RELIGION DIGEST || Farewell reception

Farewell reception

mineral ridge

First Presbyterian Church, 3654 Main St., will host a farewell reception from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday for the Rev. Mark F. Phillips, who began his ministry at First Presbyterian in August 1994.

The Rev. Mr. Phillips has accepted a call to the First Presbyterian Church of Sag Harbor, N.Y. He will conduct his last worship service in the Mineral Ridge church at 10:30 a.m. Sunday.

Mr. Phillips earned a master of divinity degree at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and was ordained July 31, 1994, as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in Dravosburg, Pa.

Before entering seminary, Mr. Phillips served several churches as organist/choir director. At Mineral Ridge, he continued his music interest by playing at many Eastminister Presbytery meetings and church services.

He was involved in many community activities including American Red Cross, Niles Community Services, Mahoning Valley Association of Churches, Trumbull County Area AIDS Task Force, Mineral Ridge Community Parish Association and several Eastminster committees.

Valley UMW

berlin center

Berlin Center United Methodist Women will host Mahoning Valley District United Methodist Women’s spring retreat from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 22.

Registration will begin at 9 a.m. and a light breakfast will be available until 9:30 a.m.

The event will include a luncheon and an afternoon communion and memorial service.

Cost is $8.

For reservations, contact Pam Campbell, Berlin Center UMW president, at (330) 538-3359 or Janice Boyce, treasurer, at (330) 547-4281.

Special Mass

girard

There will be a special Mass at 11:30 a.m. April 18 at St. Rose Church, 46 E. Main St., for missing and deceased children.

After Mass, there will be a social, the location to be announced at Mass.

Participants may bring photos, memorabilia and articles about loved ones.

For information, call Patricia Marks at (330) 759-3758.

Feast celebration

north jackson

The National Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon, 2759 N. Lipkey Road, will celebrate the Feast of Divine Mercy on Sunday with a day of spiritual activities.

The Rev. Michael Marrone will speak on the topic “Blessed, Broken and Given.”

Registration begins at 9 a.m. The cost is $15 and lunch is included.

Reservations are appreciated; call (330) 538-3351.

For chaplains

hermitage, pa.

Advanced training for fire and police chaplains and clergy will be offered in the course “Pastoral Crisis Intervention 1,” scheduled May 24 and 25 at Hermitage Fire Department Station 3.

The course will be taught by Ed Hatcher, Missouri Fire Chaplains Corps vice president.

A brochure and registration form is available at www.HermitageFire.com or by calling St. Paul’s United Church of Christ at (724) 342-2310.

This is the second year the Hermitage Fire Department has offered training for chaplains and the first year Hermitage Police Department is sponsoring a class for police chaplains.

Last year’s basic fire chaplain course graduated 35 prospective and new chaplains from five states.

The Rev. David Williamson, pastor of St. Paul’s, is chaplain of Hermitage fire and police.

The church is co-sponsoring the class with police and fire.

Concert at church

boardman

Southern Gospel recording artist Ivan Parker will be featured in a concert at 6 p.m. April 18 at Christ’s Church, 7155 Glenwood Ave., with doors opening at 5.

Tickets are $15; call the church at (330) 726-6800.

Parker has spent more than two and a half decades ministering in churches, sharing his testimony. He has been regularly featured on the Bill Gaither Homecoming Video and Concert Series and has more than 13 solo recordings.

Ongoing series

newton falls

St. Mary and St. Joseph Church, 131 W. Quarry St., will conduct an ongoing series, “Catholics Returning Home,” at 7 p.m. Tuesdays, beginning April 20, for six consecutive Tuesday evenings.

Sessions are for nonpracticing Catholics who are seeking answers to questions about returning to the Church.

There will be informal sharing and an update of the Catholic faith.

For details, call Margaret W. Haney at the parish office at (330) 872-5742.

Pastoral anniversary

youngstown

Holy Bible Church of God will honor the 27th anniversary of pastoral service of the Rev. Eleanor Felder with services at 9 a.m. April 24 at Holy Trinity Baptist Church, 505 Parkcliffe Ave.

Guest preacher is Ollie Williams of New Bethel Baptist Church.

Holy Bible’s leadership team of Ruthie Motton, chairperson, and Phyllis Liggens and Shelia Ann Conley are making arrangements.

For tickets, which are $8, call the church at (330) 788-7328.

‘Awakening Faith’

boardman

St. Charles Borromeo Church, 7345 Westview Drive, and St. Luke Church, 5235 South Ave., will offer “Awakening Faith,” a program for Catholics who want to reconnect with their faith.

