Holiday sale at South Park UMC

South Park United Methodist Church, 2802 S. 19th St., will host a holiday sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today. The sale will offer Christmas gifts and decorations, as well as a bake sale and hot dogs.

Events at First Presbyterian

First Presbyterian Church, 301 N. Seventh St., will celebrate communion during its worship service at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 6, the second Sunday of Advent. For the remainder of Advent, the Sunday adult Bible study will begin a series called "The Core Stories of the New Testament." This class meets at 9:15 a.m. in the chapel.

First Presbyterian also will offer Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on 13 consecutive Sundays beginning Jan. 3. FPU is an approach to getting out of debt, building wealth and living generously. If you have gone through FPU before, you can come and take a refresher course for free. If you haven't gone through FPU, the cost will be $65 for the first 20 families that sign up. (You must sign up through the church to get this discount - the cost if you sign up on the Dave Ramsey Web site is $119.)

Child care will be provided. Previews of the class will be offered at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9, and 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13, in the church's fellowship hall. The deadline to sign up is Dec. 20. For more information, call 232-3358.

News from Zion

Zion United Church of Christ, Ninth and Faraon streets, will open its 10:30 a.m. worship service Dec. 6 with the lighting of its second Advent candle. "O Come, Emmanuel" by Joel Raney will be the choral/bell enhancement for the lighting. The service will also include the sacrament of holy communion.

On Dec. 20, a Christmas ham dinner will be served by the Agape Fellowship after the worship service. The free-will offering collected will go to two denominational programs: the Christmas Fund for Retired Ministers and Widows and New Church Starts. The Rev. Bev Grienke will serve as guest pastor this Sunday and on Dec. 27.

Zion's bell choir will begin ringing at 10:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve for the Service of Lessons and Carols.

The Dec. 27 service will include recognition of people who have died in 2009. Historically, this service is called "Totenfest."

Everyone interested is invited to these services and activities. For more information, call the church office at 232-7009.

Advent service at Community Presbyterian

Community Presbyterian Church, 5409 St. Joseph Ave., will hold its Advent worship service at 11 a.m. Dec. 6. The lector will be Jo Rosmolen, and the Advent candle readers will be Jo and Bastian Rosmolen. The sermon is entitled "Genealogy of Christ" and will be given by the Rev. Bill Bridgewater. Everyone is welcome.

Holiday homes tour

St. Francis Xavier Church will present "A Journey to Bethlehem: Holiday Homes Tour" from 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 6 at the homes of local families/parishioners. The event will showcase various nativity scenes and holiday decor. Prior to the event, tickets are available for $10 at Garden Gate, Katherine's, Barbosa's, Jamie's Secret Garden, Blessings, Country Boutique and the school office. Tickets will also be available at the homes the day of the event.

Holiday open house

Cosby Faith Church, located on Main Street in Cosby, Mo., will host a Christmas in the Country holiday open house from 1 to 6 p.m. Dec. 6. There will be handcrafted items, including jewelry and candles, as well as refreshments and door prizes. For more information, contact Paula Veraguth at (816) 378-2921.

Concert for advocacy center

Clair United Methodist Church, 2 S.E. 68th Road, will host "A Christmas Concert" at 2 p.m. Dec. 6, with all proceeds going to The Northwest Missouri Children's Advocacy Center. There will be performances by vocalists Jill Swann and Kenton Kinney, pianist and vocalist Maryann Skiles, flautist Anne Kiske, percussionist Phillip Butler, vocalist Cheryl Wood (with dramatic readings by her students) and organist/pianist Rebeccah Jones.

Admission is $5 for adults and free for children under age 12. For tickets or more information, call 232-1744 or go to www.nwmocac.org.

'This is the Stable'

The children of Green Valley Baptist Church, 3110 Cook Road, invite the public to "This is the Stable," a colorful and fun presentation of the story of Jesus' birth, at 7 p.m. Dec. 7.

'A Night in Bethlehem'

Faith United Church, 3025 Karnes Road, will celebrate its Family Unity Night on Dec. 9 with a special event. Families are invited to attend "A Night In Bethlehem" from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., traveling back to ancient Bethlehem to taste, see and smell what daily life was like when Jesus was born. Come for a meal, then take your family through the streets of Bethlehem and visit marketplace shops, including a scribe shop, a carpentry shop, a leather shop and a bakery.

There will be crafts for children, including making a nativity bracelet, a wooden ornament and a Christmas cross and decorating cookies. There will also be a photo shop where families can dress in costume and have their picture taken with a Bethlehem background. Cost will be by donation. Please RSVP to 232-5679 by 2 p.m. Dec. 7.

Christmas program at LDS church

The Relief Society Organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, No. 7 N. Carriage Drive, invites the public to its annual women's Christmas program at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 10. Come for a program, singing, refreshment and to celebrate Christ's birth. For more information, call (660) 442-5235.

'The Christmas Post'

The students of South Park Christian Academy will present "The Christmas Post," a dramatic musical, at 7 p.m. Dec. 11 and 12 at South Park Assembly of God, 4405 S. 22nd St. The drama is set after World War II and is directed by Rachel Riley, a senior at South Park. Seating is limited. Tickets are $5 and may be obtained by calling 244-6216.

Christmas Tableau at Wyatt Park Christian

For the 19th year, Wyatt Park Christian Church will offer its Christmas Tableau, a 10-scene drive-thru living nativity. This year's Tableau will be on display from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 11 and 12. It is free. Please enter from the intersection of 27th and Penn streets. Brochures will be provided that describe each scene and the biblical passage each scene depicts.

Family Christmas concert

Greater Jesus Tabernacle, 28th and Mitchell streets, invites the public to a Foster family Christmas concert at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 13. Performances will be given by the Foster & Stone Family Singers, the Alford Music Youth Ensemble, Cozetta Foster, Cynthia McCallon, Kimberly Warren, Angela Alford and Jimmy and Roberta Foster, as well as Sons of Thunder, Vision of Praise and Inspirational Angels. There will also be classical piano selections by James Foster, a special opera selection by R. Robert Warren Jr. and a praise dance by All About Praise.

A free-will offering will be taken to benefit Happy Hearts Day Care Center and to provide support for underprivileged families. For more information, contact Marty at 390-6731 or 646-9211.

Union Star Christmas service

First Baptist Church of Union Star, Mo., will host a community Christmas service at 6 p.m. Dec. 13. The program will include the Union Star High School choir directed by Dennis Altschul, the Garlock family, Pleasant Hill youth, a cowboy reading by Woody Funderburg, a local ladies' quartet and other participants. There will be a time of fellowship and food following the candle lighting. Everyone is invited.

Hope Fellowship offers 'Day of Blessings'

Hope Fellowship Church, 2921 N. Belt Highway, will provide a Community Day of Blessings from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 19. The church will give away food, toys, household items, gently used clothing and much more to those in need. If you have items that you would like to donate, please call 279-8829 or 646-7665. Those in need are welcome.

Lifestyles reporter Erin Wisdom can be reached at religion@npgco.com.