Joint Advent Worship Service is Dec. 5

PALMER — Members of Palmer United Protestant-Presbyterian Church, St. John Lutheran Church and St. Michael Roman Catholic Church will celebrate the annual Joint Advent Worship Service at 7 p.m., Dec. 5 at St. John Lutheran Church, 440 East Elmwood St., across from the Mat-Su Borough Building. A baked potato bar will be served beginning at 5:30 p.m.

The yearly worship service not only gives church members and the community an opportunity to prepare for the Christmas celebration of Jesus’ coming, but it gives these three congregations an opportunity to remember their beginning in 1935 as part of the Matanuska Colony.

Some history books say there was originally no land set aside in the Colony for churches. However, when colonists asked for places of worship the Alaska Rural Rehabilitation Corp. set aside a block for a Catholic church and a Protestant church. However, with all those northern Midwestern Lutherans, a block was set aside that also included a third congregation, St. John Lutheran. For many years, these three churches have celebrated both the season of Advent and their joint beginning with this Advent service.

One of the highlights of this service is also the Joint Choir, which will perform four anthems this year with the accompaniment of various instruments under the direction of Jennifer Dalby.

In addition, an offering will be received to benefit MYHOUSE, the nonprofit Mat-Su organization that is helping homeless teens.

The community is invited to attend both the meal and the worship service.