YOUNGSTOWN — After two years of having to cancel and postpone in-person events because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mahoning Valley Association of Churches has begun planning for the return of many events in 2023.

The MVAC hosted its annual assembly meeting this week at the St. Columba Cathedral parish hall.

Thomas Sauline, executive director of the MVAC, said the programming of the past will return this year.

“We had to put many programs on hold through COVID. We will hold our Taste of the Faiths in May, which is very popular,” Sauline said.

Also scheduled is sponsoring of the Mahoning Valley CROP Hunger Walk on Oct. 8, the Mayor’s Interfaith Prayer Breakfast on Nov. 21 and a Sacred Music Fest on Oct. 16.

Other events planned are a public reading of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from the Birmingham Jail” at the Mahoning County courthouse rotunda at noon April 4 (the anniversary of King’s assassination) and Ohio Nonviolence Week Oct. 1-7 with a peace parade and rally.

In 2022, MVAC resumed some of the programs, including the Sacred Music Festival and Mayor’s Interfaith Prayer Breakfast.

Sauline said MVAC participates in Sojourn to the Past and Martin Luther King Jr. weekend events. The group also partners with the Greater Youngstown Community Dialogue on Racism.

He said proceeds from the annual CROP Walk help ACTION and other local groups.

MVAC includes churches and parishes from throughout Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties.

“We are a gathering of Christian churches in the Mahoning Valley who work together to promote Christian unity. We value racial justice, respect, reconciliation and human dignity. We provide a venue for Christian churches to work together and bring about the word of God. We do this through interfaith friendship,” Sauline said.

He said the MVAC has a good relationship with other religious organizations such as the Islamic Society of Greater Youngstown, the Youngstown Jewish Federation and Congregation Ohev Beth Shalom in Youngstown and Temple El Emeth in Liberty.

The MVAC has existed more than 100 years with the First Presbyterian Church of Youngstown instrumental in getting the association created. It started from an early 1900s revival by the river.

Sauline, who has a doctorate of ministry degree, said he is a member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in McDonald and is a Bible study facilitator for St. Joseph Parish in Austintown.

The Rev. Ken Gifford, pastor of Poland United Methodist Church, said members are working together to break down barriers and serve the Lord so love can exist.

“We want each and every individual to feel that love and live the lives that the Lord intended them to live,” Gifford said.

The MVAC has the motto “Together We Serve. Together We Celebrate” and strives for reconciliation within the church and beyond.

For information, visit mvaconline.org and a link to Givelify for online contributions at www.givelify.com

bcoupland@tribtoday.com