Tamaqua news

Christmas trees

The Borough of Tamaqua's Street Department will be collecting discarded Christmas trees throughout January.

Residents are to place their trees curbside on their regular trash collection days.

Trees will be collected as time and weather permit.

Trees must be free of all tinsel and decorations. Residents are also asked to remove any plastic bags from the trees.

Trees may also be dropped off behind the Tamaqua Borough Garage, at 421 rear E. Broad St.

No trees will be collected after Jan. 31.

St. John Lutheran

The Rev. Phyllis Wolford will officiate at the 9:15 a.m. worship service this Sunday in St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church. Sunday school and Confirmation classes will meet at 10:30 a.m.

Activities for next week include: Monday, learning ministries committee will meet at 6:30 p.m.; Thursday, Messenger assembly at 1 pp.m., Angel Choir rehearsal at 6 p.m., Shepherd Choir meets at 6:30 p.m., Chancel/Adult Choir rehearses at 6:30 p.m.

Bethany EC

The Rev. Kevin Roberts will officiate at the 8 a.m. traditional and 10:30 a.m. contemporary worship services this Sunday in Bethany Evangelical Congregational Church. Nursery care and primary church are provided at the later service.

Sunday school classes will be held at 9:30 a.m. with a presentation from the Binders concerning their mission trip to Africa.

Also on Sunday, the monthly worship service at the Hometown Nursing Center will be held at 2:30 p.m.

Activities for next week will include: Tuesday, Prayer time at 8:30 a.m.; Wednesday, Tamaqua Youth Ministry meets at 6:30 p.m.; Friday, 24 Hours of Prayer event begins at 8 a.m.; Saturday, musician rehearsal at 9 a.m., Praise practice at 9:30 a.m.

Calvary UM

Lay Leader Terry Gerber will offer the sermon at this Sunday's 10:25 a.m. worship service in Calvary Evangelical United Methodist Church. Sunday school classes meet at 9:15 a.m.

Wednesday prayer and praise services are held at 7 p.m. in the church.

Board of Health

The January meeting of the Tamaqua Board of Health was held at the municipal building with Randolph Gormley, James Gormley, Earl Boettger, Shirley Becker and Health Enforcement Officer James Barron in attendance.

Barron provided his end-of-year report, noting he made 80 general and 49 spot check inspections during 2011, collecting $2240 in fees. He also issued 80. There were no cases of reportable diseases for the year.

The board also re-organized, retaining the current slate of officers going into 2012. Those officers are: Randolph Gormley, president; James Gormley, vice-president; Shirley Becker, secretary. Board members and their terms of office are: Dr. Joanne Calabrese - Dec. 31, 2012; Shirley Becker - Dec. 31, 2013; Randolph Gormley - Dec. 31, 2014; James Gormley - Dec. 31, 2015; and Earl Boettger - Dec. 31, 2016.

The board will meet the first Tuesday of each month, at 10 a.m., in the Tamaqua Municipal Building.