Festivals on tap at St. Mary, Old Goshenhoppen
Festival atmosphere
St. Mary Catholic Church: Saint Mary Feast is scheduled for 5 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 8 and 1:30 to 6:30 p.m. Sept. 9 at 40 Spring Mount Road, Upper Frederick. Beginning at 5 p.m. on Saturday, attendees can enjoy beer, wine and hors d’oeuvres while mingling through raffle baskets and attic treasures. From 6 to 7 p.m. musician Eric Longo will perform. A charge of $10 per person will reserve your seat and includes one drink and hors d’oeuvres. On Sunday there will be NFL football in the biergarten and wine cellar, outdoor grilling with a variety of foods (Latin, Polish, Italian and American), carnival games, cotton candy, waffles and ice cream, a rock wall and Euro Jump, French fries, raffle baskets and more. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy acoustic ‘60s music by Steve and Don of The Cyrkle, music and games with a DJ and animal balloons by Chippy the Clown. Visit www.churchofsaintmary.org. Old Goshenhoppen Reformed Church: The 141st annual Oyster Picnic is held noon to 6:30 p.m. Sept. 8 in the picnic grove across the street from the church, 2092 Church Road, Woxall, Upper Salford. This event features food, games for children and live music throughout the day. The menu includes fried oysters, oyster stew and raw oysters on the half shell that are opened fresh for each customer, hot dogs, hamburgers, fries, funnel cakes, ice cream, smoked salmon sandwiches made with salmon which a church member smokes over an apple wood fire, and more. See more details at https:// ogrc.org/events/oysterpicnic.
Faith forum
Church of the Holy Spirit: The church at 2871 Barndt Road, at the corner of Sumneytown Pike, Upper Salford, will hold its Friday Adult Faith Forum on Sept. 7. It features a video program on “Sukhaviti” by Joseph Campbell, a series of lectures on our relationship with mythology and religion. The evening starts at 6 p.m. with a potluck dinner, followed by the program and discussion. All are invited. For more information call (215) 234-8020 or visit www.churchoftheholyspirit. us.
Music note
St. Luke’s United Church of Christ: Baritone Jon Leight will provide special music during the 10 a.m. worship service Sept. 2. He will sing “The Penitent” by Beardsley Van de Water, which is based on the biblical story of the prodigal son. Dr. Rev. Brad Mellon will preach on these texts, as well. A time of fellowship follows the service. The church is at 125 N. Main St., North Wales. Visit www. uccnorthwales.org.
Opening soon
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church: The church’s thrift shop at 211 S. Main St., North Wales, is celebrating its 27th season benefiting local charities. Hours are Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The opening day Saturday Sept. 8 will feature a special rack of bargain summer clothing, in addition to a new fall boutique line, housewares, attic treasures, books, linens and clothing for children and women. Call (215) 6994604.
Bond with the rabbi
Congregation Beth Or: You’re welcome to join Rabbi Bonder for a run/ walk at 6 p.m. Sept. 4 on the synagogue grounds at 239 Welsh Road, Upper Dublin. No RSVP is necessary.
Help others
Grace United Methodist Church: An American Red Cross blood drive is held 2 to 7 p.m. Sept. 6 at the church at 295 S. Main St., Telford. Call (215) 723-2144. St. Peter’s Lutheran Church: A collection of new/packaged underwear and socks for children ages 5-13 is being held through Sept. 15 for the children at Silver Springs-Martin Luther Home. St. Peter’s also has food donation bins for Manna on Main Street inside the doors from the parking lot. Manna is in need of peanut butter and jelly, tuna fish and cereal. The church is at 211 S. Main St., North Wales. Christ Covenant Church: During September the church at 2200 Mainland Road, Towamencin, will be supporting Keystone Opportunity Center with donations of non-perishable food. Items especially needed in restocking their food pantry are: oatmeal; cereal; pancake mix (complete); pancake syrup; baked beans; meals in a can (spaghetti-o’s, ravioli, beefaroni); canned meats (tuna, chicken, ham, salmon); spaghetti sauce; canned fruit in natural juice; sugar; ketchup; mayonnaise; mustard; oil; sugar; glutenfree, sugar free and low/no sodium products; personal care items (shampoo, razors, toothpaste, body wash, deodorants, feminine hygiene products); toilet paper; paper towels and laundry soap. Contributions may be dropped off at the church office Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sundays from 9 to noon. Call (215) 256-8101 or visit christcovenant.org.
