BAKERSTOWN ALLIANCE

The 40 Days of Purpose campaign will kick off at 6 p.m. Saturday at Bakerstown Alliance Church, 4030 Bakerstown Road, Gibsonia. Groups will be formed and will meet once a week for six weeks. To participate, contact the Rev. Dan Borchert at 724-443-7040. Books will be provided.

BUTLER CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE

The Nazarene World Missions semi-annual Arblaster Offering will be collected at the 10:45 a.m. Sunday service at Butler Church of the Nazarene, 4410 Oakdale Road and Route 68. The offering will benefit international missions.

The lock-in for the Benson Buddies and Searcher Caravan classes on Friday is being rescheduled. A new date has yet to be announced.

Toothbrushes and other donations are still being received for Katrina relief efforts.

CHRIST COMMUNITY U.M.

An introductory meeting of the New Beginnings Class at Christ Community United Methodist Church, 205 N. Duffy Road, will be held at 9:45 a.m. Sunday. The class is open to those seeking church membership.

Little Lambs, Joyful Voices and His Kids children's choirs will begin rehearsals on Tuesday.

CHRIST'S OUTREACH

Pastor Ken Palmer, pastoral candidate, will speak at the 7 p.m. Saturday and 10:30 a.m. Sunday services at Christ's Outreach Church, 120 Walker Ave. A covered-dish dinner will follow the Sunday service.

Wednesday is the last day to turn in the Crisis Care Kits.

A women's Bible study will begin at 11 a.m. Oct. 4.

COVENANT PRESBY

The dinner theater "Murder, Mayhem, and Marshmallow Salad," will be presented at 6 p.m. Saturday in the Assembly Room at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 230 E. Jefferson St.

On Sunday, Mary Lee Marten and Betty Anderson will lead a Seekers Class program, "Homosexuality and the Presbyterian Church (USA)" on Sunday. The class meets at 9:45 a.m. in the Assembly Room.

Christopher Walchesky will be the guest organist at the 11 a.m. Sunday service. He is a 10th grade student at Knoch High School.

A "Blessing of the Animals" will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday on the side lawn. The community is invited to bring leashed pets to the ceremony.

FAITH FELLOWSHIP

A prayer breakfast featuring the Rev. David Volstad of the Allegheny Center Alliance Church will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday at Faith Fellowship Alliance Church, 200 Faithway-Fared Drive. The topic will be "Life in Christ is Service." Reservations are requested.

FIRST BAPTIST

First Baptist Christian School, a ministry of First Baptist Church, 221 W. New Castle St., will host Back to School Night for parents and students at 7 p.m. today. Those attending will meet at 7 p.m. in the church sanctuary.

The church will be among congregations participating in the annual fall, youth retreat from 5:30 p.m. Friday through 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Slippery Rock Baptist Camp, 130 Elliott Lane, Slippery Rock. The Rev. Kevin Orndorff, pastor of Temple Baptist Church in DuBois, will be the featured speaker.

The Berean Sunday School Class will host the Junior/Senior High Class for breakfast at 8:30 a.m. Sunday in the Baptist Youth Center.

FIRST U.M.

The Stephen Ministries Group will hold a training session at 7 p.m. Monday in the Bridal and Conference rooms at First United Methodist Church, 200 E. North St.

FIRST ENGLISH LUTHERAN

The senior choir of First English Lutheran Church, 241 N. Main St., will hold a rehearsal at 7:30 p.m. today.

Red Cross training will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.

Contributions may be made directly to the ELCA Domestic Disaster Fund for Hurricane Katrina victims or may be made on the offering envelopes under the "specials" line for congregational credit.

GLADE RUN U.P.

Every Woman's Bible Study will meet at 7 p.m. Monday at Glade Run United Presbyterian Church, 1091 Pittsburgh Road, Valencia. All women of all ages are invited to attend.

Old cell phones are being collected to recycle. The youth will be collecting them and turning them in for cash. The proceeds will benefit youth programs.

GRACE @ CALVARY LUTHERAN

Consecration Sunday will be observed this weekend at Grace @ Calvary Lutheran Church, 123 E. Diamond St. The Rev. Randal Gullickson will be the guest speaker at the 10 a.m. Sunday service. A catered luncheon will follow in the social hall.

Sunday will be the last day to donate stuffed animals for children affected by Hurricane Katrina. Donations are being collected by the Sunday school classes.

Embroidery floss will be collected by Heath Gamache on Sunday to be taken to South Africa for use in handicrafts.

GRACEWAY COMMUNITY

There will be no morning service this week at GraceWay Community Church, Butler Days Inn, Heritage Room. The congregation will meet at 11 a.m. in the Dogwood Shelter at Camp Lutherlyn for a fall picnic. Chicken, potato salad, beverages and paper products will be provided.

HILL U.P.

The "Celebrate a Life" birthday offering will be collected during the weekend services at Hill United Presbyterian Church, 501 Second St. Birthday cake and beverages will be served after each service.

Students in grade three will receive Bibles at the 10:30 a.m. Sunday service.

Orders for CDs of the piano orchestra's performance on Sept. 4 are now being accepted. A donation of $5 is suggested and will benefit the children and youth music ministry.

A soup sale will be held Sunday in the fellowship hall. Cost is $5 per quart and proceeds benefit youth mission trips.

MERIDIAN U.P.

Meridian United Presbyterian Church, 4150 Highland Ave., will hold a wiener roast at 7 p.m. Friday at the Meridian Vets Club picnic grounds. The Men's Club will furnish the hot dogs, buns and sticks.

MT. CHESTNUT PRESBY

A training session for small group Bible study leaders will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday at Mount Chestnut Presbyterian Church, 727 Old West 422. For information, contact the church office at 724-287-7601.

