Events

The Sacred Music Chorale presents its 2005 Christmas concert, “Our Finest Gifts We Bring,” at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16, at Mercer Island Presbyterian Church, 3605 84th Ave. S.E. The suggested donation is $5 to $10 at the door.

Community-wide Hanukkah Celebration is from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18, at the Stroum Jewish Community Center, 3801 E. Mercer Way. Activities for the entire family. Free and open to everyone. For more information, call Roni Antebi at 232-7115, ext. 269.

The Argosy Christmas Ship will stop from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18, at Luther Burbank Park beach. Featuring the Columbia Children’s Choir. No cost.

Blood Drive is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Dec. 19, at Farmers New World Life, rooms two and three, 3003 77th Ave. S.E.

Lions Club Christmas Tree Sale is: from 1 to 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays, and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays, to Dec. 20, or until supply lasts, at Farmers Life Insurance Company, 3003 S.E. 77th Ave. To volunteer, call Celia Meredith at 236-3075 or Dave Hatch at 232-2715.

The Mercer Island Directory is updating the directory for the year 2006. Call Karin at 232-7046 or LaVerne at 232-0762 before Friday, Dec. 23, with changes or additions. Proceeds from book sales go to Children’s Hospital in Seattle.

Volunteers

Volunteers are needed at Mercer Island Youth & Family Services, 2040 84th Ave. S.E. For more information, you can reach Janis Honkawa by e-mail at Janis.Honkawa@ci.mercer-island.wa.us or call 236-3525.

Clubs

Family Caregivers Support Group will meet from 3 to 4 p.m. today at the Mercer Island Senior Health Center, 7707 S.E. 27th St. For all individuals who care for and about an aging family member. No registration required. Call 425-688-5637 for info.

Mercer Island Preschool Association events:

? Musical storytelling is at 10:15 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 15, at Soundbridge at Benaroya Hall, 800 University Street, Seattle. No cost. Register with Kristine at 709-8343.

The Kiwanis Club lunch meeting is at noon Tuesdays at Island House, 7810 S.E. 30th St. A series of health care issues will be the focus of December’s meetings. The speakers will be: Dec. 20, Anna Arakaki Lock, administrator at Covenant Shores retirement facilities. The cost is $6.

Mercer Island Business Womens’ Network will meet from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 3, at The Islander restaurant, 7440 S.E. 27th St. Contact Naomi Mason at 275-1181 for more information.

Boy Scout Troop 624 is accepting new members. Boys 11 to 18 can join by attending a meeting at 7 p.m. Mondays at Mercer Island Presbyterian Church, 3605 84th Ave. S.E. Call Jon at 230-5640 for information.

Library

The following events take place at the Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave. S.E., unless otherwise noted. Please call 236-3537 for more information.

Talk Time English Conversation Class is from 7 to 8:30 p.m. today. Adults of all ages are welcome. English as a second language conversation class.

All Island Classics on Film will show “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18.

Teen Academic Mentors informal tutoring for third to eighth graders is from 3:30 to 5:45 p.m. Tuesdays, in the teen section. No charge. For more information call Daniel Masler, teen services librarian, at dmasler@kcls.org.

SCORE Counseling for business owners is at 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m. every third Thursday.

Boys & Girls Club

Unless noted, all events take place at the Boys & Girls Club, 2825 West Mercer Way. Register online at www.mipositiveplace.org or call 232-4548.

Judo Program for 6- to 15-year-olds is from 6 to 8 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. The cost is $35 per month. Call to register.

Parks & Rec

The following programs are run by the Parks & Recreation Department. Call 236-3545, or register online at www.myparksandrecreation.com. Unless noted, all classes will be held at the Community Center at Mercer View, 8236 S.E. 24th St.

Solemates will walk from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. today, from the Luther Burbank main parking lot. The cost is $2 per person.

Fitness Boot Camp is from 6 to 7 a.m. Mondays through Fridays, Jan. 3 through Jan. 31, at the North Mercer gym, 8817 S.E. 40th St. The cost per person is $90 for three days a week and $150 for five days a week.

