Churches in Avon will hold the following services to celebrate Christmas:
Valley Community Baptist Church - 590 West Avon Rd.
Child care for children 2 and under is available at the 2:30 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. services on Christmas Eve. The whole family is welcome. Overflow parking is available at the Avon Senior Center, down the road.
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Christmas Eve:
- 2:30 p.m.: Family Friendly Service
- 4 p.m.: Family Service with Children's Choir
- 6 p.m.: Contemporary-style Service
- 8 p.m.: Blended-style Service
Christmas Day
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- No Services
St. Matthew Lutheran Church - 224 Lovely St.
St. Matthew's welcomes a new associate pastor, Dan Hille, who grew up in Wilmington, NC, and went to college in the Midwest. The Farmington Valley is a bit different to Hille, who said he relies a lot on his GPS. He now has to settle in at St. Matthew and orient himself in Connecticut as well.
"It has been fantastic," he said. "Growing up in the south you hear very disparaging things about people from the Northeast, but these are really solid people."
A profile on Hille will run next week on Patch.
Christmas Eve:
- 5:30 p.m.: Family Christmas Worship
- 7:30 p.m.: Vespers with Candles
- 10:30 p.m.: Candles and Carols with Holy Comminion
Christmas Day
- No Services
Church of Saint Ann - 289 Arch Rd.
With renovation complete, the Church of Saint Ann is now able to offer more regular Masses with a larger capacity.
The renovations include a 2,600-square-foot addition to the main section of the church, an expanded choir level, a choir rehearsal room and two confessional areas, among other changes. The sanctuary was fitted with new stained-glass windows, as well as a new altar, baptismal font and pulpit. Marble for the renovations and new statues was imported from towns in Northern Italy.
Christmas Eve:
- Masses at 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Christmas Day:
- Masses at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.
West Avon Congregational Church - 280 Country Club Rd.
A Live Animal Service at 6 p.m. welcomes families with children of all ages to celebrate the birth of Jesus. In this interactive holiday tradition, live animals will be paraded into the sanctuary in an indoor manger scene giving children a better understanding of the night of Jesus' birth.
Christmas Eve:
- 4pm and 6 p.m.: Live Animal Service
- 10 p.m.: Candlelight Service
Christmas Day:
- No Services
Avon Congregational Church - 6 West Main St.
You simply cannot drive through the intersection of routes 44 and 10 without noticing the historic white steeple extended toward the sky. The 5 p.m. service will offer contemporary Christian intergenerational music, featuring songs from the Christian rock band The Casting Crowns. Guitars, drums, cello, back up singers and a soloist will perform.
Christmas Eve:
- 5 p.m.: Family Service with the Casting Crowns
- 10 p.m.: Candlelight Service
Christmas Day:
- No Services
Memorial United Methodist Church - 867 West Avon Rd.
Located on the cusp of Avon and Farmington, holiday Masses at the Memorial United Methodist Church will include classical music, bells, choir performances and carol singing.
Christmas Eve:
- 7 p.m.: A full worship service including offerings by the bells and choir
- 11 p.m.: A quiet service of lessons, carols and communion with candle lighting
Christmas Day:
- No Services
Christ Episcopal Church - 35 Harris Rd.
The 4 p.m. service on Christmas Eve will include a traditional Christmas pageant.
Christmas Eve:
- 4 p.m.: Family Service including a Christmas pageant with Holy Communion
- 7:30 p.m.: Candlelight Service with special music starting at 7:10pm
Christmas Day:
- No Services
Editor's Note: Everyone makes mistakes... even us! If there's something in this article that you think should be corrected, or if something else is amiss, give Local Editor Jessie Sawyer a ring at 860-356-6339 or shoot her an e-mail at Jessie.Sawyer@patch.com.
