By Loretta Fulton

Sanctuaries will be filled with the soft glow of candlelight, the beauty of poinsettias, and the music of Christmas carols as Abilenians join Christians worldwide to celebrate Christmas Eve.

This year, Christmas Eve falls on Tuesday, Dec. 24. Everyone is invited to any of the following services. Catholic and Episcopal churches also have services on Christmas Day. 

A partial list of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services follows. To add services, send information to editor@spiritofabilene.com

HIGHLAND CHURCH OF CHRIST
425 Highland Ave.
Christmas Eve
5 p.m. – candlelight
Shane Hughes, minister

FIRST CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
400 Orange St.
Christmas Eve
6 p.m. candlelight, communion. Come early for classical guitar music by Dan Mitchell before the service begins. Service will be livestreamed. 
Cliff Stewart, pastor

PIONEER DRIVE BAPTIST CHURCH
701 S. Pioneer Drive
Christmas Eve
3 p.m. – carols, communion
4:30 and 6:30 p.m.- carols, candles, communion, children’s sermon
John Whitten, pastor

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
1133 N. Third St.
Christmas Eve
6 p.m. family worship
11 p.m. 56th annual Christmas Eve service with communion, candlelight
Matt Cook, interim pastor

EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE HEAVENLY REST
602 Meander St.
Christmas Eve
4 p.m. – Family-friendly carols, with organ 
6 p.m. – Festival of Lessons and Carols 
9:45 p.m. – Musical prelude with choir, organ, and instrumental trio
10 p.m. – Festival Holy Eucharist
Christmas Day 
10:30 a.m. – Holy Eucharist
1 p.m. – Holy Eucharist in Swahili 
David Romanik, rector

ST. MARK’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
S. 14th and Willis streets, River Oaks Shopping Center, next to United Supermarket
Christmas Eve
7 p.m. – Holy Eucharist and candlelight
Christmas Day
10 a.m. Holy Eucharist
Mary Glover, rector

ST. LUKE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH
501 Sunset Drive
Christmas Eve
10 a.m. – Royal Hours
6 p.m.  – Matins
7 p.m. – Divine Liturgy

FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH
5125 Antilley Road
Christmas Eve
6 p.m. –  Holy Communion, carols, candlelight
Greg Morris, pastor

ALDERSGATE METHODIST CHURCH
1741 Sayles Blvd.
Christmas Eve
5:30 p.m. candlelight
Dustin Wilhite, pastor

WYLIE METHODIST CHURCH
3430 Antilley Road
Christmas Eve
5:30 p.m. candlelight
Jeff Hatcher, pastor

ST. JAMES UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
3100 Barrow St.
Christmas Eve
6 p.m. candlelight
Stephania Gilkey, pastor

ST. VINCENT PALLOTTI CATHOLIC CHURCH
2525 Westview
Christmas Eve
5 p.m. – Mass and Los Posadas
12 – Midnight Mass
Christmas Day
Day of Obligation 12:10 p.m. Mass
Emilio Sosa, pastor

HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC CHURCH
5410 Buffalo Gap Road
Christmas Eve
5:30 p.m. Children’s Christmas Eve Mass
8 p.m. Christmas Eve Candlelight Mass
12 a.m. Midnight Mass
Christmas Day
11 a.m. Christmas Mass
Nilo Nalugon, pastor

ST. FRANCIS CATHOLIC CHURCH
837 Jeanette St.
Christmas Eve
5:30 p.m. Youth/Children Mass
10 p.m. Christmas carols
10:30 p.m. Midnight Mass
Christmas Day
10 a.m. Christmas Mass

SACRED HEART CATHOLIC CHURCH
837 Jeanette St.
Christmas Eve
5:30 p.m. Christmas Youth Nativity Play
6:30 p.m. Children’s Mass
12 a.m. Midnight Mass
Christmas Day
10 a.m. Christmas Day Mass
Albert Ezeanya, pastor

ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH (Missouri Synod)
2801 Antilley Road
Christmas Eve
6:30 p.m. – candlelight and communion service. Youth will reenact the Christmas story. Pastor Clyde Kieschnick will do a monologue of one of the characters in the Christmas story.  

GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH (ELCA)
1202 S. Pioneer Drive
Christmas Eve
5 p.m. Candlelight service

THE WELL CHURCH
137 Mesquite St.
Christmas Eve
4 and 5:30 p.m. – Family services with worship, prayer, and candle lighting

Loretta Fulton is creator and editor of Spirit of Abilene