Tonganoxie United Methodist Church is planning two evening services during the next few weeks.

The church’s Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service will be at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 24. And the church is planning an evening service at 11:30 p.m. Dec. 31.

Elderhostel programs available for seniors

For those 55 or older who have a yen for adventure, but don’t want to travel far from home, Elderhostel programs at Rock Springs 4-H Center may be for you.

Located 15 miles south of Junction City, Rock Springs 4-H Center will host a variety of mind-enriching programs for older learners from Kansas and throughout the United States. Participants will live on-site while studying subjects ranging from pioneers on the westward trails and Fort Riley, to the geology, flora and fauna of the Flint Hills.

Founded in 1975, Elderhostel is an international, non-profit organization that provides learning adventures for older adults at more than 1,900 educational and cultural institutions throughout the U.S. and Canada, and in 47 countries overseas.

For more information, call (785) 257-3551, Rock Springs 4-H Center, 5405 West Highway K-157, Junction City 66441.

Vinland living nativity celebrating 24th year

The Vinland Living Nativity will be open from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Dec. 21 through Dec. 23 in a barn on the top of the hill three miles north of Baldwin.

This is the 24th year for the event, and the 24th year that Herschel and Anne Hemphill, both 88, rural Baldwin, will participate in the presentation of the Vinland Living Nativity, sponsored by the Vinland United Methodist Church. “Our granddaughter was born that year and she was the first to represent the babe in the manger,” Mrs. Hemphill said.

“We have always been a part of the annual Nativity,” commented Herschel. “I have kind of directed the set-up of the barn and the parking areas mostly just because I was closest at hand,” he said. “And we have always had a lot of help from the men of the church.” He made special mention that credit was due to their neighbors, Wayne and Janel Coffman who introduced the idea for the Nativity and led the annual efforts until last year. Anne, his wife of 59 years, has for most of those years, manned the guest book table and has been in charge of seeing that any free-will donations left by Nativity visitors are forwarded to Youthville, Inc. “We have been giving the donated money to Youthville now for quite a few years, ” she said. “It goes to help out the troubled young people who need a place to live.”

Guests park just outside and file into the heated barn atop the hill just west of the intersection of Douglas County Roads 1055 and 460.

February trial set in Oskaloosa murder

An Oskaloosa man’s trial is set for February in the death of his 14-year-old sister-in-law.

A trial date of Feb. 22 was set last week in Jefferson County District for Floyd Bledsoe, 23, who is accused in the death of Camille Arfmann. The young woman was living with Bledsoe and his wife Arfmann’s sister at the time of her death in early November.

Jefferson County District Judge Gary Nafziger set the trial date. It is unclear how many days will be set aside for the trial.

Bledsoe is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated indecent liberties with a child.

Bledsoe remains in the Jefferson County Jail.

Historical society plans musical night

David Armstrong is leader for a musical program at Tonganoxie Community Historical Society on at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the home of Don and Patti Huebner.

David has degrees in music education and church music. He is director of recruiting and financial aid at Midwest Baptist Seminary, also seminary organist and accompanist. He is minister of music at Calvary Baptist Church in Lenexa and has performed with the Kansas City Civic Opera.