November is the month to observe Thanksgiving and also begin thinking about holiday shopping. We hope you started off the month right by turning your clocks back last Sunday, when daylight saving time ended.

Thanksgiving is late this year, Nov. 28. St. Peter’s Union Church is holding a joint Thanksgiving Eve service with Huff’s Church 7 p.m. Nov. 27 at St. Peter’s, 7863 St. Peter’s Road.

Meanwhile, there are at least two opportunities locally to begin your Christmas shopping and also help out two area churches.

Old Zionsville UCC will hold its 23rd annual bazaar and filled basket auction 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 9 at the church. There will be wonderful unique gifts for Christmas or other occasions. Come browse through the many crafters and vendors.

Check out the great auction baskets and buy tickets to win your favorites. Enjoy lunch (chicken potpie, potato corn soup and more) and don’t forget the bake sale. For more information, call the church office at 610-966-3601.

You can make it a day of shopping because St. Peter’s Union Church is holding its fall bazaar 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 9. There will be a raffle, craft and vendor tables and plenty to eat, including soups, barbecue, chicken pot pie and a variety of baked goods. Available on a first come, first served basis will be limited quantities of turkey and pork barbecue, pepper cabbage, homemade baked beans and cutout cookies, so come early.

Chestnut Hill Church, in Coopersburg, will hold its annual free spaghetti dinner 4-6 p.m. Nov. 9. Basket raffle tickets are available. Proceeds from raffle sales and the 50/50 donations will go to the Center for Humanistic Change. Go to the church web page for more details.

The Whine, Women and Worry group at Chestnut Hill Church is selling Perkins pies for Thanksgiving. Pick up your pies at the church 3 to 7 p.m. Nov. 27. Go to the church webpage for the list of pies and the prices.

The Hivel Und Dahl Preservation Society will meet 7 p.m. Nov. 26. Carolyn Lagler will lead a program on Thanksgiving in the Pennsylvania German Home, with family share memories.

The Upper Milford Historical Society usually meets 7 p.m. the last Thursday of every month, but will not meet in November or December. For information about the society, call 610-966-4376.

The Ladies Auxiliary of Citizens Fire Company of Vera Cruz will meet 7:30 p.m. Nov. 26 at the Vera Cruz Fire Department Social Hall. The ladies help support the department by lending a hand in fundraising and other assistance when needed.

For more information on fundraisers or how to join the auxiliary, email ladiesaux@vcfd28.com

The Western District Fire Company on Route 100 will serve breakfast 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dec. 1. For information on the breakfasts, call the fire company at 610-966-3541 or Carol Shade at 610-966-3902.

The Upper Milford Fire Company’s ladies auxiliary will meet 7 p.m. Dec. 2. New members are always welcome.

Vera Cruz senior citizens meet 1 p.m. Nov. 7 and 21 at the Vera Cruz Fire Company. All are welcome.

Lower Milford Township supervisors will meet 6:30 p.m. Nov. 7 for a workshop and a regular meeting Nov. 21.

Other Lower Milford meetings are as follows; historical commission, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 12; recreation and open space committee, 7 p.m. Nov. 13. The planning commission workshop scheduled Nov. 18 has been canceled.

There is a vacancy on the Upper Milford Township open space committee for a resident at large. If you would be interested in filling this vacancy, fill out a volunteer application and return it to the township office. If you have questions, feel free to call and inquire at 610-966-3223.

Upper Milford supervisors will meet Nov. 7 and 21. There is a workshop meeting 7 p.m. followed by the regular meeting 7:30 p.m.

The recreation commission meets 7:30 p.m. Nov. 18. The Joint Environmental Advisory Council won’t meet in November or December.

The open space committee meets 7:30 p.m. Nov. 13, only if required to conduct business. Check with the township office to find out if it will meet this month.

The emergency services committee has no meetings scheduled until 2020.

If you have news or information for this column, which runs the first Wednesday of every month, please call me at 610-838-8923 or email me at bruce.swan@rcn.com. My deadline is the Wednesday prior to the first Wednesday of the month.