Community News

Religion events

EDITOR'S NOTE: With the outbreak of the coronavirus, many religion events, services and other happenings may be canceled or postponed.

BIBLE STUDY BOOK: The Warren-area pastor, Rev. Todd A. Johnson has released his first published work, "LifeBuilders with Pastor Todd – Volume 1". LifeBuilders, released independently through Second Baptist Publishing Services, is a collection of 23 Biblically-based life development lessons suitable for individual use and group studies. Each lesson is presented in outline format and includes a LifeBuilder Thought, a group exercise, and a discussion prompt that group leaders may use in classroom settings. The book is available at www.secondbaptistwarren.com. For inquries, contact pastortodd@secondbaptistwarren.com.

Johnson will be hosting an online "Virtual Book Signing" 7:30 p.m. on Sunday via his personal Facebook page. During the book signing, Johnson will talk about the book and sign purchased books prior to shipping. The online book signing livestream can be accessed at www.facebook.com/RevToddJ.

WORLDWIDE CONFERENCE TO BE BROADCAST: The 190th annual worldwide conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be held at noon and 4 p.m. April 4 and 5 and 8 p.m. April 4 at the conference center in Salt Lake City, Utah. In concern over the COVID-19 pandemic, church leaders have suspended services at all local chapels worldwide, however all five sessions of the conference will be broadcast over the church's website, www.ChurchofJesusChrist.org, BYU-TV, You-Tube and the Latter-day Saints Channel. Only people participating in the conference will be admitted to the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Church leaders have suspended services at the Warren Chapel, 1321 State Road NW, Champion, and Youngstown Chapel, 2205 Tibbetts-Wick Road, Girard.

This year the church is commemorating the bicentennial of the Latter-day restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Music and the Spoken Word featuring The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square will be live at 11:30 a.m. April 5.

MEN'S GROUP POSTPONED: The Men of Faith breakfast scheduled for April 4 has been postponed to 9 a.m. May 2 at the Youngstown Warren Regional Airport in Vienna.

URSULINE SISTERS CANCELS EVENTS: The Ursuline Sisters and Ursuline Ministries have established protocols with stakeholders in light of the worldwide coronavirus outbreak. All education and wellness classes and programs have been canceled and the Ursuline Center located off Shield Road in Canfield, is limiting outside visitors until further notice.

PALMS DISTRIBUTED: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish. Robbins Avenue, Niles, will hold a drive-thru pick up of blessed palms and Easter candles distribution 2 to 4 p.m. April 4 and 10 a.m. to noon. April 5

UNITY REVIVAL: The Coast-2-Coast Prayer and Unity Revival has being launched with a direct invitation to churches and Christian Radio Stations spanning Coast-2-Coast. Churches and radio stations nationwide are being asked to come into agreement and pray in unity asking God for healing, for those who have tested positive with COVID-19, and for the destruction of the coronavirus. Visit www.PrayerAndUnityRevival.com for the schedule and the unified prayer. For those unable to attend a church service, we invite them to call in on any Sunday to the number listed on the website www.PrayerAndUnityRevival.com and pray aloud, and in unison, with other believers.

BISHOPS CANCEL MASSES: The Bishops of Ohio have decided to suspend temporarily all publicly celebrated Masses / liturgies, at least through the celebration of Holy Week and Easter. The bishops of Ohio dispense the Catholic faithful who reside in their respective diocese and all other Catholics currently in Ohio from the obligation of attending Sunday Mass through Easter Sunday.

DRIVE IN WORSHIP: Poland United Methodist Church, 1940 Boardman Poland Road, is holding "drive-in" worship 10 a.m. Sundays in the church parking lot until further notice.

SERVICES ONLINE: Unity Spiritual Centre, Liberty, will have 11 a.m. Sunday services online only. They may be watched through Unity Centre Facebook page, or online on the center's web page, unitycentre.org.

All classes and events at the centre have been canceled to April 10. All services will be livestreamed on Sunday mornings at 11. Meet-me-line Prayer is now taking place from Monday through Friday at 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. The dial up number is 605-475-4871 and the code is 574212#.

The online prayer vigil is also available at unityprayervigil.org. After the service for those who would like to have some fellowship, an online video chat room will be held for an hour.

