Friday | 24

Christmas Eve Services:

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church: Chapel Service, 2 p.m., 8501 S.E. 40th St. Candlelight Service: 4 p.m., 11 p.m., with communion in sanctuary. Lessons and Carols Service: 9 a.m., Dec. 26. (206) 232-3270, www.htlcmi.org.

St. Monica Catholic Church: Christmas Eve Mass, 4 p.m., 6 p.m., 8 p.m., 4301 88th Ave. S.E. Christmas Day Services: 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 12 p.m. (206) 232-2900, www.stmonica.cc.

Mercer Island Covenant Church: Family Service, 5 p.m., 3200 78th Ave. S.E. Candlelight and Carols: 11 p.m. (206) 232-1015, www.micc.org.

Mercer Island Presbyterian Church: Traditional Candlelight Services, 6 p.m., 9 p.m., 11 p.m., 3605 84th Ave. S.E. Children’s Christmas Pageant: 4 p.m. Family room available at all services. (206) 232-5595, www.mipc.org.

Redeemer Lutheran Church: Candlelight Service, 7 p.m., 6001 Island Crest Way. (206) 232-1711, www.redeemerlutheranmi.org.

New Hope International Church: 8-9:30 p.m., 9170 SE 64th St. Features live musical production, “Christmas Animals.” (206) 275-1042, www.newhic.org.

Congregational Church on Mercer Island: Candlelight Service, 9 p.m., 4545 Island Crest Way. (206) 232-7800, www.ucc-ccmi.org.

Tuesday | 4

MIHS Varsity Cheerleaders Basketball Little Cheer Clinic: 4-5:30 p.m., Jan. 4 and 6, 2011. Little Cheer participants will have the opportunity to cheer at halftime in the MIHS basketball game on Jan. 7. Open for elementary and pre-K girls. Contact: sandpang@yahoo.com.

Wednesday | 5

Probus Club of Mercer Island meeting: 10:30 a.m., Jan. 5, Mercer Island Presbyterian Church, 3605 84th Ave. S.E. Probus member, Ken Porter, will recount the adventures and science of the NASA Space Shuttle. The public is welcome. Bob Simonds: (206) 236-2190.

Thursday | 6

Mercer Island Visual Arts League (MIVAL) Membership Meeting: 12 p.m., Jan. 6, Emmanuel Episcopal Church Parish Hall, 4400 86th Ave. S.E. The public is welcome to attend. www.mival.us.

Infant/Child and Adult CPR with AED Class: 7-9 p.m., Jan. 6, Mercer Island Fire Station, 3030 78th Ave. S.E. $15 by check or cash at event. This is not a health care provider class. Reserve a space: call (206) 275-7607, Monday through Friday.

Upcoming

Sogetsu School of Ikebana Japanese Flower Arranging Winter Classes: 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Fridays, Jan. 14-Feb. 11, 2011, CCMV, 8236 S.E. 24 St. Instructor: Mitsuko Hakomori. Cost: $50 for 5 classes. (206) 236-3545.

Adult Flag Football League: Friday nights, Jan. 14-Feb. 11, 2011, South Mercer Playfields turf. Game times: 6:15 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 8:45 p.m. Registration deadline: Jan. 3. 6-on-6 teams. Eight games with two referees, intermediate-sized ball. Top teams go to playoffs. Mid-level league. Cost: $525. Contact: (206) 275-7609, Ryan.Daly@mercergov.org.

Events | Ongoing

Holiday Tree Chipping: Dec. 26-Jan. 10. Bring your undecorated holiday tree to the city’s Maintenance Shop at 9601 S.E. 36th St. during daylight hours for the city’s holiday tree chipping service. City staff will repurpose the tree for use in city parks, trails and open spaces. Flocked or artificial trees not accepted; remove all objects from trees. (206) 275-7608.

