Christian marriage

Christian marriage

VILLA MARIA, Pa. — Villa Maria Spirituality and Education Center, a ministry of Sisters of the Humility of Mary, will offer a retreat titled, “Practicing Christian Marriage,” from 1 to 6 p.m. Sept. 26. at Villa Maria Community Center.

Presenter will be Jim Merhaut, an award-winning author and Christian marriage and family expert. He is a national speaker who uses humor, storytelling, music and drama, all through a lens of faith, to engage his audiences in a wide variety of topics.

The cost is $75 per couple and includes candlelight gourmet dinner. Registration and payment is requested by Sept. 14. For information, contact Cindy Wilpula at (724) 964-8920, ext. 3241, or send e-mail tocwilpula@humilityofmary.org.

Bible in 90 days

NEW WATERFORD – Abundant Life Fellowship, 46469 state Route 46, will sponsor a Bible in 90 Days program starting at 7 p.m. Wednesday with a corporate worship service. In the program, participants read on their own and then gather once a week in small groups for discussion, questions and activities.

The church plans to offer several Bible in 90 Days small group gatherings Wednesday nights. There will be at least one small group gathering at 9:30 a.m. Sundays, and another in a home setting. One session will target teenagers. The Wednesday night groups will begin Sept. 16.

The Bible in 90 Days is a reading curriculum that helps people to attentively read the entire Bible. The Wednesday night curriculum will also include a class titled “Fighting the Flesh,” written and taught by Justin Daubenmire, a deacon. The class will deal with spiritual and practical strategies for overcoming daily life obstacles.

Also on Wednesday will be Kids for Christ, led and developed by Dee Cope, for children 4 to 12 years old. The program includes lessons, crafts and games.

Child care for children younger than 4 years will be provided. To register, call (330) 457-7317.

Concert set

AUSTINTOWN — First Free Will Baptist Church of Austintown, 5530 New Road, will sponsor a concert featuring the Keefers at 7 p.m. Wednesday. The group is a nationally known Southern Gospel ministry from Nashville, Ga.

St. John Chrysostom

YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown-Warren Chapter of the Society of St. John Chrysostom will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday at St. Edward Catholic Church, 240 Tod Lane.

David Mills, a former editor of “Touchstone: A Journal of Mere Christianity,” will speak. His topic will be “Sharing Mary: How to Talk to Protestant and Secular Friends about the Mother of God” and will be followed by a panel discussion.

Concert at church

GIRARD — First Christian Church, 140 E. Broadway Ave., will host a concert at 7 p.m. Sept. 13 with the Stevens family of Warren, who have had a music ministry since 1985. A free-will offering will be accepted.

Church musical

YOUNGSTOWN — St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church will celebrate its second annual musical featuring local choirs and soloists Sept. 13 at Reed’s Chapel, A.M.E. Church, 1939 Jacobs Road. For information or to participate, call Richard Robbins, chairman, at (330) 744-3231.

Fall program

WARREN — Central Christian Church, 2051 E. Market St., will begin its midweek series Thursday with dinner at 5:45 p.m. A free-will offering is accepted to cover costs. Three classes are offered from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. They are Bible Study on the book of Genesis led by the Rev. Jim Schimmel in the church library; a lecture series, “The Supreme Court: Its Purpose, Its Members and Its Decisions,” by Jim Tallman in the sanctuary; and book discussion on “The Purpose Driven Life:” by Rick Warren, led by Michael Gianoutsos in fellowship hall. Sessions will run through Nov. 19.

Call the church office at (330) 372-1676 for information.

Annual homecoming

POLAND — Poland Presbyterian Church will have its annual homecoming and outdoor worship service at 10 a.m. Sept. 13 on the Village Green. The service will be followed by a picnic provided by the parish life committee and casseroles by the congregation. Participants should take lawn chairs.

Installation set

YOUNGSTOWN — Elder John W. Jackson Sr. will be installed as pastor of the Word of Life Church of God in Christ, 2969 Carbone St., at 4 p.m. Sunday at Heavenly Place Church of God in Christ, 1359 Katherine St.

Bishop Warren E. Miller, jurisdictional prelate of the Central Jurisdiction of Ohio, will install Elder Jackson, who is the church founder.

Special speakers

HUBBARD — Bibleland Church of God in Christ, 3767 Jacobs Road, will host speakers at 7 p.m. Wednesday through Friday with host pastor, Eddie L. Jackson Sr. Speakers will be Bishop Warren E. Miller, prelate of Ohio Central Jurisdiction, Wednesday; a representative of Fair Temple Church of God in Christ in Cleveland, Thursday; and evangelist Brenda L. Austin, state mission president of Ohio Central Jurisdiction, Friday.

New church

AUSTINTOWN — Those interested in helping to start a new full-Gospel independent church are asked to contact the Rev. Glen Rader at (330) 219-3716, by e-mail to brader@neo.rr.com or by writing to Jesus=Heaven Church, P.O. Box 4854, Austintown, Ohio 44515.

Diocesan guild

NILES — The diocesan Infant Jesus of Prague Guild will meet Sept. 16 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 1527 Robbins Ave., for the rosary at 9:30 a.m. and Mass at 10.

A one-day bus trip, Oct. 7, is planned to the Basilica National Shrine in Washington, D.C. The bus will leave at 6 a.m. and return at 11:30 p.m. For information, call (330) 755-8316.

CROP Walk info

YOUNGSTOWN — Churches and organizations interested in participating in the annual CROP Walk for Hunger on Oct. 11 may pick up materials from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Mahoning United Methodist Church, 2214 Mahoning Ave. Information also will be available from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

Mahoning Valley Association of Churches will sponsor the five-mile walk at 2:30 p.m. starting at Park Vista Retirement Center, 1216 Fifth Ave., and a one-mile walk in Wick Park. The Rev. Joyce Lawson, pastor of Mahoning UMC, is walk coordinator. For information, call (330) 799-5318.

Celtic spirituality

YOUNGSTOWN – Eileen Novotny, program director at the Ursuline Center in Canfield, will share stories about the Catholic faith in Ireland in a program titled “Celtic Spirituality” at 11:30 a.m. Sept. 13 in Maxwell Hall at St. Brendan Church, 2800 Oakwood Ave.

This will be the first of three parish-sponsored renewal events this fall, conducted with partial funding from the Lilly Endowment Inc. of Indianapolis. St. Brendan Parish and its pastor, the Rev. James M. Daprile, were awarded $45,000 from the Lilly Endowment for renewal activities over a four-month period, from August through November.

Father Daprile’s sabbatical began in Ireland, the homeland of St. Brendan, the patron saint of travelers and sailors.

Novotny has traveled to Ireland many times, once making a pilgrimage in the footsteps of St. Columba.

One topic of her program will be high crosses, which in Ireland are 10 to 15 feet high, made of stone, and carved with interwoven designs or images from the life of Christ.

The program is open to parishioners and visitors. Light refreshments will be served. For information, call the rectory at (330) 792-3875.

City Prayer Team

YOUNGSTOWN — The City Prayer Team of Youngstown will have a prayer assembly at 10 a.m. today at Fifth Avenue Community Church, 1361 Fifth Ave.