Our Savior Lutheran Church, 13611 Laurel Bowie Road, invites us to celebrate the holiday season with a concert featuring carols and anthems for orchestra, organ, handbells and choir. The event will be held Sunday, Dec. 21 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the church.Admission to the concert is free, but in the holiday spirit the audience is asked to bring a nonperishable food item, which will be donated to the Elizabeth House Soup Kitchen in Laurel. Refreshments are available after the concert and child care is available. For more information, please call 301-776-7670.
On Sunday, Dec. 7, the Montpelier Arts Center hosted its annual Holiday Open House. There was lots of holiday cheer to go around, including a caroling session and refreshments.A highlight of the event was the annual Patuxent Art League Juried Competition. Melissa Price and Susan Jurow served as co-chairs of the show, which drew a large enthusiastic crowd and an amazing variety of work from area artists.The entries were judged by Lisa Semerad who has studied fine and commercial art at Northern Virginia Community College, and has been a professional artist and teacher in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area since 1982. She currently teaches at The Art League School in Alexandria, located in the Torpedo Factory Art Center. Lisa gave an inspirational talk regarding the elements she looks for in judging art work. First prize winner was "Through the Eye of the Needle," an intricate scratch board rendering of the heads of two camels by Francis Edward Sweet; second prize went to "Child in the Middle," an oil, acrylic and pastel offering from Ada Ghuman; and Karen Norman was awarded third prize honors for her watercolor "Intervention." Be sure to stop by and view the exhibit, which closes on Dec 31. For more information, call Montpelier Arts Center at 301-377-7800.
A large, festive crowd accepted Councilwoman Mary Lehman's invitation to a Holiday Mixer on Dec. 2 at the Laurel-Beltsville Senior Activity Center.Bright holiday colors were visible in the great room decorations and in the sparkle and glitter among the community residents – in the smiling faces as well as the holiday attire. State, county and local elected officials joined the festivities, as did representatives from the Laurel Fire Department and Prince George's County Police Department. The buffet provided food for the body, and the musical entertainment and a magician offered fun for the spirit. But the best part was the opportunity to mix and mingle with community residents, to greet old friends and to make new ones.
If you are wondering how to keep children busy during the holiday school break, why not consider the Kids' Day Out program available starting Dec. 22 at Deerfield Run Community Center, 13000 Laurel Bowie Road. Children ages 5 to 12 are eligible to participate in arts and crafts, games, roller skating and other activities.Check out specific details on SmartLink or call 301-953-7882.
Keep hearing those sleigh bells ringing and have a happy and healthy holiday!