For New Year’s church services

For New Year’s church services

The Vindicator will run a listing of area services that are open to the public in observance of New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. The list will run Dec. 25. The deadline to submit information is 5 p.m. Wednesday. Information should include the denomination and complete name of the church, address, city or suburb, time of New Year’s Eve or New Year’s ay services, your name, and a phone number for verification. 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.

Christmas cantata

hubbard

Hubbard Church of the Nazarene, 1815 Cherry Lane (corner of Route 62 and Chestnut Ridge Road), will present the Christmas cantata, “A Christmas Offering,” at 3 p.m. Sunday. The program is free; refreshments and fellowship will follow.

Open house

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Holy Trinity Romanian Orthodox Church, 626 Wick Ave., will host an open house from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. The church will be open for tours, there will be food and baked goods for sale, a Chinese auction and Nativity displays. This event is in conjunction with the Arms Family Museum’s Memories of Christmas Past Exhibit, “All Dolled Up.” The museum, at 648 Wick Ave., has an admission fee.

Live Nativity

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First Christian Church, 17 N. Center St., will present a live Nativity from 6 to 8 p.m. today. Visitors may walk up or drive up to the scene.

Choir rehearsals

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The Emancipation Community Choir will rehearse at 5 p.m. today and 7 p.m. Dec. 30 at Elizabeth Baptist Church, 1210 Himrod Ave., to prepare for the upcoming Emancipation Proclamation services and the Martin Luther King services.

The choir, directed by Dr. Luke Shumpert, is open to Valley residents.

The Emancipation Proclamation and installation service will be at 10 a.m. Jan. 1 at New Bethel Baptist Church, 1507 Hillman St., with the theme, “Liberate the Soul by Freeing the Mind.” The Rev. Kenneth Simon is pastor.

Guest speaker will be Dr. David Thornton of Grace Memorial Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh. Musical guest will be Elder John Luke Shumpert and the Emancipation Proclamation Community Choir.

Sponsors are the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Youngstown and Vicinity with Pastor Amariah McIntosh, president, and Baptist Pastor’s Council of Youngstown and Vicinity with Pastor Henry McNeil, president.

Men’s rally

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Retired pro football player Bill Triplett will speak at a Men’s Rally in the Valley informational meeting at 7 p.m. Monday at Richard Brown Memorial United Methodist Church, 1205 Elm St.

Triplett, a Youngstown resident, played running back for the Detroit Lions, St. Louis Cardinals and New York Giants during the 1960s and 1970s and has been a speaker on Christian topics for more than 30 years.

More information about the Men’s Rally, a Christian men’s conference planned for May 2011 in Youngstown, is available at www.mens-rally.org.

Christmas music

youngstown

Faith Community Covenant Church, 1919 E. Midlothian Boulevard, will present a cantata, “Colors of Christmas,” at 10:45 a.m. Sunday.

Movies available

austintown

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Youngstown Stake Public Affairs Committee, is offering two movies free of charge during the Christmas season.

“Joy to the World,” the story of the Nativity, and “Mr. Krueger’s Christmas” can be obtained by contacting the local missionaries, Elders Kyle Strong and Scott McClellan, who serve in Mercer and Mahoning counties.

For more information or to request a movie, call Timothy Busch at 330-847-9834, missionaries at 330-519-6190 or visit www.mormon.org.

The Youngstown Chapel is at 2205 Tibbitts-Wick Road, Liberty.

First Friday Club

boardman

“Youth and Their Relationship to God” is the topic for the first meeting of the new year of the First Friday Club of Greater Youngstown.

The session will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 6 at Antone’s Banquet Centre, 8578 Market St.

Members of area Catholic high school youth groups will share their faith journeys.

The cost is $15. Reservations are due by Dec. 31.

For more information, call 330-533-1023 or visit the website at www.firstfridayclubofgreater-youngstown.org.

Retreat planned

VILLA MARIA, Pa.

Villa Maria Spirituality and Education Center will offer a retreat experience from Jan. 7-9.

The session is geared to those struggling with hurt, anger and fear.

The Rev. Bill Sneck, a teacher of pastoral counseling at Loyola College in Baltimore from 1985 to the present and a full-time member of the Spiritual Center staff since the fall of 2000, will lead the retreat.

The cost is $180 and includes meals and lodging. Registration is required by Wednesday.

For information or registration, call 724-964-8886 or register online at www.villaprograms.org.

Religious studies

Lighthouse Christian College will offer classes starting Jan. 4 and include associate of arts degrees in religious studies and Christian ministry. Sessions will be at Elizabeth Baptist Church, 7 S. Garland Ave.

Spring courses will be Basic Bible Doctrines, New Testament Survey, Book of Acts, Hermeneutics and History of the Black Church. The cost is $200 per course. Also planned is a six-week community forum on “Exploring Issues in the Christian Community.” In March, “Viewing Women’s issues through God’s Eyes” will be offered and in April, a course on the church and money.

For information, call 330-701-3729.