NEW PASTOR: Third Baptist Church, 1177 Park Hill Drive, Youngstown, will host a pastoral installation at 4 p.m. Sunday for the church's new pastor, the Rev. Sean Tucker of Hudson. The church was established in 1874.
FIRST FRIDAY: The First Friday Club of Greater Youngstown speaker series will be July 6 with a luncheon and speaker Tracey Lamont, who will present "Gen Z: Young Adult Spiritual and Human Development," at Avion on the Water Banquet Center, 2177 W. Western Reserve Road in Canfield.
Lamont is the director of the Loyola Institute for Ministry and an assistant professor of religious education at Loyola University in New Orleans
Before coming to Loyola University, Lamont served in parishes as a youth and young adult minister and coordinated confirmation programs. While living in Florida, she taught religion, social studies and epistemology in high school and taught theology and religion courses at the undergraduate level.
She is a member of the Religious Education Association and also serves as member of the board of directors for the National Institute for Ministry with Young Adults.
There will be an opportunity for participants' questions to follow. Luncheon will be served at 11:30 a.m., with the presentation beginning at noon. The cost is $20. Call by June 30 at 330-720-4498. Reservations are limited.
MISSIONARY VISIT: Canfield Presbyterian Church will host Bob and Kristi Rice, missionaries from Sudan, at 7 p.m. June 20 at the church, 140 W. Main St., Canfield.
CONCERT SET: Girard First Christian Church, 140 Broadway St., will host the Girard Community Swingtime Band at 6:30 p.m. Sunday. The concert is free.
RETIREMENTS SET: A retirement party for the Rev. Carl Kish, pastor of St. Robert Bellarmine Church in Cortland is set for June 25 with 11 a.m. Mass at the church followed by a reception from 12:30 to 4 p.m.
Kish's former parishioners in Newton Falls and Ravenna and friends will be invited for Kish's 61 years of ministry and pastoral service. His retirement is effective July 1.
Kish, a native of Youngstown, was an Ursuline High School graduate and was a former parks director at Tod Park in the Brier Hill neighborhood of Youngstown.
The Rev. Joseph Rudjak, pastor of Holy Apostles Parish in Youngstown, is also retiring on July 1. A retirement dinner reception is being planned for him on June 18 at Ciminero's Banquet Center, 123 N. Main St. Niles.
The reception will follow two farewell Masses at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. June 18 at Holy Apostles Parish-SS. Peter and Paul Church, 421 Covington St. in Youngstown.
Reservations are required for the dinner, which costs $25 per person or $200 per table of eight. RSVP with payment sent to Holy Apostles Parish. Rudjak has been pastor at Holy Apostles for more than 20 years.
DRUMS AND YUMS: The Unity Spiritual Centre, 1226 Naylor Lloyd Road in Liberty, will host a drumming circle at their location at 7 p.m. June 23. "Drums & Yums" will be led by Dan and Pam Susany and the ingredients for making S'mores and the fire will be provided by the Centre. The Susanys have been leading drumming events regionally since 1997. Bring your own drum or some drums will be available if you need one. In case of rain, the drumming will be moved inside. The event is free, but donations will be accepted. Call 330-539-0122.
ORDINATION SET: Bishop David Bonnar of the Diocese of Youngstown will ordain three seminarians at 10:30 a.m. June 17 at St. Columba Cathedral in Youngstown. The ordinations of Deacon Robert England, Deacon John Rovnak and Deacon Frederick Schlueter to the priesthood will take place.
All three are serving as transitional deacons for the Diocese of Youngstown. The ordination liturgy will be available for viewing online at The Catholic Echo website at www.catholicecho.org/live/
Upon ordination as priests, England, Rovnak and Schlueter will be assigned to serve as a parochial vicar (associate pastor) at a parish in the Diocese of Youngstown. Their assignments will be announced during the ordination Mass.
• England is from Christ Our Savior Parish in Struthers. Before entering seminary, he worked professionally in the water treatment industry for about 20 years. As a transitional deacon, while completing his seminary formation, England was assigned to St. Christine Parish and Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Youngstown.
• Rovnak is from Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Youngstown. He worked for several companies before entering seminary. As a transitional deacon, while completing his seminary formation, Rovnak was assigned to St. Michael Parish in Canfield.
• Schlueter is from St. Paul Parish in Salem. As a transitional deacon, while completing his seminary formation, Schlueter was assigned to St. Anthony/All Saints Parish in Canton.
BISHOP'S LETTER: The Catholic Diocese of Youngstown announces the second pastoral letter written by Bishop David J. Bonnar is available in parishes. Entitled "Practicing Faith, Hope and Love: Living the Virtues Together in Tough Times," the pastoral letter has been sent to registered parishioners, and can be found online at www.doy.org/faith-hope-love/
A pastoral letter is an official letter a bishop writes to the faithful of his diocese and to the wider community.
"Practicing Faith, Hope and Love begins by acknowledging the tough times being experienced in the northeast Ohio region and the Diocese of Youngstown, including a declining population, unemployment, violence, poverty, addiction and natural and man-made disasters that have threatened our health and well-being, affecting the poor and vulnerable in disproportionate ways.
They also include pressures on Church life, such as the shortage of priests and lay ecclesial ministers, declining Mass attendance, financial challenges and the impact on strained priests and on the faithful as parish life changes," his letter states.
