Choir festival

Choir festival

YOUNGSTOWN

The Office of Worship of the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown will sponsor the annual 2015 Diocesan Youth Choir Festival at noon April 18 at St. Columba Cathedral, 154 W. Wood St.

The festival will culminate with the Youth Choir singing at the 4:30 p.m. vigil Mass with Bishop George V. Murry as celebrant.

A choral prelude will be at 4:15.

Dr. Daniel Laginya of St. Columba will serve as music director for the festival.

The Youth Choir festival is open to all students in diocesan schools and parishes in grades 3-12. Individual students, school or parish youth choirs must register for the event by March 15.

Contact Barb Zorn at 330-503-3880 or send email to zornbarb@aol.com.

Lunch and music will be provided for all students registered for the festival. There is no charge to any student or choir for participating in this event, although contributions toward music and lunch expenses will be gratefully accepted.

MVAC assembly

YOUNGSTOWN

Mahoning Valley Association of Churches will conduct its annual assembly at 5 p.m. Tuesday at First Presbyterian Church, 201 Wick Ave.

President Tom Sauline and the board will share accomplishments of the past year and set plans for the coming year. Voting will be on new board members, who also will be installed.

Light refreshments will be at 4:30.

Unity service

HERMITAGE, PA.

The annual Unity Service sponsored by Christian Associates of Shenango Valley is planned at 2:30 p.m. Jan. 25 at Hickory United Methodist Church, 240 N. Hermitage Road.

The Rev Liddy Gerchman Barlow, executive minister for Christian Associates of Southwest Pennsylvania, will speak. An ecumenical choir directed by Jane Bartholomew will perform.

A reception will follow in fellowship hall.

New fellowship hall

YOUNGSTOWN

Mount Gilead Baptist Church, 2821 Hillman St., conducted a ribbon cutting for its new fellowship hall this week. The new hall will accommodate 125 people; it was built for $460,000. The Rev. Clifford Kimbrough is pastor.

Prayer service

YOUNGSTOWN

St. Patrick Church, 1420 Oak Hill Ave., will host an ecumenical prayer service for Christian unity at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Youth and adult choirs of New Bethel Baptist Church, directed by Kelan Haynes and Phil Gonzalez from Santa Rosa de Lima Church of Christ the Good Shepherd Parish and St. Patrick choir will lead participants in song.

Sisters of the Humility of Mary also will help lead prayer.

The theme is based on Mark 4:7, “Jesus said to her, ‘Give me something to drink.’”

The service is open to the public. A free-will offering will be taken to help support the “tent city” in Youngstown.