CANCELLATION: The Redeemer Lutheran Church, Austintown, has canceled the Easter Alive program scheduled for April 4.

BUS TRIP: St. Paul's Church in Salem will hold a bus trip to two Pittsburgh shrines on April 15. The morning guided tour will be at St. Anthony's Chapel famous for housing more than 5,000 relics including a thorn from Christ's crown. The afternoon tour will be at St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church, whose walls are covered with 25 murals displaying social justice themes. Cost is $89. Call Janel at 330-647-7916. Registration is needed by Tuesday,

MEN'S RALLY IN VALLEY: The annual Men's Rally in the Valley is being planned 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 25 at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown. The theme is "Jesus Our Only Hope." The free event includes various speakers and guests. More than five ministries from across the Valley are scheduled to attend. Guest speakers include Mike Lindell, inventor of My Pillow; Jeff Stultz of Celebrate Recovery Broken Chains; Lee Haney, eight-time Mr. Olympia; Dave Roever, Vietnam veteran and evangelist, and author of "The Shack Cross." and J.J. Weeks, Christian Broadcasting artist. For information, visit www.mensrally.org.

NEED HELP: Catholic Charities in Youngstown, 144 W. Wood St., is in need of basic hygiene items, including body wash, bar soap, shampoo, conditioner, deoderant, toothpaste, toilet paper and tissues. Items can be dropped off at the agency sites or ordered online through Dollar Davis Wishlist. For information, call 330-744-8451.

FOOD DISTRIBUTION: The Bristolville United Methodist Church will be giving out bagged lunches for students in need 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday to Friday at the church as well as at the baseball fields in the center of Farmington.

INTERFAITH EVENT CANCELED: The 54th annual Niles Interfaith Banquet originally scheduled for April 19 has been canceled.

ISRAEL TRIP: The Church at Warren in Bazetta is planning a "Best of Israel" trip for Sept. 8 to 17. The 10-day tour includes visits to Sea of Galilee, Israel, Jeusalem, Holocaust Museum, and Bethlehem. For information, call David Natale at 330-638-2959 or ndavid123@hotmail.com The trip is through Pilgrim Tours.

CROSS WALK: Grand Valley Interfaith Services will hold a Cross Walk and Good Friday service 5:30 p.m. April 10. People who wish to be part of the processions carrying the crosses, should be at the Orwell United Methodist Church or Orwell village hall at 5:30 p.m., or the Resurrection Life Church (Nazarene) at 5:15 p.m. All three groups will process, to meet at the cross at St Mary's Church around 5:45 p.m. to pray. Afterward, a free soup and salad meal will be provided at the Orwell North Presbyterian Church at 6 p.m., where the Good Friday service will be held at 7 p.m. There will also be a service at St Mary at 7 pm. Call 330-437-8225.

To submit an item for religion section email to religion@tribtoday.com. Items are needed by Wednesday for the Saturday paper.

Community News

Religion events

LENTEN REFLECTIONS: The Youngstown-Warren Chapter of the SSJC is sponsoring a Lenten Reflection led by facilitator Rev. Daniel Rogich, 10 a.m. to noon on March 21 at Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church, 54 Laird Ave., Youngstown. The event is a time for experiencing the Jesus Prayer under the spiritual guidance of a priest. The theme is "The Jesus Prayer: A Time for Encounter." A question-and-answer period will follow. Rogich has written several books which will be made available for purchase during the session. A freewill offering will be accepted. For information, email mattiussi52001@yahoo.com.

GIVING EVENT: Unity Spiritual Centre in Liberty will hold "Reiki, Giving and Receiving" session 6:45 p.m. Tuesday as part of the Ongoing Metaphysics programs, Reiki is a Japanese form of alternative medicine called "energy healing." There will be a short lecture on the background for those that are interested and then the giving and receiving Reiki, which can be touch or non-touch. Roger Juntunen is the facilitator for OM. Classes are free and open to the public, but love offerings or donations will be accepted. Call 330-539-0122.

