Church events usher in the Christmas season

Island churches will offer music, drama and a heap of snow to bring people into the spirit of the Christmas season.

» Kawaiaha'o Church will set the stage for the opening of Honolulu City Lights today with a 5 p.m. concert featuring children. The Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus, the Kawaiaha'o Choir and Bell Choir will sing favorite carols in the church across from Honolulu Hale.

» The seven names of the Messiah will be the theme of the Advent Procession concert at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow at Lutheran Church of Honolulu, 1730 Punahou St. The church choir will lead the congregation in singing the names from the Great "O" Antiphons, which are also found in the Advent hymn "O Come, O Come Emmanuel." Carols and anthems will be performed by the choir directed by Carl Crosier, Allen Bauchle and Keane Ishii and accompanied by Katherine Crosier. Fabric banners made by congregation members will be carried in musical procession.

» The audience will have a chance to sing along to Handel's "Messiah" in a 5:30 p.m. concert tomorrow at Christ Church Uniting, 1300 Kailua Road, Kailua.

» Advent lessons and carols, from ancient plainsong to 20th-century music, will be presented at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow at St. Andrew's Cathedral, Queen Emma Square, by the cathedral choir, hand-bell performers and organist Arlan Sunnarborg.

» A family sing-along of familiar Christmas songs, secular and sacred, will begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday at St. Andrew's Cathedral. Laurence Paxton will be master of ceremonies. A reception will follow the free concert.

» The "Singing Christmas Tree" of choristers will perform in shows Thursday through Dec. 10 at the First Assembly of God, 3400 Moanalua Road. The program will begin at 7 p.m. nightly, with pre-show music beginning at 6:40 p.m. A musical drama, "The Fourth Wise Man," will be enacted. Free tickets are available at Logos Bookstore in Ward Warehouse, Agape Shoppe in Kailua, the Cathedral Bookstore in Ala Moana Center and at the church office. Call 836-2300 for information.

» A chorus of 175 voices will sing Hawaiian songs and traditional Christmas music next Saturday at Kawaiaha'o Church in the Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus Christmas Concert. "Our Island Home" is the theme of the free 7 p.m. concert at 957 Punchbowl St.

» Children will have the fun of playing in five tons of snow next Saturday at Calvary Church of the Pacific, 99-400 Aiea Heights Drive, Aiea. "A Winter Wonderland" will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Santa Claus will be available for photos from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The free event will also provide Reindeer Games and Santa's Craft Shop for children from kindergarten through sixth grade. Call 488-6825 for information.