Women on Weights is from 6 to 7 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays Jan. 4 through Jan. 30. Another session is from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, Jan. 3 through Jan. 26. The cost $106 per person for the first session and $120 per person for the second.

Handling the Hills Cross Country Skiing is from 10 a.m. to noon Sunday, Jan. 8, at the Summit at Snoqualmie. The cost is $32 per person. Call for registration and directions.

Kick Start Fitness: is from 6:45 to 7:45 a.m. Mondays and Thursdays, Jan. 9 to Feb. 16; from 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. Tuesdays, Jan. 10 to Feb. 14, and from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturdays, Jan. 14 to Feb. 18. The cost for the Mondays and Thursdays session is $85 per person. The other two sessions are $60 per person.

Seniors

Caregivers Support Group holiday party is from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15, at the Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave. S.E.

Eastside Stroke Group is from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 19, at St. Andrews Lutheran Church, 2650 148th Ave. S.E., Bellevue.

Parkinson Support Group holiday party is from 2 to 3:30 p.m.Tuesday, Dec. 20, at the Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave. S.E.

Transportation for Mercer Island appointments on Friday, Dec. 16. Call 236-7297 for reservations.

Trip to Anacortes Chocolate Factory and more is from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6. Meet at the Community Center, 8236 S.E. 24th St. The cost is $26 per person.

Senior Lunch is from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Take the bus from the Community Center, 8236 S.E. 24th St. to Covenant Shores, 9150 Fortuna Drive. The cost is $4.45 per person. Call for reservations.

Senior Men’s Tennis players needed. From 6:45 to 8:30 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the Seattle Tennis Center. Call Al Skinner at 232-3450 for more information and to join.

JCC

Unless noted, all events take place at the Stroum Jewish Community Center, 3801 E. Mercer Way. For more information, call 232-7115.

Live Jazz at Lunchtime for seniors is from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15, in the auditorium. Bring a brown bag lunch and enjoy jazz pianist Richard Dean. The cost is $1 for refreshments. Underwritten by Sunrise Assisted Living of Mercer Island.

Winter Break Camp 2005! is from 9:30 to 3:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 19, through Friday, Dec. 30. Field trips may include ice skating, bowling, Family Fun Center, Science Center, IMAX and Seattle Children’s Theatre. Contact Sarah Jaffee at 232-7115 ext. 242 or sarah@sjcc.org to register. The cost is $40 per day per child.

Art Show: The Painted Lady art display is in the fitness wing. Sandra Glazer Lake and Ellen Borison are the artists. Show ends Thursday, Jan. 12. No cost.

Galleries

Mercer Island Visual Arts League Holiday Show is from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, through Dec. 29, at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 8501 S.E. 40th St. Paintings, sculpture, cards and jewelry created by local artists will be sold.

Brenda Zager, Bill Mohn and Cynthia Nuzzi will exhibit their artwork through January at the French Market Cafe, 7525 S.E. 24th St.

Jean Davis will show her watercolors at the Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave. S.E., through December.

The Chamber Art Gallery’s mixed-media holiday art show runs through Jan. 6 at 7613 S.E. 27th St.

Religion

Redeemer Lutheran Church: For information you can call Pastor Bill at 232-1711 or e-mail Redeemerlutheranchurch.us. The church is at 6001 Island Crest Way.

Mercer Island Presbyterian Church: Children’s Choir Chime Magic class for first to third grades is from 4 to 5 p.m. Mondays. Call Cheryl Storey at 232-5596, ext. 211, for more information. Super 60’s meets in the courtyard from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. today featuring “The Christmas Story” by MIPC’s preschool and Covenant Shores Men’s Chorus. Bring $5 for a gift exchange and $5 for the lunch. Dec. 16 at 9:15 a.m. there will be a family carol sing-along in the sanctuary. Wednesday, Dec. 21, “The Longest Night” a service of light in the midst of darkness, will be in the fireside room. Christmas worship services on Saturday, Dec. 24: one designated for families is at 4 p.m. and traditional candlelight services are at 6 p.m., 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. Christmas Day, Sunday, Dec. 25 and New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, 11 a.m. service in the sanctuary. The church is at 3605 84th Ave. S.E.