Let’s eat
Congregation Tiferet Bet Israel: RSVP by Sept. 6 for a Sukkot-BQ at TBI, 1920 Skippack Pike, Whitpain. The event is the annual kickoff to the new year. There will be a meat meal, with vegetarian options. Email programdirector@ tbibluebell.org or call (610) 275-8797, ext. 144. Cost is $18 for ages 13+, $10 per child 2-12, $36 for a family. Prospective members are free. St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church: The First Thursday Breakfast Club is held following the 8:30 a.m. Mass Sept. 6 and Oct. 4 in the SMG Parish narthex, Derstine and Cowpath Roads, Hatfield, and provides a way for people to gather together in friendship following their time spent together in worship and prayer. Coffee, tea, juice and breakfast refreshments are served. Non-parishioners are always welcome. The Breakfast Club is automatically cancelled when a funeral is scheduled for the same morning. Visit www. stmariagoretti.net or call (215) 721-0199, ext. 202. Christ Covenant Church: The church at 2200 Mainland Road, Towamencin, offers a free Community Hot Breakfast from 8 to 10 a.m. the last Saturday of every month. For more information call (215) 256-8101 or visit christ-covenant.org.
Study
Central Schwenkfelder Church: Beginning 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 6 “In the Fullness of Time,” “Spokesman to Distortion,” “Teacher” and “Savior” are some of the major themes for a New Testament Bethel Bible study series. The class members will decide on which 20 Thursdays they will meet, ending by May. Each member will receive a notebook containing each lesson, consisting of a picture with accompanying concepts, and text explaining those concepts, plus an outline. To enroll call the church office at (610) 584-4480 or Allen at (610) 584-5379. The church is at 2111 S. Valley Forge Road, Worcester Township.
Gather together
Souderton Mennonite Church: A support group for dementia caregivers is held at 6:30 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of the month in the Connections Cafe, across from the Fellowship Hall at 105 W. Chestnut St., Souderton. Church of the Holy Spirit: An Al-Anon Family Group, Pathway to Peace, meets from 10 to 11 a.m. Fridays at the church, Sumneytown Pike and Barndt Road, Upper Salford. If you have, or have had, a family member, friend or coworker whose drinking or drug use is affecting or troubling you, contact Judy at jemorice@gmail.com. Plains Mennonite Church: Parents and caregivers of a child with autism or Asperger’s syndrome are invited to join a monthly support group that meets at 7 p.m. the second Friday of the month at the church, 50 W. Orvilla Road, Hatfield. Give and receive emotional and practical support, as exchange information and stories to be more effectively equipped with skills and insights to parent children on the autism spectrum. To RSVP or for more information, go to http://plainsmennonitechurch.org/eventscalendar/everyone or call (215) 362-7640. Franconia Mennonite Church: Celebrate Recovery meets 7 to 9 p.m. Mondays at the church on Route 113, Franconia. All are welcome.
Try tai chi
Church of the Holy Spirit: Tai chi sessions for beginners are held at 10 a.m.
Saturdays at the church, Barndt Road and Sumneytown Pike, Upper Salford. Intermediate level sessions are held at 8 a.m. Saturdays.
Adult class
Montco Bible Fellowship:
A “Habakkuk: Trusting God When Life Doesn’t Make Sense” class meets at 9 a.m. Sundays at the multi-cultural church at 160 E. Main St., Lansdale. Call (215) 855-0899.
New members welcome
St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church: The Prayer Shawl Ministry meets at 1 p.m. the
second and fourth Thursday of every month in the Parish Center basement, Derstine and Cowpath roads, Hatfield. New members are welcome and experience is not necessary. Yarn and needles provided. Contact Barbara at (440) 655-0650.
Wine online
Congregation Beth Or: Brotherhood group has an
affiliate link on kosherwine. com for ordering wine for the High Holy Days, or any time during the year. Brotherhood will update recommendations each season, or you can select from any of the 700 available varieties. The wine will ship directly to your home. Five percent of all sales is given back to Brotherhood to support Beth Or programming.