By Parker McKenzie
For those who have a Christmas tradition of experiencing Church services, or want to try something new this year, here is what local churches in the Dandenong Ranges and Ferntree Gully are doing on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Throughout the hills, Catholic churches will be holding the following masses across Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
St Thomas More Church in Belgrave will have a 5.30pm carols, 6pm childrens mass, 11pm carols and an 11.30pm midnight mass on Christmas Eve. It will also have a 9am Mass on Christmas Day.
St Joseph’s church Emerald will hold a 6.30pm mass and St Paul’s Church in Monbulk will host a 7.30pm carols followed by an 8pm mass on Christmas Eve.
Sacred Heart Church in Gembrook, located at 95/93 Main Street, will have a Christmas Day mass on 25 December and St Paul’s Church in Monbulk will hold one at 11am. St Paul’s is located at
St Luke’s Church in Cockatoo will host a Christmas Eve service at 7pm and a Christmas Day service at 9am. Its sister church in Gembrook will host services at the same time.
Pastor Bill Morrison from Ferntree Gully Baptist Church said they will be holding a Christmas Day service at 9.30am.
“We are also having a carols service this Sunday at 10am,” he said.
The carols service will replace the regular Sunday service. The Baptist Church is located at 17 Hunter Street, Ferntree Gully.
St John the Baptist Church in Ferntree Gully will hold a Christmas mass on each Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. On Saturday 24 December, a family mass will be held at 6pm, with preceding carols from 5.30pm. A mass of Christmas Night will be held at 9.30pm with preceding carols from 9pm.
On Sunday 25 December, a Christmas Day Nativity of the Lord mass will be held at 9am and 11am. Normal services on Tuesday 27, Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 won’t be held. The church is located at 19 Forest Road, Ferntree Gully.
Boronia Road Uniting Church will hold a Christmas Day Mass at 9am on Saturday 25 December, with lifts available from Ferntree Gully Uniting Church at 8.30am. The church is located at Boronia Road, Zeising Court, Boronia.
