NEWS & NOTES

Special Seder

Congregation Hesed Shel Emet: The Pottstown synagogue will hold a Passover Seder at 6:30 p.m. April 11 that’s open to people of all faiths. Cost is $25, $18 for children 5-12, $5 for children under 5. The menu will be chicken and fish, salad, and traditional Passover side dishes. Find out more at www.hesedshelemet.org or email info@hesedshelemet.org.

Holy Week

St. Peter’s Lutheran Church: The church at 211 S. Main St., North Wales, will celebrate Palm Sunday April 9, with palm procession and worship services at 8:30 and 10 a.m. The adult choir will sing at both services, with SPARK (Sunday school), and nursery care during the 10 a.m. service. The Maundy Thursday service is at 7 p.m. April 13, the Good Friday service is at 7 p.m. April 14 and on Easter Sunday there will be Holy Communion services with special music at 8:30 and 10. An Easter breakfast will be held in the fellowship hall from 8:30 to 10:30. All are welcome. Call (215) 6994604. St. John’s United Church of Christ: On April 14 a Good Friday service with taize music is held from noon to 1 p.m. Reflections will be offered by Rev. Dr. Susan Bertolette, Senior Pastor; Rev. Adelaide Stong, Associate Pastor, and Rev. Patti Thomas, church member. The church is at 500 W. Main St., Lansdale. All are welcome. Call (215) 855-5489 or visit www.stjohnsucc.org. Franconia Mennonite Church: On April 14, a Good Friday Service will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of the church, 613 Harleysville Pike, Franconia, and will include a communion service. St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church: Confession will be available April 10 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. and April 11 at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. In addition to the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, there will be Night Prayer at 10 p.m. On Good Friday, the church opens for Adoration at 8:30 a.m. Vietnamese Liturgy takes place at 7 p.m. April 15 and 2:30 p.m. April 16. The church is at Derstine and Cowpath roads, Hatfield. St. Stanislaus Catholic Church: After the Holy Thursday Mass, there will be Night Prayer in the Parish Center Chapel from 9:30 to 10 p.m. In addition to Easter Sunday Masses at 7, 9 and 11, there will be a Spanish Mass at 1 p.m. The church is at Main Street and Lansdale Avenue, Lansdale.

Signs of Easter

Health and Wellness Center: Triumphant Church presents “Voices of the Resurrection,” an original Easter play, at 7 p.m. April 14 and 3 p.m. April 15 in the lower level auditorium, 847 Easton Road (Route 611), Warrington. Refreshments will be served after each performance, with Easter candy for the children. Admission is a free. Reserve your seat at (215) 582-6323 or go to www.mytimetotriumph. Blooming Glen Mennonite Church: A free Easter egg hunt for ages 12 and under is held rain or shine from 9 to 10:30 a.m. today. The church is at 713 Blooming Glen Road, Hilltown Township. For information call (215) 257-3431 or visit www.bgmc.net. Bring your Easter basket.

Recycle it

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church: The church at South Main Street and Lincoln Avenue, Telford, holds a Scrap Metal Recycling event 8 a.m. to noon today in the Lincoln Avenue parking lot. Drop off the following free of charge: all scrap metals and products such as bicycles, lawn mowers, small and large appliances (including refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners and dehumidifiers), car batteries, radiators, insulated wire, holiday light sets and more.

Enrollment open

Zion Mennonite Church: Zion Mennonite Nursery School, located in Souderton, is now enrolling for the 20172018 school year for 3- to 5-year-olds. Check out www. zionmennonite.org or call (215) 723-3592.

Let’s eat

Christ Covenant Church:

The church at 2200 Mainland Road, Towamencin, will host a free community hot breakfast including scrambled eggs, pancakes, breakfast meat, toast, fruit and beverages 8 to 10 a.m. the last Saturday of every month in the fellowship hall. All ages are welcome. Call (215) 2568101. Trinity Lutheran Church: TLC Dinner Together, a community meal, is held 5 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays for a $3 donation. All members of the community are welcome and invited. There will be a Kid’s Corner for children to play. The church is at 1000 W. Main St., Lansdale.

Music notes

St. John’s United Church of Christ: The Children’s Choir at St. John’s will sing the spiritual “Ain’-a That Good News,” arranged by Mark Patterson, at the 10:15 a.m. service on Sunday. In addition the Chancel Choir will sing “Hosanna in the Highest” by Ashley Brooke, and St. John’s Wind Ensemble will play two selections — “Dona Nobis Pacem,” arranged by Anne McGinty, and “Psalm 42,” arranged by Samuel R. Hazo. The Chancel Choir will sing “When Jesus Wept” by William Billings during a Maundy Thursday Tenebrae Service with Holy Communion at 7:30 p.m. April 13. The church is at 500 W. Main St., Lansdale. All are welcome. Call (215) 855-5489 or visit www.st-johns-ucc.org. Gwynedd Friends Meeting: The Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse hosts folk/acoustic Native group Spirit Wing at 8 p.m. tonight. Gwynedd Friends Meeting is at 1101 DeKalb Pike, Lower Gwynedd. Doors open at 7:30. A $5 donation is suggested to help support the musicians. Additional proceeds go to charity. Light refreshments are available at modest cost. For further information call (267) 4219394 or visit www.gwyneddmeeting.org/Coffeehouse.html. Franconia Mennonite Church: Children in pre-K through fourth-grade will sing special music during the 10:15 a.m. Palm Sunday service April 9. The church is at 613 Harleysville Pike, Franconia. Trinity Lutheran Church: Accompanied by a 32-piece

