EVENTS

EVENTS
Graduates honored
YOUNGSTOWN -- Two churches will be honoring graduates in their congregation this Sunday.
Holy Trinity Missionary Baptist Church will have its recognition service at 11 a.m. The speaker will be John Atwood of Maple Heights, Ohio, who is a Youngstown native and one of the authors of the book, "Blue Spots, Yellow Spots."
At Elizabeth Missionary Baptist Church, graduates will be honored during a vespers service at 11 a.m. The speaker will be Dr. Earnest Perry.
Summer solstice
VILLA MARIA -- EverGreen will present "Flaring Forth from the Sun: A Summer Solstice Celebration" from 7 to 9 p.m. June 21 at Villa Maria Community Center. People may register or just attend. An offering will be taken. For more information, call (724) 964-8920 ext. 3350.
Pastor reassigned
WEST MIDDLESEX, Pa. -- Monsignor Joseph Riccardo has been named pastor at Immaculate Conception Parish in Clarion, Pa., effective Aug. 1. The monsignor, 53, has been pastor of Church of the Good Shepherd Parish in West Middlesex since last August. The native of Lock Haven, Pa., was ordained in 1975.
Ohio State Day
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The first major Ohio State Day at Washington Cathedral will be at 11 a.m. June 17. The cathedral honors states with an observance every four years. The Right Rev. Kenneth L. Price Jr., bishop suffragan from The Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio, will lead worship. After the service, tours will highlight items in the sixth-largest cathedral in the world that were made by Ohioans.
Sister-to-sister retreat
YOUNGSTOWN -- Union Baptist Church will have its fourth sister-to-sister retreat Nov. 16 to 18 at Sawmill Creek Lodge in Huron, Ohio. The theme is "Women Coming Together to Change Lives, One Life at a Time." A $50 deposit must be paid by July 29. For more information, call (330) 746-1217.
MUSIC
Contemporary concert
HERMITAGE -- Mercer County Cursillo will sponsor a free concert by Donna Cori Gibson at 7 p.m. Sunday in Notre Dame Church. She has been called the "Celine Dion" of Catholic contemporary music, and is the music minister at Our Lady of Swan Valley Catholic Church in Swan Valley, Montana.
Salsa and hip-hop
YOUNGSTOWN -- "A Father's Love" is the theme of a concert at 6 p.m. June 16 at Spanish Evangelical Church. La Orquesta Nissi will perform salsa music and Infinite will perform hip-hop.
Christian concert
LIBERTY -- Ivan Parker, recipient of the 1998 "Soloist of the Year" award from the Southern Gospel Music Association, will perform at 7 p.m. July 1 at Church Hill United Methodist Church. The former lead singer of the Gold City Quartet began a solo career in 1994. Tickets are $10 each. Call (330) 759-0118.
Youth choir performs
YOUNGSTOWN -- The White River Youth Choir of Muncie, Ind., will perform at 7 p.m. June 18. The 39 singers will perform a variety of music. An offering will be taken.
Gospel expo in January
WARREN -- The North East Ohio Gospel Connection Expo at the Holiday Inn Metroplex Jan. 11 and 12 is designed to give soloists, groups and choirs the opportunity to build their portfolio. Steve Bingham of Tryscot Records in Indianapolis, Ind., will give seminars. For more information, call (330) 395-6755.