Opera benefit concert set

STEUBENVILLE — An Italian Opera benefit concert to raise money for the nonprofit Homeward Bound of Steubenville, will be held at 7 p.m. Dec. 13 at the Sycamore Youth Center, located at 301 N. Fourth St. Soprano Shelley Jackson will be accompanied by pianist Sadie Hoyt. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting eventbrite.com.

Grinch meal new at McDonald’s

STEUBENVILLE — The holidays can be chaotic, but area McDonald’s restaurants are helping to alleviate some of that stress by offering its new Grinch Meal. Fans can feed their inner Grinch beginning Dec. 2, with a mischievous meal that includes dill pickle Grinch Salt McShaker fries, a tangy twist on McDonald’s french fries; a choice of a Big Mac or 10-piece chicken McNuggets and a medium drink.

A pair of spirited socks are available in green, blue, red and yellow, scribbled with a special message from the Grinch, himself.

Live Nativity set for Dec. 14

WINTERSVILLE — The 14th-annual Live Nativity at Starkdale Presbyterian Church is scheduled to be held beginning at 5 p.m. on Dec. 14. The presentation will be repeated six times, taking place every half-hour. The final performance will start at 7:30 pm.

The Live Nativity is an indoor/outdoor production about the birth of Jesus, followed by an opportunity to pet the animals, meet the cast and enjoy refreshments in the fellowship hall.

The pastor of Starkdale, the Rev. Carl Moore, will be present to welcome and visit with guests following the event.

Officials announced this is one of the ways the church can share the gift of Jesus with the community during the Christmas season.

The journey begins at the Bethlehem Inn, held indoors. Guests will be greeted by the innkeepers, who explain they have no room due to an order made by Caesar Augustus that each person must register in his hometown for the census. The innkeepers will explain they just turned away a young couple, who is expecting a child.

Along with the innkeepers, centurion guards and tax collectors will be on hand to make sure every person registers and pays taxes, per the order of Augustus.

Guests are summoned by a shepherd and led through the streets of Bethlehem, which will be the church hallway, and led into a field (the church sanctuary), where another shepherd will begin the narration about the birth of Christ.

Officials said an angel will then appear to the crowd and sing, “Mary Did You Know?” The angel is joined by a myriad of angels — the Starkdale Choir — with heavenly voices.

Attendees will be led outside to the nativity scene of Mary, Joseph and Jesus.

Angels, shepherds and animals will be at the manger. The angels will continue the narration and lead the crowd in singing Christmas carols.

The Three Kings make an appearance as they bear gifts to the guests in attendance. Following the nativity scene, guests will be led into the fellowship hall and treated to homemade cookies and hot drinks prepared by the Starkdale congregation.

To accommodate guests, a shuttle van service will be offered, with additional parking in the lot behind McDonald’s and Trinity Express Care.

For information about the presentations or Starkdale activities, contact the church office at (740) 264-5309 or visit starkdale.org or its Facebook page.

The event is free of charge.