Photo courtesy of Valleydale Church.
Valleydale Church holds its Christmas Eve candlelight service in 2015.
Churches in the Hoover area have a multitude of events planned to celebrate Christmas this year.
Some start in late November, but they’re spread all through December. As usual, there are a lot of Christmas Eve services scheduled. But with Christmas falling on a Sunday this year, many churches are holding Christmas Day services as well, though some are abbreviated or different than the usual format.
Events include:
CHRISTMAS EVENTS
► Bluff Park Baptist, 2211 McGwier Drive: Nov. 27, 5 p.m., Hanging of the Green; Dec. 10, 5-7:30 p.m., Lights on the Bluff (live nativity, singing, hayrides to look at lights, free food, making Christmas ornaments).
► Bluff Park Community, 2269 Chapel Road: Dec. 18, 5 p.m., Carols by Candlelight.
► Bluff Park United Methodist, 733 Valley St.: Every Thursday Dec. 1-22, 7:30 a.m., Advent prayer with communion; Dec. 4, 8:45 and 11 a.m., Lessons and Carols; Dec. 11, 6:30 p.m. Christmas of the Bluff music and dance presentation.
► Briarwood Presbyterian, 2200 Briarwood Way: Dec. 7-9, 6:45-8:45 p.m., Walk Through Nativity (14 scenes depicting birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus); Dec. 10-11, 7 p.m. on Dec. 10 in Spanish and 6 p.m. on Dec. 11 in English, Briarwood Ballet presents “Light Eternal,” a concert of dance; Dec. 18, 6 p.m., Briarwood Christmas Festival: How Great Our Joy, featuring the Briarwood adult choir and orchestra.
► Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian, 2269 Chapel Road: Dec. 11, 10:30 a.m., Christmas music program.
► Christian Life Church, 2490 Valleydale Road: Dec. 18, 9 and 11 a.m., Christmas Worship Experience.
►Discovery United Methodist Church, 5487 Stadium Trace Parkway, Dec. 18, 6 p.m., Blue Christmas service for people who find the season to be a sad time of year
► Green Valley Baptist, 1815 Patton Chapel Road: Dec. 7, 6:30 p.m., Christmas Jazz Café (jazz band, hors d’oeuvres and desserts) for adults and Christmas parties for kids and youth; Dec. 14, 6:30 p.m., Christmas Family Night (Christmas songs, Christmas story for kids, cookies and cocoa afterward).
► Hoover First United Methodist, 1934 Patton Chapel Road: Dec. 11, 4 p.m. Day School Christmas program; Dec. 18, 10 a.m., Lessons and Carols program.
► Hunter Street Baptist, 2600 John Hawkins Parkway: Dec. 7, 6:30 p.m. in the chapel, Joyful Singers senior citizen choir Christmas concert; Dec. 11 6 p.m., Christmas by Candlelight; Dec. 18, 8, 9:30 and 11 a.m., Christmas worship service.
► Lakeside Baptist, 2865 Old Rocky Ridge Road: Dec. 4, 5 p.m., multi-generational Christmas music program; Dec. 11, 5 p.m. “The Arrival” adult Christmas program; Dec. 18, 5 p.m., Songs and Carols of Christmas.
► Metropolitan Church of God, 2800 Metropolitan Way: Dec. 4, 10 a.m., children’s Christmas musical; Dec. 11, 10 a.m., adult Christmas musical; Dec. 4, 11 and 18, 9:30 a.m.-noon, live Nativity.
► Oakmont Presbyterian Church, 1817 Patton Chapel Road: Dec. 4, 3-5 p.m., Advent Fair (crafts, food and music); Dec. 11, 11 a.m. “Night of the Father’s Love” cantata by choir and orchestra.
► Prince of Peace Catholic Church, 4600 Preserve Parkway: Dec. 22, 6:30 p.m. prayer concert with music and meditative readings.
► Riverchase Baptist, 2020 Crossvine Road: Dec. 11, 6 p.m., Christmas cantata; Dec. 18, 6 and 7 p.m., living Nativity.
► Riverchase United Methodist, 1953 Old Montgomery Highway: Dec. 11, 9:45 and 11 a.m., “Unto Us a Child Is Born” presentation by sanctuary choir and Alabama Symphony Orchestra.
► Shades Crest Baptist, 452 Park Ave.: Dec. 10-11, 6 p.m. on Dec. 10, 3 p.m. on Dec. 11, “The Journey for Finding Peace” Christmas musical; Dec. 18, 6, 7 and 8 p.m. live Nativity.
► Shades Mountain Baptist, 2017 Columbiana Road: Dec. 4, 2 and 6 p.m., “Thy Perfect Light” Christmas by Candlelight program; Dec. 18, 6 p.m., family Lord’s Supper.