Christmas Tree Collection: Yard debris customers can set holiday trees out on their regularly scheduled collection day. Trees must be free of flocking and all objects, cut to 4-foot lengths and tied into bundles less than 2 feet by 3 feet wide. Use biodegradable string or twine; do not use nylon, plastic or other synthetic materials. Flocked trees are not recyclable and should be put in the garbage.

Mercer Island Guild of Seattle Children’s Hospital: The Guild is preparing the 2011 Mercer Island Directory. Residents who have moved to the Island or changed addresses or phone numbers, please send an update for the directory. Contact: Karin Pangborn, (206) 232-7046, miphonebook@gmail.com.

Groups | Ongoing

Mercer Island Lacrosse Club Tree Recycling: Lacrosse players will drive by and pick up undecorated Christmas trees from the curb on Dec. 30, Jan. 2, 8-9. De-ornament the tree, drag it to your curb and attach a Ziploc bag with a suggested donation of $20 per tree. This is the Boys Lacrosse Club’s largest annual fundraiser. Make a reservation: (206) 232-8775, laxtreepickup@hotmail.com.

Mercer Island Community Fund Grants: Grant applications are being accepted with a deadline of Jan. 31, 2011. It considers applications from organizations for funding that benefits the Mercer Island community in six categories. Contact Mercer Island Community Fund Grants Chair Gail Steinitz for information and guidelines: momda@mindspring.com.

Stroller Strides Class: 11:30 a.m., Monday, Wednesday, Saturday; 4 p.m., Tuesday, Friday, Club Emerald, 3028 78th Ave. S.E. Stroller Strides is a nationally acclaimed program that allows moms to exercise with their babies. This program encourages mothers to make strides not only in fitness but in motherhood and life by offering its registrants play groups and moms’ nights out, fostering a sense of community and support. (425) 466-3737, dawnminter@strollerstrides.net.

Mercer Island Visual Arts League Gallery: Exhibiting “Thought Provoking” fine art by more than 28 local artists. Find unique handmade paintings, glass art, ceramics, jewelry, photography, fiber arts and more at the Gallery. A percentage of each sale is used for MIHS art scholarships. Gallery hours: 12-6 p.m., Thursday, Friday, Saturday; 12-4 p.m., Sunday. www.MIVAL.us.

Library | Ongoing

Adults

Opera Preview: 7 p.m., “Barber of Seville,” Jan. 5. Norm Hollingshead’s commentary includes recorded musical excerpts from his collection of recordings.

One-on-One Computer Assistance: Do you need extra help on the computer? A KCLS volunteer instructor can give you one-on-one assistance. Call (206) 236-3537 to make an appointment.

Children & Families

Preschool Story Times: 11 a.m., Jan. 11, 18. Ages 3 to 5 with adult.

Baby Rhyme Times: 10 a.m., Jan. 11, 18, 25. Ages 3 to 11 months with adult.

Very Young Toddler Times: 10 a.m., Jan. 12, 19, 26. Ages 12 to 24 months with adult.

Toddler Story Times for Terrific Twos: 11 a.m., Jan. 12, 19, 26. Ages 24 to 36 months with adult.

Pajamarama Story Time: 7 p.m., Jan. 31. Ages 3 to 7 with adult.

Teens

Teen Zone: 1:45 p.m., Jan. 3, 24, 31. Hang out, do homework, play board games or chat. Teen Zone is a place to complete group work for school or catch up with friends. Ages 12 and older.

Teen Advisory Board: 7 p.m., Jan. 18. Voice your opinions on teen materials, services and programs while earning one volunteer credit hour. Light refreshments served.

Silent Study Time: 3:30 p.m., Jan. 18-21. Come to the small meeting room for silent study.

Group Study Time: 3:30 p.m., Jan. 18-21. Bring your books to study in the large meeting room.

Online Teen Readers: OTRs (ott-ers) are teens reading and talking about books on their own schedule online. Do you love to read, but never seem to have the time or the motivation? Would you like to read more, but you can’t think of a “good” book? If you answered yes to any of these questions, join OTRs.