Floyd Kish is the new youth director at Mount Chestnut Presbyterian. He will be leading the junior and senior high youth group, now called MORPHS. The group will hold its first meeting at 3:45 p.m. Sunday and will take a bus ride to NET Outreach community center. Dinner will be provided. Participants should take their Bibles, a notebook and a pen.

NEW LIFE CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES

Informational meetings for the summer 2006 mission trips for middle school and high school students of New Life Christian Ministries, Knoch School Auditorium, 345 Knoch Road, Saxonburg, will be held Sunday. Middle school students and their parents will meet at 5 p.m. at the home of Jim and Amy Brown, 447 Overbrook Drive, Valencia. Details on the June trip to Bluefield, W.Va. will be shared. The senior high students and their parents will meet at 8:15 p.m. Sunday at the home of Joe and Bobbi Bartlett, 126 Dwellington Drive, Valencia. Details on their July trip to the Mohawk Indian Reservation in upstate New York will be shared. For details, contact the Rev. Tim Fulkerson at 724-586-1111 or tim@newlifexn.org or visit www.NewLifeXn.org.

NORTH MAIN ST. CHURCH OF GOD

Paul Maxfield, director of Children of Promise, will be the guest speaker at the 10:30 a.m. Sunday service at North Main Street Church of God, 1201 N. Main St. Ext.

Flood cleaning buckets and health kits for victims of Hurricane Katrina will be collected through Oct. 9. A list of requested items will be included in the worship folder on Sunday.

OLD UNION PRESBY

Old Union Presbyterian Church, 200 Union Church Road, Mars, is looking for people to help serve breakfast and lunch for the next three Tuesdays to victims of Katrina who have relocated to Pittsburgh. Call Rev. Gary Weston at 724-625-2002 for information.

The church will be 200 years old next year, and anyone interested in helping to plan the festivities should sign up in the back of the church.

Anyone willing to help prepare a new picture directory can sign up in the back of the church.

PARK U.P.

Communion will be celebrated on Oct. 2 at Park United Presbyterian Church, Grandview Avenue, Zelienople. The guest pastor will be the Rev. Ben Mathes of Rivers of the World Ministries. A coffee hour will be held after the second service.

RIDER LUTHERAN

Rider Lutheran Church, 189 Rider Church Road, West Sunbury, will hold a workday starting at 9 a.m. Saturday.

The Sacrament of Holy Communion will be celebrated at the 10 a.m. Sunday service.

The Confirmation Class will start at 11:15 a.m. Sunday.

ST. JOHN U.C.C.

Harvest Home will be observed at the 11 a.m. Sunday service at St. John's United Church of Christ, 501 E. Main St., Evans City.

The praise team, vocal and instrumental musicians will perform at the 8:35 Alive service on Sunday in the fellowship hall.

ST. MARK'S EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN

A Sunday school staff meeting will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday at St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church, 201 W. Jefferson St. Participants should take a Bible and teaching materials.

A display to honor military personnel is now being compiled. Photographs of friends or family members serving in the military can be submitted to the church office and should be labeled with name, rank and pertinent information. Submissions are due Oct. 30.

A spaghetti dinner will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 8 to fund the youth trip to San Antonio. A donation of $6 is requested for teens and adults and $4 for children younger than 12. Tickets are available in advance or at the door.

ST. PETER'S EPISCOPAL

Sunday will be Friendship Sunday at St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 218 E. Jefferson St.. A coffee hour will follow the 8:15 and 10:30 a.m. Holy Communion Services.

A healing service with Holy Communion will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Daughters of the King will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

The fellowship committee has organized a tour of the Foxboro Chapel at St. John's in Franklin for Oct. 1. The cost will be $3 for the tour and lunch on your own in Franklin. Car pools will leave the church at 9 a.m. Anyone interested can sign up in the back of the church or call the Kamerers at 724-865-2548.

TOWER PRESBY

The 40 Days of Purpose campaign will begin Sunday at Tower Presbyterian Church, 248 South Broad St., Grove City. Services will begin at 8:30 and 10:50 a.m. and Sunday school classes will begin at 9:30. Both services and Sunday school classes will be focused on the 40 Days of Purpose Campaign.

TRINITY LUTHERAN

The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper will be shared at the 6:30 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday services at Trinity Lutheran Church, 120 Sunset Dr.

A six-week Inquirer's Class will begin at 9:40 a.m. Sunday. The class is open to those who plan to become members or members who would like information on Lutheranism.

Training for acolytes will be held during the Sunday school hour this week. Training is open to youth in grades 7 through 12.

Mentors and confirmation students will meet at 3:45 p.m. Sunday at Lutherlyn to complete the Ropes Course. A hot dog roast and worship service will follow.

A meeting will be held at noon Sunday for those interested in participating in the Katie's Garden Ministry. The meeting is open to congregation and community members.

The youth group will be selling Giant Eagle gift cards after each service for several weeks to fund their trip to the 2006 National Youth Gathering in Texas.

TRINITY PRESBY

Paul Cashdollar will be the guest speaker Sunday at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 107 Staley Ave.

Donations of film canisters, cookie cutters and brown lunch bags are needed for Sunday school craft projects. Donations can be taken to the church office or left on the table outside the office.

Sugar is being collected through the end of the month for the Covenant Food Cupboard.

VICTORY CHRISTIAN

Pastor Jim Graff, a Butler County native, will be the guest speaker at 6:30 p.m. Saturday and the 9 and 11 a.m. Sunday services at Victory Christian Fellow, 216 Mystic Pine Trail, Cranberry Township. He is the current pastor of Faith Family Church, Victoria, Texas.