Thursday
Indie flick: The next "Independent Films @ Your Library" series at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch of the Mercer County Library System, off Darrah Lane, will show the film "Campfire" at 7 p.m.
"Campfire," a story of one woman’s personal journey, but also a portrait of a movement that has forever affected millions of lives in the Middle East. The year is 1981. Rachel Gerlik, a 42 year-old widowed mother of two beautiful teenage daughters, wants to join the founding group of a new religious settlement in the West Bank.
To register for this free program, stop by the circulation desk, call (609) 882-9246, or e-mail [email protected]. Seating is limited to 30.
Violence against women talk: The Mercer County and Princeton University chapters of Amnesty International will present a talk by Monica Maher, a women’s rights activist, as part of the human rights organization’s two-year campaign on violence against women.
The talk, which is free and open to the public, will be held at 7:30 p.m. at McCosh 4, Princeton University.
Friday
Senior luncheon: The Lawrence Township Office on Aging’s annual Senior Citizen’s Luncheon will be from noon-3 p.m. at Angeloni’s Cedar Gardens in Hamilton.
Tickets are $10 for Lawrence Township seniors.
For more information contact the Office on Aging at (609) 844-7048 or stop by the Senior Center to reserve a spot.
Holiday concert: Holy Trinity Lutheran Church will hold a Christmas concert featuring the acoustic guitar playing of Chip Mergott at 7:30 p.m.
The church is located at 2730 Princeton Pike.
All proceeds to benefit the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK).
For admission bring one or more of the following offerings: a free-will offering; adult men’s size large watch caps, gloves, scarves, white crew or tube socks; adult men’s and women’s size large, extra-large, extra-extra-large thermal underwear; adult men’s size large, extra-large and extra-extra-large hooded sweatshirts in dark colors; sturdy plastic hooded rain poncho; a bathing kit in a sealable plastic baggie, including a bar of soap, a wash cloth, a disposable razor.
For information, call (609) 882-7891 or e-mail [email protected].
Holiday drama: Central Baptist Church will present "A Picture to Ponder" at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 10 at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The original drama, which is part of the holiday "Windows of Christmas program," was written and directed by Ray Lombardi, pastor of worship at Central Baptist Church, and Kerri McClintock.
Central Baptist Church is located at 2015 Pennington Road, directly across from The College of New Jersey. For more information call the church at (609) 882-0337.
Sunday
Blood drive: The Community Blood Council of New Jersey and the St. Ann Church Knights of Columbus will hold a blood drive from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the church, 34 Rossa Drive.
For more information, call John Seeber at (609) 750-9296.
Theodore Herzl lecture: Adath Israel will host a talk by Moshe Sherman at 10 a.m. titled "Why Should We Care About Herzl?" Dr. Sherman is Associate Dean of the Graduate School of Jewish Studies and Touro College and visiting professor at Rutgers University. Light refreshments will be served at 9:30 a.m. The congregation is hosting a traveling exhibition celebrating Theodore Herzl, a visionary of the Jewish state, in the sanctuary until Dec. 21.
For the exhibit’s hours, call (609) 896-4977. Both the exhibit and the lecture are sponsored by Adath Israel’s Adult Education Program and are free and open to the public.
Adath Israel is located at 1958 Lawrenceville Road (Route 206).
Holiday tree ceremony: The Lawrence Township Recreation Department welcomes the public to attend the annual tree lighting ceremony 6 p.m. at the Municipal Building.
The event will include a visit from Santa Claus and performances by the Lawrence High School Band.
Monday
Blood drive: Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton will a community blood drive at the Outpatient Services Building Auditorium on the hospital’s campus at 1 Hamilton Health Place, Hamilton from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The blood supply in New Jersey and nationally is dangerously low for all blood types. The combination of a decrease in the number of available donors in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, as well as traditionally low donations during holiday periods, is compounding the shortage. The support of our community in replenishing supplies is critical.
Call HealthConnection to schedule an appointment at (609) 584-5900. Walk-ins are also welcome.
Blood donation appointments may also be made online at www.pleasegiveblood.org. When completing donation information, enter sponsor code 4B01.
Anyone interested in participating in future plasma donations, may contact the RWJ Hamilton blood bank at (609) 584-6562.
Tuesday
Astronomy talk: Award-winning NASA astronomer and author Dr. Kimberly Weaver will be the keynote speaker at the Amateur Astronomers Association of Princeton’ monthly gathering.
The meeting, which is free and open to the public, will be held at 8 p.m. in the main lecture theatre of Peyton Hall on the Princeton University campus.
Dr. Weaver is a member of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. and is the program scientist for the Spitzer Space Telescope at NASA Headquarters.
Dr. Weaver will be signing copies of new book, "The Violent Universe: Joyrides through the X-ray Cosmos."
Wednesday
Hearing screenings: The Lawrence Township Health Department will hold hearing screenings from 1-3 p.m. at the Lawrence Senior Center, 30 Darrah Lane East.
The program is open to Lawrence residents and appointments are required.
For more information or to make an appointment, call the Health Department at (609) 844-7093.
Sierra Club holiday party: The Central New Jersey Sierra Club invites the public to the group’s annual holiday party at 7:30 p.m. at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch of the Mercer County Library System off Darrah Lane.
Bring a favorite holiday food to share as the group will celebrate its 2005 successes and wash down the disappointments of the year.
For more information, go to the club’s Web site, www.sierraactivist.com or call Laura Lynch, (609) 882-4642.

