You are invited to the 2024 Nativity Festival, “A Journey to Bethlehem”, to be held on Saturday, November 30. Doors will open at 1 pm, and there will be a carol sing at 7pm. Bring your family and friends! Enjoy the live music while viewing over 200 nativities on display. Refreshments are provided, as well as a children’s activity table. Admission is free! Start off your holiday season by immersing yourself in the true meaning of Christmas, Christ’s birth. Sand Lake Alliance Church, 55581 county road 4, Spring Lake, MN 56680

On Saturday, November 30th 10am-5pm and Sunday, December 1st 11am-4pm, Image Photography of Bemidji will be doing the much-anticipated beloved annual Santa Paws fundraiser at Great River Rescue, 1612 Carr Lake Road SE, Bemidji, MN 56601.

Bring your pet or pets, and get a professional family portrait of your pet(s) either with or without you, with a Christmas themed backdrop, while enjoying some cookies and hot chocolate. These photos are perfect for a framed family photo or made into cards. Photo packages begin at $20, and others will be available at the time of the appointment.

Schedule your Santa Paws appointment at  https://doodle.com/bp/greatriverrescue/santa-paws-2024

The monthly Bemidji Full Gospel Men’s Prayer Breakfast is being held on Saturday, December 7 at the Beltrami Electric Conference Room (4111 Technology Dr NW). Starting at 8:00, a light breakfast (fruit, rolls, etc) will be served followed by a time of music and sharing of testimony. This month’s featured speaker is Ryan O’Leary.

Dr. Ryan O’Leary is a member of the Bois Forte Band of Ojibwe in northern MN. Ryan has also been married to his wife Kristen for over 21 years and has four children. Ryan grew up playing hockey and eventually played collegiately at the University of Denver and was drafted to play professionally by the Calgary Flames in the 4th round back in his draft year. Along with Ryan’s hockey background, he also has an extensive ministry background having served as a lead pastor for two congregations for a total of about 13 years.

Ryan currently works for a global missions organization and leads two ministries while he is based out of Bemidji where he and his family reside. First, Ryan leads a ministry called the “First Peoples Initiative”, which involves developing a ministry to all of the First Peoples groups in North America with there being around 9.5 million tribal members in the U.S. and about another 2 million First Nations people in Canada.

Ryan also serves as President of the National Association of Native Evangelicals here in the United States and serves on the National Association of Evangelicals board of directors based out of Washington D.C.

The Mount Zion Christmas Cookie Sale is being held Saturday, December 7 from 9am to 2pm. Receive a cookie box to fill, pick your favorite assortment and pay by the pound for your cookies and baked items! There will also be a craft sale featuring small Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers, cooking and baking supplies, vintage ugly sweaters and much more! Join the fun and get in the Christmas spirit at Mt Zion Church, 414 Lincoln Ave SE, Bemidji–use main parking lot door. All money received will go to the upkeep and improvement of our building, the old Lincoln school in Nymore.

First Presbyterian Church of Bemidji is holding their Second Annual Christmas Carol Community Sing-Along on Sunday, December 8, 2024 at 3 p.m. The music is all familiar sacred and secular Christmas songs. Accompanists are Darlinda Coe (organ) and Wayne Hoff (keyboard) with other possible accompanists. A big thank you to the community for a successful inaugural event last year. We hope this Sing-A-Long will deliver fun for the whole family for years to come! Cider, coffee and cookies follow. There will be a free-will offering. The church is located at 501 Minnesota Ave, Bemidji.

The Strathcona Live Nativity will be on Sunday, December 8, starting at 5:00p.m. and will cycle every 15 minutes.
This is a great event to bring the whole family out to. You will be able to remain in your car and watch the live nativity unfold. The audio will be transmitted on to your FM radio.
This year’s Live Nativity will be hosted by Guy and Marvel Strandberg – 18713 County Line Rd NE, Strathcona MN (4.75 miles east of Strathcona on County Rd 108)

In partnership with United Way of Bemidji Area and First National Bank, the Holiday Gifts for Kids program is now accepting new, unwrapped gifts for children aged newborn to 17 in our community. Donations can be dropped off at the following locations until December 9th: First National Bank (main branch only), L&M Fleet, Menards, Walgreens, Bemidji Ambulance, MJB Home Center, and the Tourist Information Center.

Registration forms for the Holiday Gifts for Kids program are now available. This program is designed for families with children aged newborn to 17 who live in Beltrami, Clearwater or Hubbard Counties. Please note that only one registration form is permitted per child/family. Gifts will be provided to children who are pre-registered and meet the program’s guidelines, which can be found on the registration form. Families can pick up and return registration forms at any of the following locations: Beltrami County Public Health (WIC) Office, Northern Dental Access Center, First National Bank (main branch only), and the Boys & Girls Club of the Bemidji Area. For your convenience, the registration form is also available online at www.unitedwaybemidji.org/holiday-gifts-kids.

**Please remember, the registration deadline is Tuesday, December 9, 2024**