CEYLON — Today, Dec. 24, is Christmas Eve and area churches are having special services. Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Ceylon will have a 5:30 p.m. service, and on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, they will hold a service at 8:30 a.m. St. Peter Lutheran Church will only have a Christmas Eve service at 4 p.m. St. Paul’s Lutheran in Wilbert will have Christmas Eve services at 4:30 p.m. and Christmas Day service at 9:30 a.m. The other Circle of Faith parishes will have Christmas Eve services at 5:30 p.m. at Waverly Lutheran north of Welcome, and at 6:30 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran in Welcome at 6;30 p.m., and at 7 p.m. at First Lutheran in Trimont. All area residents are welcome to join any of these churches to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Circle of Faith parishes will change their January Sunday services for 9 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran in Welcome and 10:30 a.m. services at First Lutheran in Trimont. This is due to having only one pastor available.

There will be American Red Cross blood drives next week. There will be blood drive from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 27, at Grace Lutheran Church in Fairmont, and from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 27, at St. Paul’s UCC Church in Welcome. There will also be a blood drive from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 30, in the back room of Lake Belt Bar and Grill in Ceylon. There is a drastic need for blood now so give if you are able. Thank you.

There will be free Christmas tree recycling for real trees from Dec. 26 to Jan. 8, 2023, with drop sites at the Street shop on Margaret St. in Fairmont or the Sherburn Nursery in Sherburn. Trees only, please. No roping, wreaths, lights or ornaments. This is sponsored by the Solid Waste facility, Sherburn Nursery, Fairmont City Parks and Recreation Department, and Sentence to Service programs in Martin and Faribault Counties. Thank you. For further information, contact Billeye Rabbe at the Solid Waste facility in Truman by calling (507) 776-3232.