Religion briefs 11/19/05

Calendar

Today

Author and speaker Ruth Shinness Brinduse will be at First Assembly of God Church in Scott City from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Annual Thanksgiving dinner and craft bazaar at Patton United Methodist Church, 3 p.m.

Sunday

Author and speaker Ruth Shinness Brinduse will be at First Assembly of God Church in Scott City 10 a.m.

Westminster Presbyterian Church choir and brass quintet at Centenary United Methodist Church, 8:45 a.m.

Sundays at Three concert series at Old St. Vincent's Church, featuring the Kingsbury Ensemble, 3 p.m. today.

Thanksgiving service at New Life Gospel Center in Scott City, 11 a.m.

Community Thanksgiving service at 2 p.m. today at Jackson First Baptist Church.

Veterans Day service at Hobbs Chapel United Methodist Church.

Briefly

Local churches to hold holiday bazaars, events

Local churches have special holiday bazaars and craft shows planned for the coming weeks, including:

* Holiday Bazaar at Trinity Lutheran Church fellowship room with chicken and dumplings lunch, crafts, baked goods, jewelry, glassware and collectibles, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 3.

* Winter Wonderland of Treasures sale at St. Denis Parish Center in Benton, Mo., from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 3. There will be booths with crafts, jewelry, food items, homemade soup and desserts.

* Annual cookie walk at Grace United Methodist Church, 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 10. Features crafts and sweets.

* Bethlehem -- Village of Hope at Delta First Baptist Church, a walk-through Christmas drama from 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 2, 3 and 4.

Sundays at Three offers variety of music

A professional concert series of chamber music -- known as Sundays at Three -- begins this Sunday at Old St. Vincent's Church in Cape Girardeau. The Kingsbury Ensemble will begin the series at 3 p.m. Sunday. The Christensen-Lim duo will be featured in the next performance, at 3 p.m. Dec. 11.

Season of Giving

Local churches are collecting donations for a variety of charity efforts at this time of the year. Here's a list of what's going on:

* Lutheran Family and Children's Services: The Southeast Missouri office is collecting gifts for families living in poverty. Contact the LFCS office at 334-5866 for ages and needs of families. Deadline is Tuesday.

* Operation Christmas Child: Cape First Assembly of God Church and Jackson First Baptist Church are collecting gift-filled shoeboxes for children.

* Grace Warming Tree: Grace United Methodist Church is collecting gloves, hats, mittens, scarves and socks for children in local elementary schools.

* Toybox Collection: Hanover Lutheran Church is collecting toys for the Cape Jaycees Toybox Drive.

* Ministry on the river: First Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau is collecting bags of individually wrapped hard candy for barge workers at Christmas.

-- From staff reports