Worship news and notes

Send items for Worship News to religion@thereporteronline.com. Address questions to Nancy March, editor, at nmarch@thereporteronline.com. Deadline is noon Thursday to appear in the Saturday Worship News and Notes.

Band practice at Gwynedd Square Presbyterian Church, 837 Sumneytown Pike, Lansdale, with our new band directer, Jeffrey Miller, begins Thursday, Sept. 30 at 6:30p.m. at the church. Jeff is a retired band director from the North Penn School District and we are so excited to have him direct our multi-generational band. Dust off those instrument that you haven’t touched for a while or the shiny new ones that you’ve recently played and come let’s make beautiful music together. Everyone with an instrument and some ability is welcome to come. We will be preparing for a Christmas concert at our church on December 12. Please contact the church at 215-699-9159 or email Jeff at jrm123@comcast.net if you can come or if you have any questions.

Gwynedd Square Presbyterian Church,

837 Sumneytown Pike, Lansdale, will be manning booths at North Wales Community Day, Sept. 25and Habitat Faith Build Day in Hatfield on Sept. 26. Come and visit us, meet our interim pastor Wonjae Choi, and hear about all the exciting things happening in our church. Kids can spin a wheel to win a prize. We look forward to seeing you.

St. Peter’s Lutheran Church,

211S. Main St., North Wales, celebrates Sunday, Sept. 26with indoor Communion services at 8:30 and 10:30a.m. All are welcome who are comfortable indoors; follow CDC guidelines and wear a mask until further notice. A Zoom service will be at 9:30a.m. for those who are not comfortable inside. Contact the church office 215-699-4604for the Zoom link. Sunday School will be in the Fellowship Hall at 10:30. First Holy Communion ceremony will be at noon. The Thrift Shop reopens on Saturday Sept. 25and St. Peter’s Oktoberfest is 11-5 on Saturday Sept. 25 with German food and beer tent, music, children’s corner and a silent auction. Free admission.

St. John’s United Church

of Christ will hold its annual Blessing of the Animals under the shade tree in the meditation garden at 12:15 on Sunday, September 26. All “parents” are invited to bring their pets (all shapes, sizes, and varieties) or a photo of their pet for a special blessing. Masks are encouraged, but not required.The church is at 500 W. Main St., Lansdale. All are welcome! Call 215855-5489or visit www. st-johns-ucc.org. Ihna Cho will be guest organist at the the 8 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. services. All worshipers are asked to wear a mask while indoors at the church. Later the service is available on St. John’s Facebook page, website and YouTube channel: youtube.com/stjohnsucclansdalepa

Gwynedd Square Presbyterian Church PC(USA),

837 Sumneytown Pike, Lansdale. Please join us live in our sanctuary or for online services via Zoom with an internet-enabled device or by telephone. Sunday Worship is at 10 a.m. and Praise Service is at 8:30a.m. We are worshipping using CDC guidelines with the wearing of masks and social distancing. Weekly in-house and online Bible Study is on Wednesdays at 10:30a.m. Hiking ministry this month will be Saturday, September 25 at 8:30. For web links or dial in numbers, please visit www.gwyneddsquare. org. For other activities, please send an email to office@gwyneddsquare.org or call the church office at 215-699-9159. Rally Day, marking the beginning of the Sunday School Year, will be held on Sunday, Sept. 26 at 9 a.m., for children grades 6 and under. Grades 7 and up will have their Rally Day Sunday, Oct. 3 at 7 PM. Adult Forum will begin Oct. 3 at 9 a.m.

Gwynedd Square Presbyterian Church

is hosting a blood drive on Oct. 5 from 2 to 7 p.m. The need for blood is constant. Your contribution is important for a healthy and reliable blood supply. With the ongoing pandemic, many usually Red Cross collection sites have been closed. In part, this has created a critical supply shortage of blood donations. It is best to make an appointment but the Red Cross will take walk ins if not too busy. They are asking people who feel ill in any way not to donate blood. Face masks must be worn and temperatures will be taken at sign in. Please contact blood drive coordinator, Jennifer Clements-Rhoads at (215) 661-1300 to make an appointment Please consider donating blood.

The Church of the Holy Spirit (Episcopal),

2871 Barndt Road at the corner of Sumneytown Pike, Upper Salford, now holds in-person Communion services at 8 and 10:15 a.m. on Sundays, with COVID protocols requiring mask wearing. The church will also continue to live-stream the 10:15a.m. Communion services on Sundays on their Facebook page — Church of the Holy Spirit, Harleysville. Compline services are being provided over Zoom at 8 p.m. on Thursdays. Services are led by the Rev. Kathy Andonian, Rector, assisted by staff, parish and choir members. On Saturday, Sept. 25, at 7:30 p.m. a concert will be presented by Ed Schultz, principal flutist for the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania Ballet and Philly Pops, accompanied by Jeffrey Uhlig on piano. It will be held in person at the church and livestreamed on the church webpage. A freewill offering will be received and a reception will follow. On Sunday, Oct. 3, a Blessing of the Animals will be held at the 10:15 a.m. service. All are invited to bring their companion animals on leashes or in cages for individual blessings. For more information on online services and church school classes, call 215-234-8020 or visit www.churchoftheholyspirit.us.

Blooming Glen Mennonite Church, 713 Blooming Glen Road, will continue summer outdoor pavilion services at 9:30 a.m. until September 26. Join us for joyful worship and singing, prayer, and inspiring preaching as well as adult, children’s, and youth Sunday schools. CDC recommended COVID guidelines will be followed, including distancing and wearing masks under the pavilion and indoors. The pavilion is located at the rear of the property. For more information call (215) 257-3431