• Rising from the ashes: The Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church will reopen its newly rebuilt sanctuary Wednesday, two years to the day after it was destroyed by fire.
• Part of its annual fundraising drive, the Fraternal Order of Police will join together with 100 local children Monday at The Avenues Mall for its 7th annual “Shop with an F.O.P. COP” holiday shopping trip. The children are nominated by several local organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, 100 Black Men of Jacksonville, Police Athletic League, Mayor’s Hispanic Advisory Board and Jacksonville Housing Authority to be one-on-one with an officer to spend a $75 gift card. One of the goals of the program is to reinforce positive interaction between children and officers, said FOP President Nelson Cuba.
• Speaking of holiday shopping... Jaguars’ running back Maurice Jones-Drew might have been on the field last night, but this morning he’ll be with more than 70 children from the Sulzbacher Center’s aftercare program for a shopping spree at the Toys “R” Us at St. Johns Town Center. Hosted by the Maurice Jones-Drew Foundation, the children will receive $100 gift cards purchased by the organization for spending on holiday gifts.
• Florida State University football fans have one more reason to be up early for the Gator Bowl, which kicks off at 1 p.m. New Year’s Day. The Seminoles’ team bus will stop behind the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville at 10:30 a.m. and the team will walk down Adams Street between lots J and M and into the stadium, so fans can welcome the team and head coach Bobby Bowden as he prepares for his last game as coach of the Seminoles.
• The Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting is Jan. 14, but before that there’s another major program on its calendar. The Chamber’s 23rd Annual Martin Luther King Breakfast is Jan. 8 from 7–9:30 a.m. at the Osborn Center.
• Over the next couple months, the University of North Florida’s Small Business Development Center will host several informative workshops for aspiring- or current business owners. “How to S-T-A-R-T-U-P Your Own Business,” on Jan. 19 and Feb. 23 will go over seven basic requirements for business startup, while “Tax Facts” Jan. 26 will help business owners make their taxes more manageable. The last workshop, “Where’s the Money? And How Do I Get It?,” is Feb. 18 and will discuss financing options available to small businesses. Each workshop is $40 in advance, $50 at the door. For more information, go to www.sbdc.unf.edu.
• Still looking for that perfect holiday gift? Fans of Chamblin’s Downtown homemade Cranberry Chutney can pick up a jar of the tasty holiday side dish at the store at 215 North Laura St. for about $6.