Christmas at Trinity Lutheran Church in Grove City will be held this Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon in the church fellowship hall. Brunch is $13 for adults, $6 for children 10 and under, and $4 for a roll and coffee – with take-outs available.
Janelle Johnson says they are going to try having two lines this year so the brunch can be served quicker, and they will have pre-packaged decorative cookies, candy, ethnic goodies – including lefse, a bake sale, quilts, crafts, cards, napkins and more. She says they’ve been doing this for three decades and everyone pitches in, with many members using their special talents.
Johnson says Trinity Lutheran Church will also be hosting the Grove City Fire & Rescue Holiday Express on Saturday, December 13th from 4:30-to-7 p.m. She says there will be a pasta meal, bake sale, sleigh rides and a visit by Santa.
Johnson says a couple of new shops opened in downtown Grove City in time for the holiday season at 204 Atlantic Avenue with Monica Watry operating Redeemed Relics, and she and her daughter, Gabby Swisher, operating Hometown Style Boutique. Gabby says they had a well-attended soft opening last weekend for Hometown Style Boutique, which will be open this Saturday from 9-to-1, and on December 11th from 4-to-7 p.m.
Swisher says they are going to offer new women’s clothing the first of the year and she will be posting the days and hours of operation on her Facebook page.
The Litchfield City Council held the truth-in-taxation hearing Monday evening at 6 p.m. No one from the public attended.
Mayor Ron Dingmann says the Council had considered a levy increase of 7.8% last September, but lowered that and approved of a 6.86% increase on Monday evening or $4,052,020. He says the budgets for 2026 were also approved, and the City continues its philosophy of spending on need – not just on budget – so if money is left at the end of the year, it’s not just spent willy-nilly, but moved to where funds are needed.
Mayor Dingmann says the Litchfield City Council approved of a certificate of appropriateness for the G.A.R. Hall at 308 North Marshall Avenue for exterior improvements that will be made to the building. He says the Council also heard an update Monday evening about efforts that are being made to try to slow down traffic on 5th Street – especially in the Gilman Avenue area.
Mayor Dingmann says the 5th Street/Gilman Avenue area gets especially congested before and after school, so motorists may want to avoid that area at those times. He says the Council also learned on Monday evening about the information that has been sent to the VA regarding land available in Litchfield for a possible community-based out-patient clinic.
The Meeker Area Ministries (MAM) Christmas Carols and Holiday Cheer event will be on Thursday, December 4th at 7 p.m. at the Litchfield Opera House. Some of the Litchfield High School choir members will be singing and treats will be served.
Julie Pennertz says a testimony will be shared from someone who has been helped by their program of finding housing for the homeless. She says Meeker Area Ministries has an apartment complex with three units and a handicapped unit that is undergoing renovation, along with a couple of transitional units and two motel rooms, and a big part of their ministry is helping the homeless to build trust.
Pennertz says Thursday evening’s event at the Litchfield Opera House is a good way to learn more about MAM and kick off the holiday season. She says it will help you think about ways that you can help other people.
Rochelle Brummond says their units are always full and the average stay is 42-days. She says it is difficult to find affordable housing.
Brummond says MAM works alongside United Community Action Partnership (UCAP) as they help people transition into a more normal lifestyle with permanent housing. She says if anyone has questions, they may call her at 320-693-7911, extension 1401, and donations to MAM may be mailed to Post Office Box 192 in Litchfield.