Congregational Church of Mercer Island: Worship service and Sunday school are at 10:30 a.m. Sundays. Communion service is the first Sunday of the month. Spiritual Formation Group meets at 7:30 p.m. the first and third Tuesdays. Middle School youth meet from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays. Bible study classes are at 8 p.m. Wednesdays and at 10 a.m. and 6:15 p.m. Thursdays. Weavers Womens Group meets at 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 17, Senior brunch is after worship Sunday, Dec. 18. Children’s Christmas Pageant is at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 18. Church council meets at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 19, in the library. The church is at 4545 Island Crest Way.

Mercer Island Covenant Church: Sunday services are at 9 and 10:45 a.m. and 6 p.m. Adult and children’s Sunday schools are at 9 a.m. Pastor Greg’s Advent sermon series, “From Humbug to Hallelujah,” is at morning services. The high school youth group meets at 4:45 p.m. Sundays. Middle school youth meet at 7 p.m. Tuesdays. Community dinners are at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Women’s Oasis is at 9:15 a.m. Thursdays. Christmas Day service Sunday, Dec. 25, is at 10:45 a.m. New Year’s Day services Sunday, Jan. 1, are at 10:45 a.m. and 6 p.m. For more information, call 232-1015, ext. 100. The church is at 3200 78th Ave. S.E.

Christian Science Church: The Christian Science Reading Room is at the Christian Science Church at Island Crest Way and S.E. 47th Street. The room is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Mondays. Call 232-0175 for more information, or e-mail fccsmi@attglobal.net.

Emmanuel Episcopal Church: Sunday service, Rite I, is at 8 a.m. Rite II, with choir and church school, is at 10 a.m. Children’s Choir is at 11:30 a.m. The church is at S.E. 44th Street and 86th Avenue S.E.

Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation: Anniversary signature lecture series for fall and winter is beginning: “A Woman’s Journey in the Rabbinate” is at 7:30 p.m. tonight. The speaker will be Rabbi Eilberg. The cost is $10 for each session. Latkes, bunuelos (fried sweet puffs that can be glazed with brown sugar-maple syrup or sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar) and more, OH MY! is at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 18. Volunteers are needed to help cook. Contact Donna Peha at 425-277-8857. HNT Hanukkah Party 2005 is from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 25. Food, raffle, music and entertainment for all ages. Call 232-8555 for reservation. Men’s Club organizational brunch is at 10 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 4. All are welcome. Contact Peter Michel at mensclub@h-nt.org. Israel Defense Forces Musical Ensemble is at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17. Tickets are $25 for adults, $10 for seniors and children. For reservations contact Neil Goldberg at 425-753-5550. Israeli dance for adults is at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Led by Gail Levy. The cost is $5 per session. All are welcome. Help us help the victims of Hurricane Katrina by sending a check made out to Herzl-Ner Tamid and earmarked “Hurricane Relief.” For more information, call 232-8555. The synagogue is at 3700 East Mercer Way.

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church: Sunday worship services are at 8 a.m. in the chapel and at 10:15 a.m. in the sanctuary. Education hour is at 9 a.m. Dinner service is at 6 p.m. Wednesdays, followed by Bible studies and outreach projects. The church is at 8501 S.E. 40th St.

Mercer Island United Methodist Church: Christian education is at 9:45 a.m. Sunday and worship is at 11 a.m. First Sundays are “Shine Sundays” until February. Bring shoes and the Costa Rica Travelers will polish them for $2 per pair. They will be ready for pickup after worship. The church is at 7070 S.E. 24th St.

St. Monica Catholic Church: Friends of the Needy will help serve and deliver food to downtown shelters from 5:15 to 7:15 p.m. Tuesdays. Meet in the church kitchen. Join the St. Monica youth choir for the 6 p.m. Mass. Vocals, piano, flute, violin, and bass needed. For information, contact the youth minister at 232-9829 or at sage@stmonica.cc. The church is at 4301 88th Ave. S.E.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Christmas Nativity program is from 4 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 24, at 4001 Island Crest Way.

Off Island

Free hearing screening for all adults is from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 19, at The Hearing, Speech & Deafness Center, 1625 19th Ave., Seattle. Call 323-5770 for appointments.