• Musical program — 3 p.m. Nov. 22. Classical concert by Trio CGY. First United Methodist Church, 201 Martina St., Point Richmond. Free. 510-236-0527, www.pointrichmond.com/methodist.

  • Community Thanksgiving Dinner — Nov. 26. 11:30 a.m. Interfaith worship service. Noon-2 p.m. Thanksgiving dinner. First United Methodist Church, 201 Martina St., Point Richmond. Free. 510-236-0527, www.pointrichmond.com/methodist.

  • Sing-Along Messiah — 7 p.m. Nov. 29. Singalong or listen to the masterwork of Georg Frederich Handel. With Jim Cismowski, Minister of Music, conducting, musicians from the Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra, FPCC's Cathedral Choir, and soloists. Program notes provided. Free-will offering. All offerings received exceeding expenses will benefit the Bay Area Rescue Mission in Richmond. First Presbyterian Church of Concord, 1965 Colfax St. 925-676-7177.

  • Yard sale — 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 5. Variety of household items all donated by congregation members. Proceeds will benefit the church basketball team for uniforms, gym rental, referees, league fees, and go toward scholarships for players with financial needs. East Bay Free Methodist Church, 5395 Potrero Ave., El Cerrito. 510-232-5410.

  • Temple Beth Hillel — Hanukkah celebration and annual latke party, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
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    Dec. 6. All the trimmings, celebratory Hanukkah candle lighting, religious school performance. Bring food donations for the Richmond Emergency Food Pantry. Holiday fundraiser and Rock the House Dinner Dance, 7 p.m. Dec. 12. Mediterranean food, desserts, wine, dancing to The Back Pages. 801 Park Central, Richmond. Reservations and donations, 510-223-2560, tbrichmond@hotmail.com.

  • Food Pantry Food Drive — Temple Beth Hillel continues its East Bay Emergency Food Pantry Food Drive. The two most needed items are breakfast cereal and peanut butter. Those wishing to donate can bring nonperishable items to the synagogue lobby, 801 Park Central, Richmond. Monetary donations can also be made directly to the Richmond Emergency Food Pantry, 2369 Barrett Ave., Richmond, CA 94804. 510-526-7205, www.tbhrichmond.org.

  • Contemplative Prayer Taizé service — 7:30 p.m. first Sundays monthly. Taizé style prayer, using simple chants with music and periods of silence. All welcome. Hope Lutheran Church, 2830 May Road, El Sobrante. 510-222-6394, hlutheran@yahoo.com.

  • Motivational Monday Prayer and Bible Study — 7 p.m. Mondays. Greater Purpose Church, Courtyard Marietta Hotel, 3150 Garrote Way, Richmond. Free. 510-224-7361, www.greaterpurposechurch.org/.

  • New Life in Christ Recovery — 7 p.m. Saturdays. Faith-based 12-step recovery program. New Life Christian Center, 4333 Appian Way, El Sobrante. George Mares, 707-384-1512.

  • Temple Beth Hillel — Family Service: 6:30 p.m. first Fridays monthly. Vegetarian potluck dinner followed by a Kabbalat Shabbat and Shabbat evening service at 7:30 p.m.; adult-centered Shabbat service: 7:30 p.m. third Fridays monthly; weekly lay-led Torah Study: 10:30 a.m. Saturdays. 801 Park Central, Richmond. 510-223-2560, www.tbhrichmond.org.

    ELSEWHERE

  • First Church of Religious Science — 11 a.m. Nov. 22. Speaker: the Rev. Margaret Stortz. Topic: "A Pumpkin's Eye View of Thanksgiving." The Clarewood Singers provide music throughout the service followed by the annual First Church Thanksgiving Potluck Feast. Vallejo Spiritual Center, 223-225 Springs Road. 707-319-9084.

  • Seminars with Father Peter Bowes — The Divine Feminine: Following Your Intuition, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 27. The Purification of the Soul, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 28. Light lunch included. Center of Light, 2944 76th Ave., Oakland. RSVP to revrachel@centersoflight.org, 510-207-6593.

  • Power of Myth at the Movies III: The Search for Meaning — 7:30-9 p.m. first Tuesdays monthly. The movie for Dec. 1 is "Being There." Watch movie before attending class. Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley, 1 Lawson Road, Kensington. $5 suggested fee. Richard Stromer, 510-682-6302.

  • Personal Theology — 10-11 a.m. Sundays. Dec. 6: Fear of Dying: Is it Justified? Dec. 13: Cultivating Loving Kindness (Metta): a Traditional Buddhist Practice. Dec. 20: Social Class, Dreams, and the Nature of Pradox. Dec. 27: Canticle to the Cosmos. Vol. II the Primeval Fire ball. Jan. 3: Emily Dickinson's Spiritual Odyssey and Religious Poetry. Jan. 10: America's Sacred Ground and the Market Place. Jan. 17, 24, and 31: Exploring the Many Ways to Cultivate Happiness and Joy in our Lives from the World's Religions. Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley, 1 Lawson Road, Kensington. 510-525-0302, ext. 306.

  • Bodhicharyavatara study — 10 a.m.-noon, first and third Sundays monthly. Lama Drimed will teach from Shantideva's famous text, "Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life." In Mandarin with translation into English and American Sign Language. Adults, teens, families welcome. $10. Orgyen Dorje Den, Vajrayana Buddhist Meditation Center, 2244 Santa Clara Ave., Alameda. 510-337-1164, www. orgyendorjeden.org., denise.lai@alamedanet.net.

  • Introduction to Meditation and Christian Mysticism — 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Learn the principles of meditation. 2944 76th Ave., Oakland. RSVP to 510-207-6593, revrachel@centersoflight.org.

  • Kol Hadash — The congregation celebrates major Jewish holidays, holds special events and meets at the Albany Community Center, 1249 Marin Ave. Shabbat at 7:30 p.m. fourth Fridays monthly. Sunday school and bar/bat mitzvah classes two Sundays a month. Family Brown Bag Shabbat at 11 a.m. second Saturdays of odd months at the Albany Senior Center, 846 Masonic Ave. 510-428-1492, www.kolhadash.org.

  • Jewish Culture School — Registration is open for Jewish Culture School, a nonreligious Jewish Sunday School sponsored by the Tri-Valley Cultural Jews. Students from nontraditional and mixed-culture families are welcome. The school meets twice a month and is open to ages 5 to 13. Registration/information: 925-485-1049, jcs@tri-valleyculturaljews.org.