orchestra, The Choristers perform Bach’s “St. Matthew Passion” in English at 7:30 p.m. tonight at 1000 W. Main St., Lansdale. For tickets, call (215) 542-7871 or go to www. thechoristers.org.

Gather together

St. Stanislaus Catholic Church: All are welcome to attend the next GIFT (Growing In Faith Together) presentation, “Fathers & Mothers in the Home: Fulfilling Our Roles & Honoring Our Differences” at 7 p.m. April 11 in the Parish Center, 51 Lansdale Ave., Lansdale. The speaker will be Mark Houck, founder of the King’s Men. There is no cost to attend, and registration is not required. Call (215) 855-3133. Zion Mennonite Church: The Grief Share Support Group meets Thursdays from 1 to 2:30 p.m. This group for people who are grieving the death of someone close to them meets for eight weeks. Call Marcia at (215) 723-9111 for more information. You are welcome to begin attending at any session. Zion is on Cherry Lane in Souderton. Holy Trinity Episcopal Church: The church at Fourth and Broad streets in Lansdale hosts a discussion group on various topics each Monday from 2 to 3 p.m. This is open to the community. Anyone who would like to connect with others in a discussion group setting is invited. The Sunday service is at 10 a.m. Fairview Village Church: The church at 3044 W. Germantown Pike, Worcester, hosts Grief Share, a Bible-based support group for people grieving the death of someone close. It is a place where you can be with people who understand what you are experiencing and want to offer you comfort and encouragement. The group meets in Room 515 on Mondays from 10 a.m. to noon or from 6 to 8 p.m. There is a $15 workbook charge. For more information, contact Donna at donna. tarnowski@fvcn.org, (610) 539-3333, ext. 7709, or see www.fairviewvillagechurch.com/griefshare. Also, Fairview Village Church hosts Celebrate the Journey, a Bible-based support/ recovery program that meets at 6:45 p.m. Fridays at The Village Norristown, 329 E. Main St., Norristown, and 6:45 p.m. Mondays at the church, 3044 W. Germantown Pike, Worcester. Large group gathering of prayer and praise,

as well as a lesson, begins at 6:45 and small group time takes place from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. Most groups are genderbased — men with men, and women with women. Some groups address a specific need; others are designed to allow each person to bring their unique challenges to a safe place. Each group is strictly confidential and is led by trained leaders with similar life experiences. For information on the Friday Celebrate the Journey, contact Pastor Marquetta at mrieger@fvcn.org or (610) 539-3333, ext. 7718. For information on the Monday Celebrate the Journey, go to www.fairviewvillagechurch.com/celebratejourney or contact Pastor Kelly Yetter at Kelly.yetter@fvcn.org or (610) 539-3333, ext. 7717. Christ Lutheran Church: One of the toughest transitions of life is life after the death of a loved one. Whether it is a spouse, child, parent or close friend, the grieving process can take a toll. It is a difficult journey to navigate alone. Grief Share is a friendly, caring group of people who will walk alongside you through one of life’s most difficult experiences. You don’t have to go through the grieving process alone. To learn more about this program, or for additional information, contact Kim at KJA610@aol.com or the church office at (215) 256-8738. The church is at 2211 Mainland Road, Towamencin. Also, a local chapter of PFLAG, the national organization that supports Parents, Friends and Families of Lesbian/Gay and Transgender individuals, meets at 7 p.m. the fourth Monday of each month in Weaver Hall. For questions or additional information, contact Sue at sdaubert@yahoo.com. Silverdale Brethren in Christ Church: Singles Connection, a non-denominational Bux-Mont area group for single, widowed, divorced and separated adults age 45+ meets at 7 p.m. Thursdays at the church, 165 W. Main St. (Route 113), Silverdale. For information, call (215) 5939995 or email carolonline1@verizon.net. Celebrate Recovery: This group meets 7 to 9 p.m. Mondays at Franconia Mennonite Church, Route 113, Franconia. All are welcome.

Stop and shop

St. Peter’s Lutheran

Church: The St. Peter’s Thrift Shop, 211 S. Main St., North Wales, has a new spring and summer line, including clothing for women and children, jewelry, gifts, housewares, art, attic treasures, books, music and linens. Also, browse the vintage collection. Hours are Wednesdays from 9:30a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Local charities benefit from your purchase. Call (215) 699-4604.