► St. Peter the Apostle Catholic, 2061 Patton Chapel Road: Dec. 11, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Come to the Stable Nativity display.
► The Episcopal Church of the Holy Apostles, 424 Emery Drive: Nov. 30-Dec. 21, Wednesday night Advent series “The Incarnation and the Apocalypse,” dinner at 5:30 p.m.; program at 6 p.m. each of those Wednesday nights.
► Valleydale Church, 2324 Valleydale Road: Dec. 4, 10:45 a.m. Advent Worship Service; Dec. 9, 7 p.m., Andrew Peterson’s “Behold the Lamb of God” concert, Tickets $20 at valleydale.org.
CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY:
► Bluff Park Baptist, 2211 McGwier Drive: candlelight communion service at 5 p.m. Christmas Eve; 10 a.m. service Christmas Day.
► Bluff Park Community, 2269 Chapel Road: service at 5 p.m. on Christmas Day.
► Bluff Park United Methodist, 733 Valley St.: candlelight service at 4 and 6 p.m.; service at 11 a.m.
► Briarwood Presbyterian, 2200 Briarwood Way: family candlelight services at 5 and 7 p.m. and candlelight communion service at 11 p.m. on Christmas Eve; 10:30 a.m. service on Christmas Day.
► Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian, 2269 Chapel Road: candlelight communion service at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve; service at 10:30 a.m. on Christmas Day.
► Christ the King Lutheran Church, 611 Riverchase Parkway West: candlelight communion services at 4:30 (children’s emphasis), 7 (youth and contemporary music) and 10 p.m. (adult and traditional music) on Christmas Eve; pajama service at 9 a.m. Christmas Day.
► Christian Life Church, 2490 Valleydale Road: service at 10 a.m. Christmas Day.
► Cross Creek Church, 4990 Ross Bridge Parkway: 5 p.m. service on Christmas Eve.
► Discovery United Methodist Church, 5487 Stadium Trace Parkway: 5 p.m. candlelight communion service on Christmas Eve.
► First Baptist Church of Hoover, 2025 Patton Chapel Road: communion service at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve; service at 10:30 a.m. on Christmas Day.
► Green Valley Baptist, 1815 Patton Chapel Road: candlelight services at 3 and 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
► Hoover First United Methodist, 1934 Patton Chapel Road: communion service at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve; service at 10 a.m. on Christmas Day.
► Hunter Street Baptist Church, 2600 John Hawkins Parkway: music and communion service at 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve and 10 a.m. on Christmas Day.
► Lakeside Baptist, 2865 Old Rocky Ridge Road: candlelight service at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve; service at 10 a.m. on Christmas Day.
► Metropolitan Church of God, 2800 Metropolitan Way: candlelight communion service at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve; candlelight communion service at 10 a.m. on Christmas Day.
► Oakmont Presbyterian Church, 1817 Patton Chapel Road: candlelight communion service at 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve; Christmas carols service at 11 a.m. on Christmas Day.
► Prince of Peace Catholic Church, 4600 Preserve Parkway: English mass at 4, 6 and 8 p.m. and Spanish mass at 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve; English mass at 9 a.m. and Spanish mass at 1:30 p.m. on Christmas Day.
► Riverchase Baptist, 2020 Crossvine Road: communion service at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve; worship service at 10:30 a.m.
► Riverchase Church of Christ, 1868 Montgomery Highway: services at 8 and 10:30 a.m. on Christmas Day.
► Riverchase United Methodist, 1953 Old Montgomery Highway: traditional candlelight communion services at 3, 5, 7 and 11 p.m. and contemporary candlelight communion service at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve; service at 10 a.m. on Christmas Day.
► Shades Crest Baptist, 452 Park Ave.: candlelight communion service at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve; worship service at 10:30 a.m. on Christmas Day.
► Shades Mountain Baptist, 2017 Columbiana Road: candlelight service at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve; worship service at 10 a.m. on Christmas Day.
► Shades Mountain Independent Church, 2281 Old Tyler Road: candlelight service at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve; service at 10:30 a.m. on Christmas Day.
► St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church, 2061 Patton Chapel Road: mass at 4 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m. (Spanish) and midnight on Christmas Eve; mass at 9 a.m. on Christmas Day; carols begin 30 minutes before each mass.
► The Church at Ross Bridge (Ross Bridge Welcome Center), 2101 Grand Ave.: service at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
► The Episcopal Church of the Holy Apostles, 424 Emery Drive: children’s service with communion at 4 p.m., music at 7 p.m. and festival Eucharist at 7:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve; communion service at 10:30 a.m. on Christmas Day.
► Valleydale Church, 2324 Valleydale Road: family candlelight service at 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve; family worship service at 10:45 a.m. on Christmas Day.