By: centraljersey.com
Titusville Presbyterian – On Dec. 12, Christmas Pageant practice will begin at 9:30 a.m. for all involved. Sunday School is at 10 a.m. for all ages. Morning worship is at 11 a.m. The Christmas story will be told by the Sunday School children through song. Cookies and punch will be served following worship. At 7 p.m., there will be a short Advent Evening Service. Junior and Senior High Youth groups will meet at 7 p.m. On Dec. 11, the congregation will meet in church parking lot a 3 p.m. to travel to Luther Arms to provide a holiday party, which will include singing Christmas carols and serving dinner and dessert. The church is located at 48 River Drive, Titusville. For more information, visit: www.titusvillechurch.org.
Titusville Methodist – Sunday worship begins at 10 a.m. Prayer time is offered prior to and following worship. TUMC is located at the intersection of Church Road and River Road (Route 29) in Titusville. All buildings are handicapped accessible and handicapped parking is available. Questions? Call 737-2622.
St. George’s R. C. Church –The church is located at 1370 River Road in Titusville. Masses are Saturdays at 5:30 p.m. and Sundays at 9, 10:15, and 11:30 a.m. Daily Mass (Tuesday-Friday) 7:30 a.m. Sacrament of Reconciliation is Saturdays from 4:30-5:10 p.m. Monsignor James Innocenzi is pastor. Sr. Dorothy Jancola is the pastoral associate. Religious Education Office phone is 730-1703. Parish phone is 737-2015.
Pennington Presbyterian – Dec. 12 is the Third Sunday of Advent. At the 10:15 a.m. worship service the theme will be "Longing." There will be special music by the adult choir and Bill Alford will offer a meditation. A coffee hour is held following the service. Church School classes for all ages, children through adult, are held each Sunday at 9 a.m. Child care is available. The church, located at 13 S. Main St., has a variety of services to accommodate those with special needs. Handicapped parking is available in the rear of the church building along with a ramp to provide easy access to the sanctuary. Heritage Hall has handicapped access from the Main Street entrance closest to Delaware Avenue. The church also has an elevator to all levels. Individual wireless hearing aids and large-print hymnals are also available. Speak to any Deacon on duty for assistance or questions. For more information, call 737-1221 or visit www. pennpres.org.
Pennington Methodist – On Sunday, worship at 10:15 a.m. Child care is provided throughout the morning. The church offers a variety of services designed to help those with special needs. The church is wheelchair accessible via the new elevator. Individual wireless hearing aids are available. Handicapped parking is also available. The church is located at 60 S. Main St., and has off-street parking. For further information, call the church office at 737-1374 or visit: www.pumcnj.com.
St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, 300 S. Main St., across from Toll Gate Grammar School, holds two services on Sunday: 8 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite I and 10 a.m. Choral Holy Eucharist Rite II (with church school beginning at 9:45 a.m.). Nursery care is also provided during the 10 a.m. service for children under 3. The Rev. John C. Belmont is rector; the Rev. Emily Griffin is associate rector; the Rev. Peter Stimpson and the Rev. Dr. Virginia Sheay are associates. Questions? Call 737-0985 or visit www.stmatthews-nj.org.
St. James R. C. Church – The church is located at 115 E. Delaware Ave., Pennington. The chapel is located on Eglantine Avenue. Masses are held on Saturdays at 5 p.m., Sundays at 8, 9:45 and 11:30 a.m. Daily Mass is held in the chapel at 9 a.m. Monday-Saturday. The sacrament of Reconciliation is held on Saturdays, 11 a.m.-noon. The Rev. Msgr. Ronald Bacovin, pastor; Deacon Moore Hank, pastoral associate (737-0122, fax 737-6912); Nancy Lucash, Office of Religious Education/Adult Faith Formation/RCIA, 737-2717.
First Baptist – Sunday services begin at 11 a.m. The Rev. Wayne R. Griffith is the pastor. The church is located at Crawley Avenue and Academy Street, Pennington. For more information, call 737- 3317.
Hopewell Presbyterian – On Dec. 12, the Third Sunday of Advent, education hour for all ages will begin at 9 a.m. Church service is at 10.30 a.m., followed by coffee hour in Fellowship Hall. Child care is provided during the worship service. The church is wheelchair accessible from the West Broad Street ramp. Call the church office for weekly support groups, Bible studies and service opportunities (466-0758). For more information, visit www.hopewellpresbyterian.org.
Hopewell Methodist – On Dec. 12, worship begins at 10 a.m. During the service, children’s Sunday school meets and a nursery is provided for infants and toddlers. Adult Church School classes meet at 9 a.m. Child care is provided during adult Sunday school. Youth Group meets from 6:30-8 p.m. Sundays. The church is open Wednesdays at 7 p.m. for prayer time. The church is at 20 Blackwell Ave. and is handicapped accessible. It provides a Telex FM sound enhancement system. Questions? Call 466-0471 or visit www.hopewellmethodist.org.
