Christmas Eve and Christmas services (Dec. 24-25, 2009)

Photo by JENNIFER WHITNEY

Wednesday night at Lowdermilk Park, Celebration Community Beach Church hosted the 13th annual Tropical Christmas Eve at the Beach Celebration. Before the services began, families gathered on the beach to share in a beautiful sunset. The high was 81 degrees in Naples on Christmas Eve Day. Jennifer Whitney/ staff

The following are services for Christmas Eve, today (Thursday, Dec. 24, 2009) and Christmas Day (Friday, Dec. 25, 2009), at local churches:

* Celebration Community Beach Church, Lowdermilk Beach Park, 1361 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., Naples, 649-1588.

Christmas Eve: 6 p.m. service; living nativity, 5-6 p.m. and a visit from Saint Nicholas. Complimentary shuttle service from Sunshine Ace Hardware, Second Avenue North, Naples.

* Christus Victor Lutheran Church, 15600 U.S. 41 N., Naples, 597-1043.

Christmas Eve: 7 and 9 p.m. candlelight service with communion.

Christmas Day: 10 a.m. service with communion.

* CrossRoads Community Church, Ministerios Egeiro (Hispanic) and Catedral de Adoracao (Brazilian) joint service at 1055 Pine Ridge Road, Naples, www.crossroadsefca.com.

Christmas Eve: 7 p.m. candlelight service.

* Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 777 Mooring Line Drive, Naples, 261-0894.

Christmas Eve: 5:15 p.m., living nativity; 6 p.m. “Paper Bag,” pageant and family-friendly worship; and 8 and 10:30 p.m. worship services with holy communion, special music and candle-lighting.

* Faith Lutheran Church, 4150 Goodlete-Frank Road N., Naples, 434-5811.

Christmas Eve: 5 p.m., contemporary worship service; 7 and 9 p.m. candlelight with strings service; and 11 p.m. candlelight worship service. Communion will be at all services.

Christmas Day: 9:30 a.m. a traditional worship service and a contemporary worship service (simultaneous)

* First Presbyterian Church of Naples, 250 Sixth St. S., Naples, 262-1311

Christmas Eve: 5 p.m., family worship service and 7 and 9 p.m. candlelight services.

* Fisherman’s Home Church, 4172 U.S. 41 N., Naples.

Christmas Eve: 10 p.m.-midnight service. Please bring canned goods for St. Matthew’s House.

* Grace Lutheran Church, 860 Banyan Blvd., Naples, 261-7421.

Christmas Eve: 4:30, 7 and 11 p.m. services

Christmas Day: 9:30 a.m. service.

* Lighthouse Congregational United Church of Christ, 2320 Rivers Road, Naples, 776-2888.

Christmas Eve: 5 p.m. candlelight service.

* Marco Presbyterian Church, 875 West Elkcam Circle, Marco Island, 394-8186.

Christmas Eve: 5 p.m. service titled “Lessons and Hymns under the Chrismon Tree” with carols, candle lighting, special music and a presentation by the hand bell choir.

* Messiah Lutheran Church, 5800 Golden Gate Parkway, Naples, 455-0160

Christmas Eve: 4 and 7 p.m. with communion and candlelight.

* Moorings Presbyterian Church, 791 Harbour Drive, Naples, 261-1487.

Christmas Eve: 3 p.m., chapel communion service with a soloist and organ; 5 p.m. candlelight service with the children’s choirs; and 8 p.m. traditional service with candlelight, chancel choir and string quartet.

* Naples United Church of Christ, 5200 Crayton Road, Naples, 261-5469.

Christmas Eve: 4 p.m. family service with soloists Javier Abreu and Kellie Cullinan and the children’s choir; 6 and 8 p.m. candlelight service of lessons and carols with soloist Javier Abreu, sanctuary choir and chamber orchestra; 10 p.m. candlelight service of Holy Communion with soloist Javier Abreu, sanctuary choir and instrumentalists.

* Peace Lutheran Church, Oakridge Middle School, 14975 Collier Blvd., Naples, 254-7800.

Christmas Eve: 7 p.m. service.

* St. John’s Episcopal Church, 500 Park Shore Drive, Naples, 261-2355.

Christmas Eve: 430 p.m. musical prelude and caroling; 5 p.m. Holy Eucharist; 8:30 p.m. musical prelude and caroling and 9 p.m. Holy Eucharist.

Christmas Day: 10 a.m., Holy Eucharist.

* St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church, 5130 Rattlesnake Hammock Road, Naples, 774-3337.

Christmas Eve: 5 p.m. family Mass, English, and 9 p.m. midnight Mass, English. 12 a.m. midnight Mass, Spanish.

Christmas Day: 8 and 10 a.m. and noon, English; 1:30 p.m., Spanish, and 4 p.m., Haitian (creole).

* St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 9801 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs, 992-4343.

Christmas Eve: 5:30 p.m. family Eucharist with a pageant; 9:30 p.m. carols and anthems with the parish choir; and 10 p.m. solemn choral Eucharist.

Christmas Day: 10 a.m., solemn Eucharist with Christmas hymns.

* St. Monica’s Episcopal Church, 7070 Immokalee Road, Naples, 591-4550.

Christmas Eve: 4;30 p.m. family Eucharist; 6:30 p.m. festive holy Eucharist; 8 p.m. Christmas music with choirs, soloist and the congregation; and 8:30 p.m. festive holy Eucharist.

Christmas Day: 10 a.m., holy Eucharist with carols.

* St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 3901 Davis Blvd., Naples, 643-0197.

Christmas Eve: 5 p.m. Christmas pageant and 10:30 p.m. midnight Mass.

Christmas Day: 8 a.m. service.

* St. Raphael’s Church, 5601 Williams Drive, Fort Myers Beach, 463-6057.

Christmas Eve: 7 p.m. service.

Christmas Day: 10 a.m. service.

* San Marco Catholic Church, 851 San Marco Road, Marco Island, 394-5181.

Christmas Eve: 3:45 and 5:30 p.m. and midnight services.

Christmas Day: 7:30, 9 and 10:45 a.m. services.

* Shepherd of the Glades Lutheran Church, 6020 Rattlesnake Hammock Road, Naples, 775-0696.

Christmas Eve: 7 p.m. family service with holy communion and 11 p.m. candlelight communion service.

* The Tree of Life Church, 2132 Shadowlawn Drive, Naples, 530-2200.

Christmas Eve: 6:06 p.m. service.

* Trinity-by-the-Cove Episcopal Church, 553 Galleon Drive, Naples, 262-6581.

Christmas Eve: 4 p.m. Christmas pageant and Holy Eucharist; 7:30 and 10 p.m. sacred music and Holy Eucharist.

Christmas Day: 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite I.

* United Methodist Church, 6000 Goodlette-Frank Road, Naples, 593-7600.

Christmas Eve: chapel — 3 and 5 p.m. services with carols and communion; sanctuary — 4 p.m. family service with the preschool choir; 6 p.m. family service with the elementary school choir; 8 p.m. contemporary candlelight communion service in the sanctuary; and 11 p.m. traditional candlelight communion service.

* Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church, 1225 Piper Blvd., Naples, 597-1720.

Christmas Eve: 5 p.m., “Unrehearsed” Christmas pageant, featuring violins, the children’s choir and carols; 7 and 9 p.m. candlelight and communion services with choirs, bells and special music.