteville offers Conversation Matters sessions from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Fayetteville Senior Activity and Wellness Center, 945 S College Ave.
These conversations focus on race, including whiteness, and will be shaped by the personal, local, and immediate experiences of discussants/ participants. Conversation Matters evolved from Compassion Fayetteville’s sponsorship of the city of Fayetteville’s first celebration of Black History Month. This session is the last of this series.
For the next sessions, please take your choice of two formats:
• Format A — Open Discussion. Come prepared to talk, in an unstructured format, about race, including whiteness, as you have experienced this issue in your own life.
• Format B — Discussion based on video and interview. Please watch and listen to either or both of two offerings. One link, youtube.com/ watch?v=_zjj1PmJcRM, is to a 41-minute video called “White People.” The other is to a 7-minute NPR interview with writer Ta-Nehisi Coates. Go to npr.org and search for “Ta-Nehisi Coates Looks At The Physical Toll Of Being Black In America.” Please come prepared to talk about your response to either or both of these two offerings.
Information: (832) 567-4721, compfayetteville@gmail.com.
Send information about religious events to living@nwaonline.com. Deadline is noon Thursday for Saturday publication.