Post Your Holiday Church Services on Brighton Patch

The Brighton Patch events calendar is a great place for local churches to post dates and times for special and regular services.

Between remembering to turn off the Christmas lights before bed and which sweater to get little Johnny, there are infinite things to remember during the holidays. Don't let church service be one of them. Brighton Patch is the perfect place to post special and regularly scheduled church services, so people can check one more thing off their to-do list this holiday season. Adding a church service on Patch is easy to do. Just click on the Events tab at the top of the page, and then click on Add an Event. Simple! Be sure to include as much information as possible -- especially if a particular service is for adults only. There's nothing more embarrassing than being the only person in church with a crying baby. Yikes. Take some of the guess work…

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'It's a Wonderful Life' Actress Recalls Classic Film Role in Visit to Plymouth

Virginia Patton of Dexter, who portrayed Ruth Dakin Bailey in 'It's a Wonderful Life,' appeared Sunday at the Penn Theatre in Plymouth.

OUTSIDE DETROIT-- Giving up a promising career in Hollywood to start a family might be a difficult choice for a talented young actress, but for Virginia Patton, the decision paved the way for a wonderful life away from the limelight. Patton, now 86, portrayed Ruth Dakin Bailey in the 1946 Frank Capra classic It’s a Wonderful Life, starring alongside such screen legends as James Stewart and Donna Reed at just 20 years old, but left acting soon afterwards to move to Ann Arbor to pursue a family with husband Cruse W. Moss, a successful automotive executive. Patton, of Dexter, and Moss appeared together Sunday at the historic Penn Theatre in downtown Plymouth for a screening of It’s a Wonderful Life, where the former actress signed autographs …

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5 Things to Know About Advent

Here are five things you probably never knew about the Advent season, which starts Dec. 2 and runs through Christmas.

The Christmas season officially starts in many churches in Brighton this weekend with the beginning of Advent. Here are a few things to know about the season. 1. Advent has a different start date each year In 2012, Advent starts Sunday, Dec. 2. Despite the fact that most people associate the beginning of the Advent season with Dec. 1, the official dates of the season actually change each year. An anticipatory recognition of the “second coming of Christ,” in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Moravian, Presbyterian and Methodist traditions; Advent is the period of time preceding Christmas, beginning on whatever Sunday is nearest to Nov. 30. Because start dates vary, so does the length of each Advent season. This year, Advent officially…

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Nicole Krawcke

1:26 pm on Sunday, December 2, 2012

That's great, Lisa! What kinds of treats do you put inside?   more ›

Grin and Parent

All I Want for Christmas is a Mountain of Gifts

Greed, instead of thankfulness, seemed to be a theme this Thanksgiving.

Each year, during the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, I envision my family sitting around a big table feasting on turkey and pie as we take turns giving thanks. To my dismay, however, that vision has never been fully realized. None of the Thanksgiving feasts I’ve been part of—even the ones I’ve hosted—have featured a slow, deliberate, public giving of thanks. In fact, as my husband and I made our rounds with our kids visiting family and friends this year, I noticed that many of the conversations ignored thankfulness and, instead, focused on greed. I want, I want, I want At our first stop, the children recited—with the skill of expert orators—long Christmas wish lists. When my sister expressed amazement at the length and detail of the …

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Patch's Holiday Event Guide for Metro Detroit 2012

Looking for some holiday cheer within an hour's drive? We've got lights, Santas, parades and more happing in the greater Detroit area.

We combed our Patches for some great holiday events to put together this list of holiday happenings all over Southeast Michigan. Get out and have some festive fun! Holiday Glow: Sat. Nov. 17 at 4 p.m. on Main Street in downtown Brighton. Brighton’s Holiday Glow launches the holiday season with live entertainment and dance performances from local companies, free hay rides, choo-choo train rides, a nativity petting farm, a station to write letters to Santa, pictures with reindeer, tasty holiday treats and special seasonal sales by local merchants. Santa and Mrs. Claus will join the Mayor of the City of Brighton at approximately 5:45 p.m. at the Mill Pond in downtown Brighton where Santa will be presented a key to the city and magically light…

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Weekend Countdown: Meet Santa and Mrs. Claus at Historic School

Bringing you the latest and greatest for the weekend in Brighton and the surrounding area.

Our pick for today: See Santa and Mrs. Claus at Circa-1885 One-Room Schoolhouse Where: Lyon One-Room Schoolhouse, 11455 Buno Rd, Brighton When: 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18 Cost: Free Why go: Enjoy old-time Christmas decorations authentic to the time period of the building, supervised make and take children's crafts, freshly-baked cookies and hot cocoa. Don't forget to bring your camera; it's the perfect opportunity to take family pictures with Mr. and Mrs. Claus ... free of charge. Come back to Brighton Patch tomorrow for more weekend-things-to-do options. Or, visit our Events guide here.

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Weekend Planner: 'Christmas Favorites', Roller Derby, Christmas Cantata, 'Messiah' and Park Workday

Here's a look at what's happening around town this weekend.

CHORALE CELEBRATES 20 YEARS WITH 'CHRISTMAS FAVORITES' Where: St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, 2201 S. Old US Highway 23, Brighton and Brighton Center for the Performing Arts (BCPA), 7878 Brighton Rd, Brighton When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10 (St. Mary Magdalen) and 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11 (BCPA) Cost: $13 for adults and $10 for seniors or students. Get tickets at Brighton Tux, Schafer's Music or at the door. Why go: Celebrate 20 years with the chorale and enjoy its Christmas Favorites. 2. 'WINTER WONDERSLAM' ROLLER DERBY BOUT Where: Rollerama II, 6995 Grand River, Brighton When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10 Cost: Tickets are $12 at the door or $10 in advance from a derby girl or www.brightonrollerdollz.com Why go: Watch Brighton Roller …

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Weekend Countdown: 'Searching for the King' Christmas Cantata

Bringing you the latest and greatest in Brighton and the surrounding area.

Our pick for today: 'Searching for the King' Christmas Cantata Where:  Shepherd of the Lakes Lutheran Church & School, 2101 S Hacker Rd, Brighton When: 4 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10 and 11 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 11 Cost: Free Why go: Searching for the King is a compelling dramatic Christmas musical. This dynamic contemporary story parallels the biblical story delivering a message as powerful as the prophets and as relevant as today’s headlines. Walter L. Black’s exciting script juxtaposes one of the Magi as he follows the Star of Bethlehem, with Benjamin, a soldier stationed in the Middle East 2,000 years later who is looking up at the same stars. They are both searching for the truth, and they both find it at the foot of the manger. Come back…

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