First Friday
First Friday
boardman
Dr. Mary L. Gautier will be the guest speaker when the First Friday Club of Greater Youngstown meets July 7 at Antone’s Banquet Centre on Market Street.
Dr. Gautier is editor of the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) report and co-author of “Catholicism USA, Global Catholicism and American Catholics Today: New Realities of Their Faith and Their Church.” CARA has put social science research at the service of the Catholic Church since 1995.
Her topic will be “Research on Young People and Roman Catholicism.”
The luncheon is from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cost is $15. Call 330-533-1023 or go to www.firstfridayclubofgreateryoungstown.org for more information.
Prayer team
youngstown
The City Prayer Team of Youngstown will host a community prayer outreach from 9 to 11 a.m. July 2 at the corner of Market Street and Midlothian Boulevard.
Church anniversary
youngstown
New Bethel Baptist Church, 1507 Hillman St., will celebrate its 87th anniversary during a service at 5 p.m. Sunday with the theme, “Living in the Power of His Resurrection.”
New Bethel was organized in 1924. It formerly was located at 125 Manning Ave. and 209 Reserve St. The church moved to its present location in 1964.
The Rev. Lonnie K.A. Simon was called to pastor in 1962, and retired after 33 years.
The current pastor, the Rev. Kenneth L. Simon, was called to pastor in 1995.
Ground was broken for the new church Sept. 22, 2002, and the new facility was dedicated in February 2004.
Dinner planned
campbell
St. Joseph the Provider Church plans a dinner of appreciation at 5 p.m. July 2 for the Rev. Michael Swierz, pastor.
The cost is $15 for a ticket. There is a limited number of tickets. For tickets, call St. Joseph rectory at 330-755-0266.
In the Diocesan Parish Reconfiguration Plan, Father Swierz was named administrator of St. Joseph the Provider School. St. Joseph, St. John the Baptist, St. Lucy and St. Rose of Lima are merging and the Rev. Joseph Ruggieri will be pastor and the Rev. Shawn Conoboy, associate.
Graduation service
youngstown
Elizabeth Missionary Baptist Church, 1210 Himrod Ave., will have a graduation celebration service at 10:45 a.m. Sunday with guest speaker Minister Lillian Howell. The theme is “How Grateful We are to God for All of Our Accomplishments.”
Campus pastor
greenville, pa.
Thiel College has announced that the Rev. H. William Bixby was appointed campus pastor and will assume his duties Aug. 1.
Among his duties will be to oversee campus worship and campus ministry groups, provide pastoral care to those within the college community and facilitate their spiritual formation and nurture relationships with congregations in the Greenville and surrounding areas. The position also offers opportunities for teaching, including support for the college’s new major in Theology and Youth Ministry.
The Rev. Mr. Bixby served as director for youth and young adult ministries with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) churchwide staff, where he played a major role in youth leader development.
He has served as pastor in three ELCA congregations, all located in the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, where he was ordained in 1986.
Ancient rituals
youngstown
The Rev. Andrew Gromm, pastor of St. Michael Orthodox Church, 127 Steel St., conducts a weekly lesson at 6 p.m. Thursdays on ancient rituals of the church.
The same lesson is offered at 4 p.m. Fridays.
Lessons will focus on the liturgy’s origins from the first to fourth centuries, but also beyond this era.
Father Gromm also preaches the Gospel and church history at noon Saturdays on WSOM, AM 600 on the show, “On Earth As In Heaven.”
Learning session
liberty
Subdeacon George Mansour leads the talks on church history, ancient beliefs and other topics at 6 p.m. Wednesdays at St. Mark’s Antiochian Church, 3560 Logan Way.
Send your news to: Religion Desk, The Vindicator P.O. Box 780 Youngstown, OH 44501. To reach the religion editor: Email: religion@vindy.com; Phone: 330-747-1471, ext.1245; Fax: 330-747-6712. Items for Saturday publication must be received by 5 p.m. Wednesday.