Bishop to speak

Bishop to speak
YOUNGSTOWN -- Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton of North Canton, resident bishop of the East Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church, will preach at the 11 a.m. service March 7 in Centenary United Methodist Church, 1413 Belmont Ave. He has been bishop since 1996 and is the second black bishop to oversee the conference that includes 825 churches and more than 187,000 congregants.
'Passion' movie program
CORTLAND -- Cortland Trinity Baptist Church, 2576 McCleary-Jacoby Road, will have a five-week series of sermons titled "The Passion -- True or False?" tied to Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ." The sermons will focus on biblical and historical evidence about the life, death and claims of Jesus. The series will include a live satellite broadcast with Lee Strobel, a former atheist who is now a Christian, at 7 p.m. April 4.
The services, at 9:30 a.m. unless otherwise specified, are: March 14, "Jesus Is the Son of God -- True or False?"; March 21, "Jesus Is the Only Way to God -- True or False?"; March 28, "Jesus Died for You -- True or False?"; April 4 (Palm Sunday), "Next Door Savior," a video presentation by Christian author Max Lucado, and at 7 p.m., "The Case for Easter" with Strobel; and April 11 (Easter), "Jesus Is Alive -- True or False?"
Singer to perform
HOWLAND -- Radio personality and soloist Jan Markowitz from radio station WCRF 103.3 FM in Cleveland will perform after the service at 10:30 a.m. March 14 at First Baptist Church of Howland, 8957 E. Market St. There will also be a fellowship dinner. Call (330) 856-5612.
Priest appointments
YOUNGSTOWN -- Bishop Thomas J. Tobin of the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown has made the following clergy appointments: the Rev. Thomas P. Dyer, recently appointed president of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Louisville, will also serve as administrator at St. Ann Parish in Sebring, effective Monday.
The Rev. Leo Wehrlin, currently pastor of St. Ann Parish and part-time director of the Office of Vocations, has been appointed to the director's position full-time, effective last Monday.
Father Dyer was ordained in 1969, and Father Wehrlin was ordained in 1993.
Good Friday program
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Youngstown YMCA will have its annual Good Friday breakfast and service from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. April 9 in the YMCA's Community Gym, 17 N. Champion St. A breakfast buffet will be provided by Cafe Roma at 7:30 a.m. The U.S. Army Color Guard will give a presentation at 8 a.m. Author and inspirational speaker Mary Ellen Boomhower of Girard will speak, and music will be provided by Kelly Leson from Boardman High School.
Boomhower's 1992 book, "Feet First," describes her 10-year battle with diabetes that included blindness, amputations and dialysis. She is no longer diabetic or blind because of a pancreas-kidney transplant in 1989. Proceeds from the book go to research for a cure for diabetes.
Tickets are $7.25 each or $56 for a table of 8. Call (330) 744-8411.
Lenten aid program
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Diocese of Youngstown will again participate in the annual Operation Rice Bowl, the Catholic Relief Services' Lenten program that began Ash Wednesday. Catholics are asked to abstain from one meal a week during Lent while praying for peace and justice. The money saved from the meal is given to parishes during Holy Week to help the hungry. In 2003, 75 percent of the $81,955 collected in the diocese was sent to CRS, the official overseas development and relief agency of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops; 25 percent remained in the diocese.
Chestnut Ridge church
HUBBARD -- Evangelist Rev. Richard Bradley will be the guest speaker at 7 p.m. March 3 in Chestnut Ridge Church of God, 7215 Chestnut Ridge Road. The church will also host a book study on "The Purpose-Driven Life" by Rick Warren at 6 p.m. Sundays from Sunday through April 4. Books are available at the church for $7 each.