Garden Grove, Los Alamitos Churches Plan Special Christmas Dinners

Free Christmas dinners will be served Christmas Day at Garden Grove United Methodist Church and at St. Hedwig Church in Los Alamitos.

Real Help, a coalition of churches, agencies and volunteers, is the sponsor of the Community Christmas Dinner in Garden Grove. Food will be served at 2 and 5 p.m. Any Garden Grove resident may attend. Free tickets can be obtained through the church; through Traveler’s Aid, 9872 Chapman Ave., No. 8; or through Living Spring Christian Fellowship, 9351 Bixby Ave. Those who wish to volunteer may call Harv Eckhardt at (714) 534-1742 or Genevieve Dallke at (714) 534-1070. The church is at 12741 Main St.

Any Catholic of the Diocese of Orange may attend the free dinner Sunday at St. Hedwig Church. Reservations are required, however. The event will be from 2 to 4 p.m., and the address is 11482 Los Alamitos Blvd. For information or to make a reservation, call Earl or Patty Glover at (714) 894-2231 or Dixie Guest at (213) 598-1542.

A Christmas Eve candlelight service will be held at 7 tonight at the Sparks of Truth Chapel, 1782 Iowa St., Costa Mesa. The Sparks of Truth Chapel is a nondenominational metaphysical Christian church that emphasizes the fulfillment of God’s spiritual law through the teachings of Jesus. For information, call (714) 545-2339 or 751-7303.

“Can You Take a Joke?” is the title of the Rev. Ben Patterson’s sermon at the 8:30 and 10:15 a.m. Christmas Day services at Irvine Presbyterian Church, 5 Meadowbrook, Irvine. Christmas Eve services will be held at 5:30 and 7 tonight. For information, call (714) 786-9627.

First United Methodist Church will have candlelight Christmas Eve services tonight at 7 and 11 and a Christmas Day service at 10 a.m. The church is at 2721 Delaware St., Huntington Beach. For information, call (714) 536-3537.

Christmas Eve services will be given at 5, 7, 9 and 11 tonight at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 600 St. Andrews Road, Newport Beach. Christmas music will be performed by the Sanctuary Choir, Bell Choir and Instrumentalists and children’s groups. Services will be led by the Rev. John A. Huffman Jr., who will also preach at the Christmas Day service at 10:15 a.m. Sunday. For information, call (714) 631-3821.

A Christmas Eve candlelight service will be held at 8 tonight at First Congregational Church, 7703 10th St., Buena Park. The service will be conducted by the Rev. Frank R. Newbern, and the choir will perform. For information, call (714) 522-1831.

Christmas Eve services will be held at 7:30 and 11 tonight, and there will a Christmas Day service at 9 a.m. at the Presbyterian Church of the Covenant, 2850 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa. For information, call (714) 557-3340.

First Presbyterian Church, 11832 Euclid Ave., Garden Grove, will have a Christmas Eve service at 8 tonight. Pastor Gary Smith will preach on “Treasures of the Heart.” For information, call (714) 534-2269.

Seven candlelight Christmas Eve services will be given at the Crystal Cathedral, 12141 Lewis St., Garden Grove. The 125-Voice Choir will sing and Frederick Swann will play the pipe organ. The services are at 3, 4:30, 6, 7:30, 9 and 10:30 p.m. and at midnight. Child care will be available for the 3, 4:30 and 6 p.m. services. The Rev. Robert H. Schuller will lead a Family Worship Service Christmas Day at 10 a.m., and the Rev. Harold Englund will lead the 6 p.m. service Sunday. For information, call (714) 971-4000.

Christmas Eve services that will include a Ceremony of Scripture and Carols will be held at 7:30 and 11 tonight at First United Methodist Church, 420 W. 19th St., Costa Mesa. The Rev. Galal Gough will speak about “Your Christmas Star” at both services. Christmas Day services will be given at 9 and 10:30 a.m., with the Rev. Timothy Mull preaching. For information, call (7140 548-7727.

“Jesus” is the title of the last “Pilgrims of Christmas” sermon to be given by the Rev. Jerry Tankersley on Christmas Day at Laguna Presbyterian Church. The service will begin at 10:30 a.m. Christmas music will be performed by the Chancel Choir, directed by Mitzi Interlandi and accompanied by organist Ellen Wright. There will be a coffee fellowship after the service. The church is at 415 Forest Ave., Laguna Beach. For information, call (714) 494-7555.

Laguna Beach United Methodist Church will have a traditional Christmas Eve service at 7:30 tonight featuring instrumental music and the children’s and chancel choirs under the direction of Jeff Forster and accompanied by organist Pennie Foster. The service will be led by the Revs. Nerice Tweed Cornelison and Thomas Parnell Warmer. There will be a service Christmas Day at 10 a.m. The church is at 21632 Wesley Drive, South Laguna. For information, call (714) 499-3088.

Pianist Calvin Taylor will perform at Newport Harbor Seventh-day Adventist Church at 10 a.m. today. The event is open to the public. The church is at 271 Avocado St., Costa Mesa. For more information, call (714) 548-6596.

Mighty Fortress Orthodox Evangelical Lutheran Church will have a children’s Christmas service at 7 tonight at the church, 1557 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim. Children from the Sunday school will sing traditional Christmas carols. For information, call (714) 995-6301.

Christmas Eve services will be held at 6 and 11 tonight at First Presbyterian Church of Orange, 191 N. Orange St., Orange. The early service will feature Christmas lessons, singing and performances by the youth choirs. The late service will focus on readings and will feature a candlelight service at midnight. For information, call (714) 538-2341.

Capistrano Valley Church of Religious Science, 32261 Camino Capistrano, will have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services. The Christmas Eve program is a candlelight service at 5:30 tonight; the Christmas Day service will be at 11 a.m. For information, call (714) 240-6463.

Christmas Eve services will be held at 5, 7, and 10:30 tonight at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 12301 Magnolia Ave., Garden Grove. The services will be composed of carols, Scripture readings, Christmas anthems and a message by Pastor Charles Endter. The Christmas story from St. Luke will be read with children participating in the 5 p.m. service. The sacrament of Holy Communion will be celebrated at the 10:30 p.m. service. For information, call (714) 539-9541.

The Rev. Michael H. Wenning will preach at both Christmas Eve worship services at 5 and 11 tonight at Geneva Presbyterian Church, 24301 El Toro Road, Laguna Hills. His topic will be “When God Speaks: Through Silence.” Communion will be served at the Christmas Eve services. There will be a Christmas Day service at 11 a.m. Wenning’s topic for that sermon is “When God Speaks: Through His Son.” Child care will be available for the Christmas Day service. For information, call (714) 837-2323.

A special children’s liturgy will be presented at 5 tonight at St. Callistus Catholic Church, 12921 Lewis St., Garden Grove. Children will take part as shepherds, angels, greeters and ushers. For information, call (714) 971-1214.