Looking for a place to worship that is welcoming to GLBT people? Here is a list of some services within the Bay Area.
Hanukkah Celebrations
Kehilla’s Chanukah Festival of Lights!
http://www.kehillasynagogue.org/article.php/20111117172006293
Thursday evening, December 22. A Celebration for All Ages! Featuring award-winning singer/performer, Gary Lapow. Tickets wil be available for purchase at the door.
Kehilla School Party: 4:45-6:00pm (Nonmembers welcome! Please RSVP to [email protected])
Chanukah Songs for Preschoolers: 5:00-5:45pm
Candelighting for Everyone: 6:00pm (Bring your Chanukah menorah and candles if you can!)
Vegetarian Potluck for Everyone: 6:15-7:00pm Latkes provided! Please bring a vegetarian potluck dish to share. (Fish okay, but no shellfish please!)
Family-Friendly Community Chanukah Party: 7:00-8:30pm
Cost: School party is free with tuition or RSVP to [email protected]. Single price for all other events is $5/child, $10/adult, $25 maximum per family. No one turned away for lack of ability to pay the full amount.
Congregation Sha’ar Zahav 290 Dolores Street, SF http://www.shaarzahav.org/
Shabbat Miketz, 28 Kislev 5772 / 23 – 24 December 2011 [Special Klezmer Shabbat starts at 8:15 on Friday]
Shabbat Vayigash, 5 Tevet 5772 / 30 – 31 December 2011
- Kabbalat Shabbat, Friday at 7:30 pm
- Lay-led Torah Study, Saturday at 9:00 am
- Shacharit, Saturday at 10:15 am
Congregation Beth Am 26790 Arastradero Rd Los Altos Hills, CA http://www.betham.org/
Tues., Dec. 20 1st Night of Chanukah 12:00 noon – Yaakov Agam Sculpture Unveiling
Thurs., Dec. 22
8:00 a.m. – Thursday Morning Minyan
5:00 p.m. – Chanukah Candle Lighting
5:00 p.m. – Tot Latke Dinner
Fri., Dec. 23
5:00 p.m. – Lay-Led Gates of Prayer
6:00 p.m. – Chanukah Candle Lighting
6:15 p.m. – Shabbat Service in the Round
7:30 p.m. – Community Potluck Dinner
Sat., Dec. 24
10:15 a.m. – Torah Minyan
10:30 a.m. – Lay-Led Minyan
Tues., Dec. 27 BAW Rosh Chodesh
Coastside Jewish Community 540 Crespi Drive http://www.coastsidejewishcommunity.org/
Interfaith worship
First Unitarian Universalist Society of SF 1187 Franklin Street http://www.uusf.org/
December 22 5 – 7 pm Winter Solstice, in chapel
You are invited to participate in an Interfaith Service for people to come together to remember, honor, and bless their unborn. All whose lives have been touched are welcome. Officiants will include the Rev. Jeremiah Kalendae, members of the congregation, and clergy from the larger community. Participants are invited to bring a memento to place on the altar space. Organizers look forward to sharing this space of memory and hope with you.
Christmas Celebrations
Walnut Creek UMC www.walnutcreekumc.org.
Saturday, December 17 7:30pm
Join us for “A Night of Wonder” musical concert featuring our Sanctuary choir, and special musical guests including a harpist, oboist and organist.
Wednesday, December 21 7:30pm Las Posadas Celebration
Our bilingual (Spanish/English) service will open the doors to Mary and Joseph to find shelter as they await the birth of Jesus.
Saturday, December 24 7pm & 9pm
We are happy to offer two candlelight services on Christmas Eve. Our 7pm service will have a children’s Christmas pageant that all children are welcomed to participate in. At our 9pm service it will be cozier as we anticipate the birth of Christ.
Sunday, December 25 9:30am
On Christmas morning we will gather as a “family” to celebrate the birth of Christ.
Niles Discovery Church 255 H Street Fremont, CA http://www.nilesdiscoverychurch.org/
December 21 7:30 p.m. Longest Night Service
a time of special music, scripture, stories, silent reflection, and healing prayer. The service will be followed by a simple time of fellowship for those who wish to participate.
Attendees will be invited light candles during the service as a quiet response and act of prayer. Pastor Jeff hopes that the service will provide a space for people “to release their anger, face their emptiness, have a good cry (if that’s what they need), and know that God cares.”
