Advent and Christmas at Bethlehem Lutheran Church
Advent/Christmas 2025
This season marks the ending and beginning of the church year and during this time, we return to our foundation – GOD MATTERS. God’s love and faithfulness endure through all our endings and beginnings. Our weekly scripture readings ground us in the stories of God whose was, who is, and who is to come.
As we encounter the familiar characters of the story of Christ’s birth – Mary, Joseph, John the Baptist, the shepherds, the magi – we see facets of God that can help us see and understand God’s living presence in each of us and deepen our connection to our source of life.
Sunday worship with Communion each week
8:55am – Worship (in-person and livestream)
10:15am – Fellowship Enjoy a treat and conversation each Sunday after worship this Advent season. *Sign up on the Narthex kiosk if you’d like to bring cookies!
November 9 & 16 – Extended Advent begins
November 23 – Christ the King Lessons and Hymns
November 30 – Traditional Advent begins – Mary
December 7 – Joseph
December 14 – John the Baptist
December 21 – Christmas Story told by Youth – Shepards
Longest Night Service – Thursday, December 18, 7pm (in-person only)
This service makes space for difficult emotions like grief and anxiety during the holiday season. If you have lost a loved one, feel weighed down by worry, or if Christmas is a challenging season for you, this service is for you. Sanctuary opens at 6:30 pm for quiet reflection. Worship begins at 7:00 pm and includes prayer, communion, and candle lighting
Christmas Eve Worship – Wednesday, December 24
5:00pm (in-person only) – Note New Time. We celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, our Emmanuel, with carols, the Christmas story, Communion, and candle lighting! Arrive early to grab your seat and enjoy an extended musical prelude.
6:45pm – 7pm Silent Night at the Christmas Tree (in-person) – We gather on the corner of Church Street and Perrin to hear the story of Christ’s birth, light candles, and sing Silent Night! Dress for the weather! The entire community is welcome!
7:30pm (in-person and livestream) – We celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, our Emmanuel, with carols, the Christmas story, Sermon, Communion, and candle lighting! Arrive early to grab your seat and enjoy an extended musical prelude.
More Ways to Celebrate this Advent/Christmas Season!
Christmas Story told by Youth
Do you have a child in your life that would enjoy telling a part of the Christmas story? On Sunday, December 21, BLC’s youth will be telling the Christmas story in worship. Let Patty Chaffee (faithformation@blcfairport.org) know if you have a child in mind that might like to participate!
Make a joyful noise!
Would you like to add your voice (or instrument) to our Christmas Eve celebration? We are preparing special music at both 5:00pm and 7:30pm worship! If you’d like to participate, sign up at http://blcfairport.org/music-sign-up/ or contact Raelynn Clare, Music Director: raelynn.clare@blcfairport.org for more information!
Decorate our Church Home after worship!
Sunday, December 14 at 10:15am
Grab a cup of coffee then help hang the greens, put the Chrismon ornaments on the tree, set up the nativity and otherwise help us deck our halls. Contact Donna Berner if you’d like to participate.
Poinsettia Orders
Poinsettia Orders Forms are due on Sunday, December 7.
Visit https://blcfairport.org/poinsettia-sale/ to place your order for poinsettias and/or donate to our Christmas Alternate Giving option: ELCA World Hunger. Did you know one out of every 11 people — as many as 720 million — in our world are hungry? As members of the ELCA, we are called to respond. We are a church that rolls up our sleeves and gets to work. ELCA World Hunger is uniquely positioned to accompany communities in need because we work with congregations in the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as other partners and Lutheran churches overseas.
Angel Tree
Share God’s love by fulfilling a need from the Angel Tree! Look for the Angel Tree in the narthex at the beginning of December with angel tags listing the requested gift item. Take a tag (or several if you’d like), purchase the gift, wrap and affix the angel tag to the outside of the package, and bring it back to BLC. Please contact the church office if you would like a tag mailed to you.