TRAGEDY IN TRIUMPH: Hubbard Church of the Nazarene, 1815 Cherry Lane Drive S.E. will host the nationwide simulcast event, "Tragedy into Triumph" on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. There will be stories from Justin Bieber's mom, Pattie Mallette (Tuesday), former Victoria Secret's model, Kylie Bisutti (Wednesday), and mixed-martial arts fighter, Justin Wren (Thursday). Each night's live broadcast from Mount Vernon University will begin at 7 p.m. Admission is free, and no offering will be taken. Call 330-534-3111.

FESTIVAL FOOD: St. Patrick Church, 357 N. Main St., Hubbard, will host the Taste of Our Festival event 4 to 8 p.m. today. Foods of the annual summer festival will be available. County Mayo Band will perform. Admission is free.

LENT SERVICE: Good Hope Lutheran Church, 12030 Market St., North Lima, will hold Lenten worship services 7 p.m. Wednesdays during March. The theme is "Open My Life Lord." Call 330-549-2406.

CANCELLATIONS: The Redeemer Lutheran Church, Austintown, has canceled the Easter Alive program scheduled for April 4.

St. Columba Cathedral, Wood Street, Youngstown, has cancelled its soup and movie series which had been scheduled for Monday evenings during Lent. For more information, calling Sister Martha Reed at the rectory at 330-744-5233.

FIRST FRIDAY: The First Friday of Greater Youngstown will host Nancy Bird 6 p.m. on April 2 on Avion on the Water Banquet Center 2177 W. Western Reserve Road in Canfield. Bird, director of training and professional development at RCL Benzinger, will speak on "Simple Pleasures and the Sacramental Life: Living Our Baptism." There will be an opportunity for participants' questions to follow. Dinner is served at 6 p.m. with the presentation beginning at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $18. Call 330-720-4498 for reservations which are limited.

BUS TRIP: St. Paul's Church in Salem will hold a bus trip to two Pittsburgh shrines on April 15. The morning guided tour will be at St. Anthony's Chapel famous for housing over 5,000 relics including a thorn from Christ's crown. The afternoon tour will be at St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church, whose walls are covered with 25 murals displaying social justice themes. Cost is $89. Call Janel at 330-647-7916. Registration are needed by Tuesday,

IN CONCERT: First Covenant Church, 5210 Glenwood Ave., Boardman, will have singer / pianist Timothy Noble in concert 3 p.m. March 29, His wife, Hosanna, plays the the violin. They perform more than 100 concerts per year across the United States and did Christmas concerts in Branson, Mo.

WEEKEND RETREAT: Villa Maria Education and Spirituality Center will host a weekend retreats with Anne Kartz Kernion at 7 p.m. March 20 to noon March 22 at the center. The theme is "Neuroscience Affects Our Health and DNA." Spiritual habits affect physical and emotional health in a variety of ways.

UNDERSTANDING OLD TESTAMENT: St. John Lutheran Church, 1429 Mahoning Ave., Youngstown, will host a winter term lecture series "Understanding the Old Testament" 6 to 8:45 p.m. Tuesday and March 24 and 31.

Call 330- 792-7462 for more information.

SOUP FOR SOUL: St. Rose Catholic Church, 48 Main St., Girard, will host "Soup for the Soul" during Lent. Participants will enjoy soup while learning about the Eucharist 6 p.m. Thursdays to April 2, followed by Bishop Robert Barron's DVD series "The Eucharist."

The event will be in Rosetta Hall.

PASSOVER SERVICE: River of Life, 65 Palestine Ave., Boardman, will host "Christ is the Passover" service 10:30 a.m. Sunday. The program "Rediscovering the Jewish roots of our Christian faith" will be presented by Mark and Cheryl Kholos.

SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM: Within the six-county Catholic Diocese of Youngstown, 164 men, women and children from 49 parishes are preparing to become members of the Catholic Church at Easter.

Seventy-five persons will receive the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and Eucharist at the Easter vigil April 11, and 89 people who already have been baptized in other Christian traditions will make a profession of the Catholic faith and receive the sacraments of confirmation and Eucharist.

For information, call 330-744-8451, Ext. 282.

STATION OF CROSS: Immaculate Heart of Mary in Austintown will hold a Family Station of the Cross and tour March 29. There will be a tour of the newly renovated church. There will be explanation of the sacred objects in the church that have made the church unique.