On Sunday, December 8th at 3 p.m., Bill Carter and the Presbybop Christmas Eve Band will play here for Union’s Advent Jazz Vespers. The band will play jazz variations of seasonal favorites including a medley from “A Charlie Brown’s Christmas.” The congregation will sing a few Christmas carols from our blue hymnal but with jazzy accompaniments. It will last about an hour and will be followed by a reception in Fellowship Hall hosted by the Bicentennial Committee. This will be fun so invite your friends and neighbors.

Bill Carter, piano, was born in Owego, and is now the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, near Scranton. He writes and arranges music for the band, and leads from his piano. Bill’s church has an 11 p.m. Christmas Eve service every year with this band. Most of the pews are packed with church and community members as well as people from afar. Other members of the band are Tony Marino, bass, Tyler Dempsey on drums, Mike Carbone, sax, and Jeff Stockham, trumpet. Mike is local but the others are from Syracuse to Scranton. The band’s CD’s and DVD’s will be on sale in Fellowship Hall at the reception.