Six sessions are planned, starting April. 19 at 7 p.m. at St. Charles.

For information, call Renae Bowman at (330) 757-8551, Linda O’Brien at (330) 758-2325 or Deacon Rob Redig at (330) 518-4505.

On television

Dr. Michael E. Abdul-Malak will appear on Crossing Paths TV on Sunday on cable channel 5 at 9 a.m. and channel 11 and FOX 17-62 at 11 . Dr. Malak, who was born in Syria, researched the Koran, atheism and eastern religions. He will share his conversion to Christianity. He wrote “Birth Pangs.”

IMA meeting

youngstown

The next meeting of Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance will be at 11 a.m. Monday in Triedstone Baptist Church, 2045 Jacobs Road, where Pastor David Moncrief serves.

The Community Mobilization Committee will meet at 1 p.m.

‘Carman in Concert’

hubbard

Chestnut Ridge Church Of God, 7215 Chestnut Ridge Road, will host “Carman in Concert” at 7 p.m. Thursday. Doors will open at 6.

Carman will deliver an evening of praise, teaching and comedy.

Advance tickets are $10 and available at the church. Tickets at the door will be $20.

For more information, call the church at (330) 534-0084.

Holy Ghost seminar

youngstown

Anointed Hands will sponsor a Holy Ghost seminar from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. today at the Lutheran Center, 420 Clearmount Drive.

A continental breakfast will be from 8 to 9:30 a.m., and a light lunch will be served.

Speakers will be the Revs. Walter Stewart and William Hammer, Pastors Casandra Clinkscale and Carrie Brown, minister Reda Jordan and evangelist Shelly Austin.

The cost is $15. For information, call minister Roy Jordan, (330) 747-1059.

Gospel jazz

youngstown

Leo Furgeson and the Decision Band will present Gospel jazz from 7 to 9:30 p.m. April 30 at First Presbyterian Church, 201 Wick Ave., with fellowship and praise and worship. A buffet dinner will be at 7 p.m.; cost is $15.

Redeemed Life Ministries will sponsor the event, Cafe Redeemed.

Contact Pastor Sylvia Beard at (330) 758-2198 for more information.

Christian music

north lima

Eduard Klasssen, harpist and speaker, will present a program of Christian instrumental music at 6 p.m. April 18 at North Lima Mennonite Church, 90 Mennonite Drive.

He has performed in 20 countries and presented more than 3,000 concerts.

Senior choir program

youngstown

A senior choir program is planned at 4 p.m. Sunday at Morning Star Baptist Church, 747 Willow St.

Speaker will be the Rev. Melvin D. Brown, pastor of Gospel Temple Baptist Church in Campbell.

Divine Mercy Sunday

poland

Holy Family Church, 2731 Center Road, will celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday at 3 p.m. Sunday.

A short presentation will explain the devotion of the Divine Mercy, and a chaplet will be sung. Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and veneration of the Divine Mercy image will follow.

Diocesan guild

youngstown

Diocesan Infant Jesus of Prague Guild will meet April 21 at Sacred Heart Church, 400 Lincoln Park Drive, for the monthly Mass.

Spring revival

youngstown

Tabernacle Baptist Church, 707 Arlington St., will host a spring revival at 7 p.m. Wednesday through Friday with the theme “Victorious Faith.”

Guest preacher will be the Rev. Kaiser Jones of Columbus.

Prayer project

Sharon, pa.

Shenango Valley for Christ, a prayer mobilization, will meet at 9:30 a.m. today at Ruth African Methodist Episcopal Church, 95 Connelly Blvd.

Members will pray then divide into groups to travel to “pressure points” such as government, education, business/finance, media and spiritual centers.

For information, call Adam Trambley at (330) 347-4501 or Art Reagle at (724) 342-7811.

Minister Dickerson to be ordained

atlanta

Febbie Claudina Dickerson will be ordained at 2:30 p.m. April 18 in Jackson Memorial Baptist Church. She is a daughter of Rosetta K. and Henry Dickerson and a granddaughter of the late Richard Huff Sr., who lived in Youngstown.

Minister Dickerson holds bachelor’s degrees in journalism from the University of Georgia and in Biblical studies from Beulah Heights Bible College, now Beulah Heights University.

She received a master of divinity degree from Vanderbilt University in 2009. Minister Dickerson is a doctoral student in New Testament and early Christianity at Vanderbilt University, Nashville.

Bishop Gerald A. Ancrum will officiate, and host pastor is the Rev. Gregory A. Sutton.