Briefly

First Presbyterian hosts guests for parade

First Presbyterian Church will participate in the Christmas parade on Nov. 25 by providing free hot chocolate on the steps of the church. Cub Pack 15 will have parking available for a fee on the parking lot adjoining the Activities Center across Broadway from the church. Customers are invited to park, then come in to watch the parade in warm comfort through large windows and enjoy hot chocolate. Proceeds will benefit the cub pack.

Ministerial alliances hold Thanksgiving services

• The Jackson Ministerial Alliance will sponsor a community Thanksgiving service at 2 p.m. Sunday. The service will be at the First General Baptist Church at 1506 S. Farmington Road. The Rev. Barry Winders will bring the message. Music by the Jackson High School Handbell Choir will be presented. Everyone is invited to attend and encouraged to bring canned goods for the Ministerial Alliance food pantry. An offering will support the charities of the Alliance.
• The Scott City Ministerial Alliance will hold its community Thanksgiving service, songfest and fellowship at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Father's Arms Fellowship, 1400 Main St. in Scott City. Each local church will provide music. The evening will end with fellowship and snacks.

Gospel concert to be held Sunday at Benton

BENTON, Mo. -- Singer and musician Buddy Heaton of Bloomfield, Mo., will present a gospel concert at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Unity Baptist church in Benton, Mo., five miles east of Interstate 55 at the Benton-Diehlstadt exit on Highway 77. A free-will offering will be accepted.

Holiday bazaar to be held at Trinity Lutheran

The Trinity Ladies Junior Aid of Trinity Lutheran Church, 100 N. Frederick St., will have its holiday bazaar from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 1. A chicken and dumplings lunch will be sold from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with carryouts available. Items for sale include crafts, baked goods, candy, jellies and used goods.

Sunday activities planned at First Baptist

The Gathering, music and Bible study for all ages will be held at 9:30 a.m. Continuing Sunday is the "God's Creation" study with Tyler Tankersley. The session will be titled "The Dark Side of Creation." Pastor Mike Shupert will deliver the sermon "Four Ways to Give Thanks," the final message in the "ThanksLiving" series in the 10:45 a.m. service Sunday. A deacon ordination service will be held at 6 p.m. Sunday. Floyd Lockhart III, Elliott Swoboda and Lou Ann Zoffuto will be ordained. A reception will follow. All evening activities are canceled for Wednesday, and the church office will be closed Nov. 22 and 23 for Thanksgiving.

Central Methodist University Chorale to sing

A Cape Girardeau community Thanksgiving service will be held at Grace United Methodist Church on Sunday, beginning with a concert at 7 p.m. by the Central Methodist University Chorale. Immediately following the concert, at 7:30 p.m., the worship formally begins with the Rev. Bob Towner, rector of Christ Episcopal Church, preaching using Matthew 6:19-34 as his sermon text. An offering will be received in support of Love INC (Love in the Name of Christ). The Central Methodist University Chorale will also sing at 7 p.m. Saturday and 10:30 a.m. Sunday at New McKendree United Methodist Church in Jackson.

Two events scheduled at Father's Arms

Ventriloquists Kevin and Sonya Deitweiler, children's pastors at Christ Church for the Heartland in Cape Girardeau, will minister at 6 p.m. Sunday at Father's Arms Fellowship, 1400 Main St. in Scott City in the children's center. Puppets, praise, food, games and prizes will be part of the fun. New Life Drama Company will perform at the 10 a.m. service Nov. 25 at Father's Arms Fellowship. The presentation is a series of short skits that are fun and exciting as well as life challenging. The skits touch on a variety of topics such as salvation, prayer, evangelism, family issues and more.

GriefShare seminar to be held at St. Paul

"The Effects of Grief" is the topic for this week's GriefShare grief recovery seminar to be held at 1:30 p.m. Nov. 28 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson. The class meets in room 202 of the education building. Seminars in the series will run weekly through Feb. 13. For information, call the church at 243-2236.

-- From staff reports