epiphany

Epiphany Lutheran Church opens the doors to its Nativity Village display of 100 Fontanini figures and buildings on Thursday, Dec. 4, from 7 to 9 p.m.

Anne Arundel Religion briefs

The Rev. Bonnie McCubbin, 27, will be celebrating her first Easter next month as pastor of Good Shepherd, a United Methodist congregation of 60 members. While it's the biggest UMC in Hampden, that's not saying much, as mergers in recent years have left only two UMC churches in Hampden. She is one of only three full-time pastors in the area of any denomination. We profile her.

This holiday season, Santa Claus Anonymous mailed roughly 15,000 gift certificates to families in Baltimore and nearby counties for parents to use to buy presents for their children. The charity is in its 79th year.

Women of Faith Christmas at Hope Baptist Church; Holiday Craft Fair and Winterfest at Church of the Resurrection; Holy Trinity Music Ministry's Christmas concert are some of the events being held in Laurel area churches for the holidays.

St. Philip's Episcopal Church, in Laurel, opens its doors for Thanksgiving Day dinner. Laurel Lions Club is holding its annual Christmas tree sale at Laurel Shopping Center parking lot. First United Methodist Church is hosting its annual bazaar Dec. 7. The Woman's Club of Laurel invites families to "Breakfast with Santa" Dec. 7. Holy Trinity Lutheran Church presents its annual Christmas concert Dec. 8.

Leta Dunham got a breakfast order to go on Roland Avenue Wednesday morning: a grande triple skim latte in her cup, and on her forehead, an ashen reminder that we are all destined to dust.

Christmas is a time to say, I love you; so says Canadian rock star Billy Squire. It's a season when bells will be ringing, according to Southern California's Eagles. Notably, it's the season when Bing Crosby and countless others have been dreaming of a little snow.

Iconographer Wayne Hajos practices his craft at Orthodox Church of St. Matthew, in Columbia