?Night in the Barn? set for Dec. 20-21

The annual ?Night in the Barn? living nativity event by the youth group of Tabor Mennonite Church is scheduled for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 20-21 at the farm of Maynard Knepp and Carol Duerksen, located between Goessel and Hillsboro.

This year?s come-and-go program will feature Mary?s story as well as the usual menagerie of animals that make the unique event a growing tradition for hundreds of people.

Christmas carols around a bonfire, hot drinks, and sales of a youth group cookbook and year-long devotional book will also be available. The devotional book, ?Now It Springs Up,? is co-written by Duerksen, Michele Hershberger, and Laurie Oswald Robinson.

For more information, call 620-367-8432 prior to the event. Directions to the farm: from Goessel, 3 miles north, 4 east, three-quarter north; from Hillsboro, 4 miles south on Indigo, 3 west, three-quarter north.

Public invited to HMBC musical

The public is invited to hear the Hillsboro Mennonite Breth?ren Church choir present the Christmas musical, ?Joy, Joy, Joy,? by Craig-Claar and Clydesdale during the Sunday worship service on Dec. 14.

The service will begin at 10:40 a.m.

Fundraiser planned for Senior Center

Pizza Hut is donating 20 percent of its sales from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 11 to the Hillsboro Senior Center. The money will help the center with its ongoing expenses.

Coupons are available at the Senior Center, 212 N. Main, or at Pizza Hut, 903 E. D St. on the display table the night of the fundraiser.

For more information, call Velma Hadley, 947-3802.

Musicians to help with rededication

The public is invited to an afternoon of music, history and fellowship at the 70-year rededication service of a 1938 organ in the sanctuary of the Peabody United Methodist Church, 401 Sycamore. The service will be at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14.

Following the program, refreshments will be served in Fellowship Hall.

Musicians for the dedication include Catherine Bergman, Allan Comstock, Paul Moore, Chris Shaw Annette Weems and Virginia Skinner.

In addition to being one of the musicians, Skinner researched information and found an article in the April 19, 1917, edition of the Peabody Gazette-Herald which stated ?there were only four pipe organs in Marion County and three of those are in Peabody, in the Methodist, Presbyterian and Lutheran churches.?

No mention was made of where the fourth organ was.

In 1938, the Methodist organ was replaced with a new, eight-rank Kimball pipe organ given by Bessie Burton in memory of her husband. An organist came from what was then Kansas State Teachers College in Emporia to play the dedication service.

Besides organ, piano, flute and bassoon music, interesting historical information from Peabody in 1938 will be featued.

A number of former members, as well as descendants of those involved in the original dedication, are expected to attend.

For more information, call Skinner at 620-983-226 or 983-2998.

Goessel students to perform Dec. 16

Kindergarten through fifth grade students at Goessel Elementar will be presenting their Christmas program at 9:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16 in the school?s gymnasium.

Students in kindergarten through third grade will be presenting ?Dear Santa.? Songs retell some of what children write to Santa in their annual letters. Third grade students are featured as narrators and will read some of their own letters to Santa. The presentations are under the direction of Marcia Brubaker and student teacher Ann Labes.

Greg Bontrager and Labes will direct the fourth- and fifth-grade choirs and the fourth-grade recorder ensemble. The choir will present Christmas choral pieces including the Swedish carol ?Sankta Lucia? and familiar carols, ?I Saw Three Ships? and ?Carol of the Angels? (Angels We Have Heard on High). Fifth-graders will play instrumental parts for the songs. Brubaker will accompany the choir.

Kindergarten through fifth grade choir will lead the audience in ?O Come, All Ye Faithful? and ?Silent Night.?

The public is invited.

Special Education Board meeting set

The Marion County Special Education Cooperative Board of Directors will meet for their monthly meeting at 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 15, in the Marion County Special Education Cooperative conference room at 302 W. Eighth St., Florence.

For more information, call 620-878-4720.

Durham schedules holiday event

The Durham community will celebrate the coming of Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 13.

Events include horse-drawn Tram Rides from 5 to 8 p.m. Hot dogs, cookies, apple cider and hot chocolate will be served in the community center where everyone can join for fellowship.

Christmas candy sacks will be given to the children. The celebration is being sponsored by the Durham Activity Group.

Billboards focus of Kiwanis meeting

Business marketing students from Tabor College will present a powerpoint presentation at noon Dec. 16. The program is on Hillsboro billboards and their effectiveness. The event is being held in conjunction with the regular Kiwanis Club meeting.

Non-members can make meal arrangements for the noon meeting by contacting Kirby Rector at 947-5435.

Legion Auxiliary meeting Dec. 16

The monthly meeting of the Hillsboro American Legion Auxiliary will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16 at Post 366. Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of the month. All members and guests are welcome.

For more information, call Jane Long, 947-3184.

Sign-up assistance offered for seniors

The Marion County Depart?ment for Elderly is providing assistance to seniors seeking enrollment in a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan before the Dec. 31 deadline.

The department can help compare plans and sign up seniors who want to change their current coverage.

Seniors who switch to a new plan should do so sooner than later so the change can be processed by Medicare before the end of the year.

Many seniors in Marion County have also received information about Medicare Advantage plans.

For more information about these plans, call 620-382-3580 or stop by the office, located in the Marion Senior Center. Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Library program offered Dec. 10

?Christmas with Denise Matz? will be the program for the Marion City Library's Lunch n' Learn from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10.

Reservations are required. Lunch is $5. Call the library at 382-2442. ?Denise will demonstrate Christmas arrangements, wreaths and much more,? a library spokesperson said.

Meeting scheduled for book group

Hillsboro Public Library's Book Discussion Group will meet with Mentor Study Club at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 12, at Little Pleasures Coffee House for its December meeting.

Members and guests will discuss favorite holiday reads. Coffee will be complements of the library.

Drive-thru nativity planned Dec. 13

The Hillsboro United Methodist Church invites the public to experience a biennial Hillsboro Christmas event.

The Christmas-Drive Thru will be presented in Memorial Park in Hillsboro from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13.

Admission is free. Visitors will observe the magic and mystery of the biblical Christmas story as portrayed by living actors, and through Scripture readings with a newly recorded sound track as your guide through the scenes of the Nativity.

The Christmas-Drive Thru is the church?s way of celebrating the joy and anticipation of the season with the communities in the area.

Christmas program planned Dec. 14

The public is invited to a children's Christmas program at 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14 at Cotton?wood Valley Baptist Church, 315 S Main, Hillsboro.

The midweek service for the week of Christmas has beenchanged from Wednesday to Tuesday evening. Every midweek service starts 7 p.m. All are welcome to attend.

Disability board meeting Dec. 15

The Board of Directors of the Harvey-Marion County Com?munity Developmental Disability Organization will meet at 4 p.m. Monday, Dec. 15 in the Commission Meeting Room of the Harvey County Court?house. An opportunity for public forum will be available.

Family invites all to 85th birthday

The family of Martin Hajek invites family, friends and neighbors to celebrate Martin?s 85th birthday from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13 at the Tampa Senior Hall. Cake and ice cream will be served. Cards may be sent to him in care of: St. Luke Living Center, 535 S. Freeborn, Marion, KS 66861.