December 24 5PM Christmas Eve Service
service will include leadership from the children and youth of our church.
December 24 11:00PM Christmas Eve Service
service will include special Christmas Anthems from the choir, familiar Christmas Carols, and candlelight.
Trinity Cathedral 81 North Second Street, San Jose, CA 95113 http://www.trinitysj.org/
December 24
5:00 pm Carols and Communion Family Service
10:00 pm Lots of Christmas Music and Carols
11:00 pm Choral Eucharist
December 25
10:00am Carols and Communion Service
Mira Vista United Church of Christ 780 Ashbury, El Cerrito www. miravistaucc.org/
December 24 8 pm Annual Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, All are welcome!
Eden UCC 21455 Birch Street Hayward http://www.edenucc.com/
December 24 5 PM Nochebuena Bilingual Family Service
7 PM Candlelight Family Service
December 25 10 AM Intergenerational Worship in Pioneer Chapel
St Alban’s Episcopal church 1501 Washington Avenue, Albany, CA http://www.st-albans-albany.org/
December 24
5 pm Family Service (kids decorate the tree, special children’s sermon, lots of music!
10 pm Candle-lit Festive Eucharist
December 25
10 am Holy Eucharist
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 114 Montecito Avenue, Oakland http://www.stpaulsoakland.org/
December 23 7PM Lessons and Carols of Christmas
December 24 5 PM Family Christmas Service
First Christian Church Concord 3039 Willow Pass Road http://www.concordfcc.net/
December 21 7pm Longest Night Service
Even in the midst of a holiday season that preaches joy and goodwill, Christmas is still a time of unease for untold numbers of people. And as the nights reach their lengthiest, and as the darkness reaches its longest points, it is important that we reunite as a close-knit community of Jesus. We do this by hosting a special worship service at 7 pm on the night of the winter solstice, Tuesday, December 21st.
December 24 7 pm Christmas Eve Service
Please join us for our traditional candlelight service on Christmas Eve at in the Sanctuary. A special offering will be collected for the Helping Hands Fund.
December 25 10 am Christmas Day, Service of Lessons and carols
Community Congregational Church Tiburon 145 Rock Hill Drive http://ccctiburon.net
December 24 8 PM Candlelight Christmas eve service
December 25 10 AM Family worship service
St. John’s UCC 501 Laguna Honda Boulevard, SF http://sfstjohnsucc.org/
December 24 5 pm Christmas eve candlelight service
December 25 10 AM Christmas Day service
Congregational Church of Belmont 751 Alameda De Las Pulgas http://www.uccbelmont.org/
Friday, Dec. 23 5:30 p.m., Family caroling, with caroling visits to the home-bound and a pizza party after. Gather at the church at 5:15 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 24
5:30 p.m. Family Christmas Eve service. Children will take part in the telling of the Christmas story with lots of carols.
10 p.m., Candlelight communion service with the Sanctuary Choir is a magnificent and glorious celebration.
Sunday, Dec. 25 10:30 a.m. Christmas Day Worship
San Rafael First UMC 9 Ross Valley Drive, San Rafael http://sanrafaelfirstumc.org/
Napa Valley Lutheran Church 1796 Elm Street http://napavalleylutheran.org/
December 24
5 PM Family friendly service with candles
8 PM service of carols, candlelight and Holy Communion
December 25 10 AM- carols and Holy Communion
Community Congregational Church 1305 West 2nd Street, Benicia http://www.cccucc.org/
December 24 6:4o PM with Jazz Gorilla doing a jazz arrangements of Christmas carols, followed by worship at 7:00pm.
December 25 10 AM Christmas Day service
City of Refuge UCC 1025 Howard Street, SF http://www.sfrefuge.org/index.cfm
Epworth United Methodist Church 1953 Hopkins, Berkeley http://www.epworthberkeley.org/
December 24
5 PM Children’s service for all ages
11 PM Service with candlelight and choir, music starts 10:30 PM
December 25 10 AM Communion of Carols
Community Presbyterian Church of Pittsburg 200 E Leland Rd http://www.cpcpittsburg.org/
December 24 5 PM candlelight service
10 PM candlelight service
December 25
10 AM Christmas Day service
1 PM Orphan’s Christmas Party
