Thanksgiving services

Thanksgiving services

Information on services for Thanksgiving will be published next Saturday on the Religion page.

Please send complete church name, street address and city, time and date of service.

Send the information to Religion desk, The Vindicator, 107 Vindicator Square, Box 780, Youngstown, Ohio 44501-0780; by fax to (330) 747-6712; or by e-mail to religion@vindy.com.

Deadline to submit information is 5 p.m. Wednesday.

St. James’ 200th

BOARDMAN — St. James’ Episcopal Church, 7640 Glenwood Ave., in Boardman will celebrate its 200th anniversary during a festival Eucharist at 5 p.m. next Saturday.

The Right Rev. Mark Hollingsworth Jr., bishop of Ohio, will be present to celebrate the Eucharist and dedicate the newly designed St. James’ Alcove and bless two memorial stained-glass windows.

A dinner will follow in the parish hall. Reservations are required for the dinner; call the church office at (330) 758-2727.

Meeting of priests

YOUNGSTOWN — Bishop George V. Murry and the priests of the Diocese of Youngstown met in convocation Nov. 3-5 in Columbus to review and discuss a draft proposal for parish reconfiguration developed by individual parish committees, deaneries and the Strategic Planning Executive Committee.

After an extensive discussion, the draft will be returned to the Executive Committee, Deans and the Priest Council for further consultation and revision, where necessary.

The priests of the diocese also participated in a workshop led by the Rev. Stephan Dohner, pastor of Holy Martyrs Parish in Medina, and former director of the Marriage and Family Life Office for the Diocese of Cleveland. Father Dohner, a priest-psychologist, presented methods to help the priests of the diocese to respond to the needs of parishioners during the upcoming time of transition.

The consultative process on reconfiguration will continue until mid-February, when Bishop Murry will be presented with final recommendations from the Priest Council. A final decision will be made by the week of Pentecost, May 23, 2010.

Handling grief

NEW WATERFORD — Abundant Life Fellowship’s GriefShare ministry will host a public seminar, “Surviving the Holidays,” from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday to help people facing the holidays after a loved one’s death. The church is at 46469 state Route 46.

The free seminar features video interviews with top Christian experts on grief and recovery topics as seen from a biblical perspective. Leading the event will be Betty Welker and Jay Radman, both members of the church. Part of the seminar includes support-group discussion of materials presented.

For information, call Welker at (330) 549-3455 or the church office at (330) 457-7317.

Hymn fest planned

YOUNGSTOWN — Thomas Pavlechko, concert organist-composer, will present a “Hymnfest for Harvest” at 7 p.m. Nov. 27 at Martin Luther Lutheran Church, 420 Clearmount Ave., in conjunction with the church’s 150th Anniversary celebration.

The Christine Knuth Memorial Fund will be underwriting the event.

Pavlechko studied under the longtime organist of Martin Luther Lutheran Church. Lord of Life Lutheran, Bethlehem Lutheran and St. John’s Lutheran are among the churches in the Youngstown area where he served as organist. From 1994-2000, he served as director of music and principal organist at St. Martin’s Lutheran Church in Austin, Texas. From 2000 to 2006, Pavlechko was the organist-choirmaster at Calvary Episcopal Church in Memphis, Tenn., where he led the combined choirs and choristers on a pilgrimage to sing at the Washington National Cathedral. In 2006, he returned to St. Martin’s Lutheran in Austin, as cantor and composer-in-residence.

The concert is free and open to the public; a free-will offering will be taken. A reception will be in fellowship hall after the concert.

Holiday event

YOUNGSTOWN — Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church, 252 E. Wood St., will host a Christmas celebration Dec. 2 sponsored by the Infant Jesus of Prague Guild. The rosary will be at 9:30 a.m. and the Mass at 10. Reservations must be made by Nov. 24 with guild representatives; the luncheon cost is $13.

Nonperishable items will be collected for the food pantry.

Ministry ‘coats’ dogs

GIRARD — The Prayer Shawl Ministry of Unity Church Centre presented a handmade dog coat to the K-9 unit at Liberty Police Department. Patrolman Ray Buhala accepted for his dog, Capo.

The ministry made the coat as part of its “Make a Difference” Day project. The ministry made coats for the K-9 Units in Trumbull County and also knit/crocheted pink hats for the American Cancer Society’s Breast Cancer Awareness.

Church anniversary

BOARDMAN — Good Hope Lutheran Church, 98 Homestead Drive, will celebrate its 80th anniversary during the 11 a.m. service Sunday. The congregation selected the Iglesia Luterana “La Trinidad” Latino ministry of Canton as the recipient of its anniversary gift. Members are raising $100 for each year they have been a congregation and have reached the halfway point. Pastor Miguel A. Acosta is the mission developer of La Trinidad and ta visited Good Hope.

Appointment made

YOUNGSTOWN — Bishop George V. Murry of the Diocese of Youngstown has appointed the Rev. Charles Poore as administrator of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish in Lowellville, effective Nov. 27.

Father Poore was ordained June 10, 1989, after seminary studies at Mt. St. Mary Seminary in Cincinnati. He served as associate pastor at St. Charles Church in Boardman; St. Michael Church in Canton; St. Joseph Church in Austintown and St. Rose Church in Girard. He served as administrator at St. Rose of Lima Church in Youngstown, and most recently as pastor of Sacred Heart Church. Father Poore also served as a member of the diocesan Priests’ Council.

Hymn singalong

GIRARD — A gospel hymn sing-along is planned next Saturday at New Life Christian Fellowship, 2088 Tibbetts Wick Road. Fellowship will begin at 6:30 p.m and the music at 7.

On life span

GIRARD —Current medical experimentation is working on extending the human life span by offering both more durable implants and regenerative therapies that will enable the replacement of almost all body organs.

Is it a good idea to continue to extend the average life span? How do we determine who gets such costly medical procedures?

These and other related questions will be the basis for a dinner and discussion Sunday at First Presbyterian Church of Girard, 890 Churchill Road. The supper begins at 5 p.m. and the discussion at 6.

New location

AUSTINTOWN — Austintown Trinity Chapel, formerly located on Oakwood Avenue, has relocated to a larger facility at 4199 Kirk Road, formerly the Lynnkirk Church of Christ,. Pastors are Ron Blakeman and Cary Dabney. Worship is at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sundays.

Dedicated to the arts

YOUNGSTOWN — First Unitarian Universalist Church, corner of Elm and Illinois streets, will present a service at 11 a.m. Sunday dedicated to the arts.

The service, organized by Roger Jones, will include special banjo music by Kim and Joe Kengor, oboe music by Nathan Welch, poetry readings by Roger Jones, Karen Schubert and Jennifer Centric, and modern dance interpretations by Susan Miracle and Kathleen Murray.

Mayors’ prayer breakfast

YOUNGSTOWN — Mahoning Valley Association of Churches will sponsor its annual mayor’s prayer breakfast Nov. 24 at Mahoning Country Club, 710 Liberty St. Guest speaker will be U.S. Congressman Tim Ryan. He will be introduced by Bishop Elizabeth Eaton of the Northeast Ohio Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.

Music will be provided by a choir from Girard High School, directed by Sue Ellen Davis.

Call MVAC at (330) 799-5318 for details.

Music program

AUSTINTOWN — The Keelings, a southern gospel group, will present a free concert at 7 p.m. Sunday at Austintown Community Church, 242 S. Canfield-Niles Road. A free-will offering will be taken.