Church association plans prayer breakfast Nov. 25

staff report

YOUNGSTOWN — Mahoning Valley Association of Churches will sponsor its 23rd annual Mayors’ Interfaith Prayer Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Nov. 25 at the Maronite Center, South Meridian Road.

Guest speaker will be Bishop Elizabeth Eaton of the Northeast Ohio Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. In 2007, she was elected bishop Feb. 1 and installed Feb. 3.

In her address, she will explore the proper role of people of faith in America’s political process by looking back and forward.

The program also will feature prayers from three religious traditions. Entertainment will be provided by the chorus of Volney Rogers Middle School and directed by Mark Halls.

Bishop Eaton earned a master’s degree at the College of Wooster and a master of divinity degree in 1980 from Harvard Divinity School. She served as an assistant pastor at All Saints Church in Worthington and as an interim pastor at Good Hope Lutheran Church in Youngstown.

In 1991, Bishop Eaton became pastor at Messiah Lutheran Church in Ashtabula, where she was at the time of her election. She succeeded Bishop Marcus J. Miller, who resigned to become president of Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, S.C.

She oversees 316 pastors and 205 congregations with 84,236 members. The bishop’s term is six years.

This year, MVAC will recognize the work of the CROP Walk Committee. Area projects in Youngstown and Warren took place Oct. 12.

The cost is $20 a person or $150 per table of eight. Sponsor names for the program must be received by Nov. 14. For information, call (330) 799-5318.