Study

St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church: An Endow Women’s Study Group discusses “St. John Paul’s Letter to Women,” an introduction to the Christian concept of woman and her role in the Church, the family, society and the world. It meets at 7 p.m. Sundays through May 21 at the SMG Parish Center, Lower Level, Derstine and Cowpath roads, Hatfield. Visit www.endowgroups.org to register or call (215) 421-1919. Holy Trinity Episcopal Church: The church at Fourth and Broad streets in Lansdale will be holding a weekly Bible study on Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m. All are invited to attend. Congregation Beth Or: Torah study takes place at 9:30 a.m. Saturdays at the synagogue, 239 Welsh Road, Upper Dublin. Central Schwenkfelder Church: Thursday nights are for reading and studying the New Testament with the Bethel Bible Program 7 to 9 p.m. Thursdays through May (no meetings the fourth Thursday of the month). The church is at 2111 Valley Forge Road, Worcester. Dates will be decided by the class members. Each lesson has a picture with concepts noted and several pages of reading, as well as assignments of scripture. The emphases throughout the sessions are your concerns dealing with each week’s concepts and the readings in the program and New Testament. For questions, call Allen at (610) 5845379 or e-mail tennislob31@comcast.net.

ESL

Montco Bible Fellowship: Registration is open for free English as a Second Language classes. Sessions continue through May 16, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Cost is $30 for books. The church is at 160 E. Main St., Lansdale. Call (215) 855-0899 or visit www. montcobf.org.

For men

St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church: The men’s faith studies group That Man Is You meets Wednesdays from 6 to 7:30 a.m. in The Parish Center, Derstine and Cowpath roads, Hatfield. Registration forms are in the narthex. Contact Ron at (215) 393-3763.

Play time

St. Anne Ukrainian Catholic Church: The church at 1545 Easton Road, Warrington, hosts bingo Tuesday nights. Games start at 6:45 p.m. and cost is $13, extra for bonus sheets and rip-offs. Visit www.stanneukrainiancc.com or email stannesecretary@comcast.net.

For parents

St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church: A Play and Pray Moms and Tots Group runs 9:30 to 11 a.m. Thursdays in the Parish Center basement, Derstine and Cowpath roads, Hatfield. Contact Kelly at Kelly.mazeroski@verizon.net for more information. All are welcome. St. Stanislaus Catholic Church: Infants, children and their parents and grandparents can play and do fun activities together. Little People Playgroup meets most Tuesdays from 9:45 to 11:30 a.m. in the Parish Center, behind the church at 51 Lansdale Ave. and Main Street, Lansdale. For more information, call (215) 855-3133. Trinity Lutheran Church: If you are the mother of an infant through kindergartner, Trinity’s Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) group is for you. It meets Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. in Hyson Hall, 1000 W. Main St., Lansdale. Childcare and breakfast will be provided. For questions, contact Ashley at (215) 275-8212 or ashleybellhan@ comcast.net.

For caregivers

Christ Lutheran Church: A monthly meeting for caregivers is held the third Sunday of each month at 7 p.m. in the church library. Sometimes you can prepare for it, and sometimes it happens unexpectedly, but there will come a time in life when we will have the opportunity to give back to our parents, spouse or loved one the love and care they gave to us. With this responsibility though, comes many questions and often there are difficult decisions to be made. This will be an opportunity to come together, lend support, learn how to prepare, and encourage each other. The church is at 2211 Mainland Road, Towamencin. For more information email Kim at KJA610@aol.com or call (215) 256-8738.

Help others

St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church: A Baby Bureau donation box will be in the Narthex through April 12. Visit www. thebabybureau.org or contact Rosemary at (215) 855-2781 or rmgerhart@verizon.net for any questions. Christ Covenant Church: During April, Christ Covenant, 2200 Mainland Road, Towamencin, will be supporting Shepherd’s Shelf in Kulpsville with donations of non-perishable food items. Supplies especially needed in restocking the pantry are: cereal, applesauce, canned fruits/vegetables (no corn or green beans), dried fruit, granola bars, stewed tomatoes, tomato paste, peanut butter and jelly, beef stew, spaghetti sauce, chili, instant potatoes, minute rice, hamburger helper and spaghetti-o’s, mac and cheese, shampoo, body wash/ soap (especially for men), toothpaste and toothbrushes, diapers size 5 and 6, baby wipes, detergent and paper products. Contributions may be dropped off at the church office Tuesdays through Fridays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sundays 9 a.m. to noon. Call (215) 256-8101 or visit www.christ-covenant.org.

Try yoga

Trinity Lutheran Church: Gentle yoga and meditation is held at 7 p.m. Wednesdays in Rooms 105-107. Contact Rosa at rosagiletti@comcast.net. The church is at 1000 W. Main St., Lansdale.

Career support

St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church: St. Joseph’s People, a group which assists the unemployed and underemployed, meets on the first and third Thursdays in the Parish Center Library, Derstine and Cowpath roads, Hatfield, at 7:30 p.m. No need to be a parishioner to contact Nancy at nancyboak@aol.com.