Calvary Baptist – Sunday worship is at 11 a.m. Sunday School meets at 10 a.m. Nursery is offered during worship. The Rev. Dennis O’Neill is pastor. Philip Orr is the minister of music. The church is located at 3 E. Broad St. in Hopewell Borough, near the corner of Broad Street and North Greenwood Avenue. A chair lift is available to the sanctuary. Call 466-1880 for more information or visit www.calvarybaptisthopewell.org.
Second Calvary Baptist – The regular Sunday schedule is: Sunday School for all ages at 9:30 a.m.; Sunday morning worship at 11 a.m. Wednesdays, Bible study and prayer is at 7 p.m. The pastor is Rev. Michael Diggs Sr. The church, located at Columbia and Maple avenues, can be reached by phone at 466-0862. The fax number is 466-4229.
St. Alphonsus R. C. Church – The church is located at the corner of Princeton Avenue and East Prospect Street in Hopewell Borough. The Mass schedule is: Saturdays, 5 p.m.; Sundays, 7:30, 9, 11:15 a.m. From Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, Masses will be celebrated at 7:30, 9, and 10:30 a.m. The pastor is the Rev. Alex Enriquez. Joan Wielenta is administrator of Religious Education and RCIA coordinator. Questions? Call 466-0332.
St. Peter Lutheran Church – Worship services are held on Sundays, at 8 and 10:30 a.m, with Sunday School and Adult Bible Study at 9:15 a.m. (between services). During the season of Advent, Advent services also will be held on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. The church is located at the corner of Routes 518 and 579 in Hopewell Township. The Rev. Stephen Gewecke is pastor. Call 466-0939 for more information, or visit stpeternj.com.
Abiding Presence Lutheran – Regular worship services are held at 5:30 p.m. on Saturdays and 8:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. on Sundays. Sunday school is at 9:30 a.m. Nursery care is provided during Sunday worship services and Sunday school. The church is located at 2220 Pennington Road, just south of I-95 at the corner of Rockleigh Drive and Pennington Road. The church is handicapped accessible. For more information, contact Pastor Dan Whitener at 882-7759.
First Assembly of God – The regular service schedule is as follows: Sunday School, 9:30 a.m.; Sunday morning worship, 8 and 10:30 a.m.; Tuesday morning prayer meeting, 10:30 a.m.; Wednesday family night, 7 p.m. Special needs accommodations are available. Child care and children’s church are held Sundays for infants through fifth grade beginning at 9:30 a.m. and on Wednesday evenings for all ages. The church is located at 87 Route 31, Pennington. Questions? Call 737-2282.
Princeton Community – Service is at 10 a.m. Nursery care and classes for children through the fifth grade are provided. There are weekly programs for teens. The church is located at the intersection of I-95 (Exit 4) and Route 31 in Hopewell Township. Questions? Call 730-1114.
Central Baptist – The church is located at 2015 Pennington Road (Route 31), Ewing. Call 882-0337 for more information.
Har Sinai Temple is a Reform temple located at 2421 Pennington Road at Denow Road West in Hopewell Township. On Dec. 14, "Intro to Judaism" begins at 7:30 p.m. Regular Shabbat services are held Fridays at 7:30 p.m. Religious School classes are Sundays from 9-11:30 a.m. Hebrew High School is set for every two Sundays from 9-11:30 a.m., with some exceptions, and Midweek school is Tuesdays from 4:30-6:15 p.m. Torah study is Saturdays, 9:30-10:15 a.m. For more information, call 730-8100 or visit www.harsinai.org.
Unitarian Universalist, Washington Crossing, 268 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road, Titusville, holds Sunday services at 9:15 and 11 a.m. Sunday children’s religious education and childcare are available. Adult enrichment classes are open to nonmembers and guests. Unitarian Universalism poses "no creed, for we believe that religious faith is uniquely personal and evolves as we engage in our inner search and in our life journey." It welcomes all, regardless of race, color, sexual orientation, theological background, age, gender, income, or mental or physical abilities. For more information, call 737-0515. For a schedule of services and events, visit www.uucwc.org.
Community Bible Study, an international, non-denominational Bible Study for women and children is meeting weekly (Wednesdays) at 9:30 a.m. at Central Baptist Church, Route 31, Ewing. Newcomers are welcome. Questions? Contact Shirley McDonough at 771-8819 or [email protected]
With few exceptions, only religious institutions located in or serving Hopewell Valley will be included in this column. E-mail updated information to [email protected] so that it arrives by 9 a.m. Monday.