Worship news & notes

Changing service times

Congregation Beth Or: Beginning Sept. 14 Shabbat services on Fridays will change to 7:30 p.m., followed by a dessert Oneg Shabbat. Family Shabbat and Kabbalat Shabbat services will be held on the first Friday of each month at 6:30 p.m. These services will be followed by a dessert Oneg Shabbat. The synagogue is at 239 Welsh Road, Upper Dublin.

Christ Covenant Church: Beginning Sept. 9 the church at 2200 Mainland Road, Towamencin, will offer worship each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Sunday school for all ages, including adults, is held at 9 a.m. with child care provided during Sunday school and worship. Christ Covenant Church offers a variety of opportunities for ministry, encompassing numerous music programs, such as bells and chimes, and choirs for all ages; various youth, women’s, men’s and senior’s groups including prayer shawl ministry and Free Community Dinners. For more information call (215) 256-8101 or visit www.christ-covenant.org. Church of the Holy Spirit: The Episcopal church at 2871 Barndt Road and Sumneytown Pike, Upper Salford, returns to regular service times and Sunday school hours on Sept. 9. Communion services will be held at 8 and 10:15 a.m., with blessing of the backpacks, students and teachers. Children’s church school resumes at 9 a.m., with classes for preschool through high school, including the new “God’s Children Sing” class for 3- to 5-year-olds. An overview of the Adult Christian Formation will be held at 9 a.m. Infant and young child care is available throughout the morning. For more information call (215) 234-8020 or visit www.churchoftheholyspirit.us.

Celebration Sunday

St. John’s United Church of Christ: St. John’s invites all members and friends to join them in the paver courtyard behind the church at 9:45 a.m. on Sept. 10 to begin Celebration Sunday and kick off the new Church Year. Sunday school resumes and classes will be available for all ages, with a starting time of 9 a.m. In addition the Chancel Choir returns from their summer hiatus, and will sing “He Hath Done All Things Well” by Jan Bender. The church is at 500 W. Main St., Lansdale. All are welcome. Call (215) 855-5489 or visit www.st-johns-ucc.org.

Open house

Lansdale Presbyterian Church: The church at 450 Oak Park Road, Hatfield Township, invites you to

see the newly-added cafe, lobby, nursery and administrative areas at an open house at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 9. There will also be a Celebration Worship Concert at 6:30 p.m., followed by dessert fellowship at 7:30. A nursery is provided during the Worship Concert. Zwingli United Church of Christ: Everyone is invited to an Open House-themed Rally Day beginning at 9 a.m. Sept. 9 at 350 Wile Ave., Souderton. The fun will overflow from the worship service into a ministry fair.

Music notes

St. Luke’s United Church of Christ: On Sept. 9 trumpeter Charles Evans will perform throughout the Sunday 10 a.m. worship service. In addition to hymn descants taken from his published “Hymn Descants for Treble Instruments,” he will play arrangements of “Now Thank We All Our God,” “O Waly, Waly” and “Processional on Ode to Joy.” Evans has been a member of the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, the Lehigh Valley Chamber Orchestra, the Bach Festival Orchestra in Bethlehem and the Delaware Valley Philharmonic. Visit www.uccnorthwales.org. North Penn Church of Christ: Auditions for ArCoNet youth and chamber orchestras are held 7 to 9 p.m. Sept. 10 and 8 to 9 p.m. Sept. 11 at the church at 300N. North Wales Road, Montgomery Township. Find audition information under the Orchestras tab at www.arconetwork.org.

For kids

Bethany Bible Fellowship Church: Boysandgirlsin grades 1-6 are welcome to sign up for Pioneer Clubs, which engage in activities such as crafts, singing, games and more. Registration is taking place now, with weekly clubs meeting in the evenings starting Sept. 12. The church is at 75 W. Broad St., Hatfield. Call (215) 855-2449or go to www.bethanybfc.org. Faith Bible Fellowship Church: AWANA (Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed, a reference to 2 Timothy 2:15) is open to children ages 4 to sixth-grade 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday nights starting Sept. 12. Each clubber will need to purchase an AWANA handbook and vest/shirt. Download important documents at http://faithbfc.org/ project/awana. The church is at 140 Harleysville Pike, Lower Salford. St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church: A Mom and Tot group meets at 9:30 a.m. Thursdays in the Parish Hall, Derstine and Cowpath roads, Hatfield.

Festival atmosphere

St. Mary & St. Kyrillos Coptic Orthodox Church: The Hatfield congregation invites you to celebrate the 11th annual Egyptian Festival 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 8-9 and 15-16. The festival will be held on the grounds of our the church and community center, 2500 Unionville Pike, Hatfield. There will be Egyptian food, a pharaonic jewelry and souvenir shop and games for all ages. 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/oyster-picnic. Calvary Church: The fourth annual Engines for Emma childhood cancer benefit car show is held 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 15 at the church, 820 Route 113, Hilltown. Car registration is $15. See the show’s Facebook event page at www.facebook.com/ events/931218260393243. St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Hilltown: The sixth annual “Wines on the Hill ... and Craft Beer” event is held noon to 6 p.m. Sept. 15 on the church’s soccer fields, 1530 Augsburg Drive. Highlights include 10 wineries, a craft beer garden, food and live music.

Advance tickets at www.hilltownfirerescue.org are $20. Tickets are the gate are $30, $5 for designated drivers, $4 for youths 13-plus.

Opening soon

St. Peter’s Lutheran Church: The church’s thrift shop at 211S. 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 1p.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) 699-4604.

Help others

St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church: A blood drive is held 2 to 7 p.m. Sept. 12 in Drexel Hall, Cowpath and Derstine roads, Hatfield. 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; gluten-free, 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 christ-covenant.org.

Let’s eat

St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church: The First Thursday Breakfast Club is held following the 8:30 a.m. Mass 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.

Gather together

Zion Mennonite Church: A Grief Share support group meets 1 to 2:30 p.m. Thursdays at 149 Cherry Lane, Souderton. Call (215) 7233592 for more information. St. Peter’s Lutheran Church: People Undergoing Pain meets every Tuesday at 6:15 p.m. at the church, 211 S. Main St., North Wales. 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/events-calendar/ everyone or call (215) 3627640. 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) 8550899.

Wine online

Congregation Beth Or: The 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.

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