Bethany Wesleyan Church Lehighton is holding its third annual “Lessons and Carols,” 4:30 p.m. Sunday on the front lawn of its Lehighton campus, 1122 Fairyland Road, Lehighton.

This year, because of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Pennsylvania Department of Health protocol, the service has been moved from the Upper Park of Community Park in Lehighton.

“It’s a ‘Lessons and Carols’ service. We have readings and familiar hymns,” says BWC Lehighton Pastor Casey Spencer. “We’re asking that people maintain social distancing.”

A contemporary Christian worship band will perform. There will be no sermon. The program tells the story of the Nativity from the Bible.

“We are receiving an offering as part of the service. And 100 percent of the offering will aid the Peaceful Knights, a homeless shelter in Lehighton, right across the street from the park,” Spencer says.

Approximately 350 people attended the 50-minute service in the park in 2019.

The congregation is hoping for good weather on the last day of fall for the Christmas event. The first day of winter is Dec. 21.

“The last two years, we’ve had very good weather, but we hand out hand-warmers. People are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs.

Spencer has been pastor at BWC Lehighton for about 2½ years.

“Our goal for this service has been to reach people with the message of hope, that the Christmas story as told in scripture offers. That’s been our goal for the past three years and it’s even more of a goal this year.”

Candlelight service

Bethany Wesleyan Church, Cherryville, Lehigh Township, will also hold an innovative candlelight service for the 2020 Christmas season.

“Christmas Candlelight Services” is at 6 p.m. Dec. 20, 23 and 24 at Becky’s Drive-In, 4548 Lehigh Drive, Walnutport, Lehigh Township.

“We’ve held candlelight services previously every year at the church,” says the Rev. Dwight Addington, administration and assimilation pastor, Bethany Wesleyan Church, referring to the Main Campus, 675 Blue Mountain Drive, Cherryville, Lehigh Township.

“This year, BWC is wanting to provide a candlelight church for the community because so many churches have to be closed at this time,” Addington says.

Churches in the region shifted from in-person Sunday services to services via the Zoom online platform during the COVID-19 pandemic. In-person candlelight services have also been curtailed.

“It will be on three different dates so if one works better for them, they can do that,” Addington says of the candlelight services at Becky’s Drive-In.

“We’ll have a self-contained bag that will have a communion set and an electric candle.”

After attendees arrive and park at Becky’s Drive-In, they are to remain in their vehicles.

“It is a time for miracles and it is a time we see God work in people’s lives. There are times that God, the Holy Spirit, really speaks to us. Christmastime is a good time for that.”

Addington says a lot of planning has gone into the candlelight services.

The 50-minute service will be pretaped at the BWC Ministry Center and projected on the large movie screen at Becky’s. If needed, the service will also be projected on the second screen at Becky’s. The sound will be heard via the radio in each vehicle.

Pastor Kevin Fetterhoff, BWC Cherryville lead pastor, will give the sermon. The Praise Worship Band, which accompanies services at the BWC Ministry Center, will perform. A children’s service is included.

“There will be pre-service videos,” says Addington. “One of them will be telling the Christmas story through the eyes of a child. There will also be Christmas trivia questions, some taken from the Bible and others taken from the traditions of Christmas.

“Sometimes somebody will ask, ‘Do we have to be a member to attend?’ or ‘Do we have to be a member to receive communion?’ All of our services and the communion table are open to all,” Addington says.

BWC’s Easter Services at Becky’s Drive-in generated regional and national media buzz.

“The Fox News Channel mentioned our drive-in service on its website and MSNBC actually sent a reporter and a couple of cameramen to our Easter Service at Becky’s Drive-in to report live from the service,” says Addington. “We had a couple of news services from Philadelphia come up, and an NPR station. It was just amazing the coverage that the drive-in at Becky’s got.”

For more information, visit bethanywes.org or call 610-767-1239.