Religion briefs 6/28/03

Area Methodist churches welcome new pastors

Several area United Methodist churches will welcome new pastors to the pulpit Sunday. Appointments are made during the annual conference meeting. Under the itinerant system, clergy are subject to appointments by the bishop. The system assures that every church has a pastor and every pastor has a church. The average tenure for United Methodist clergy is four years.

The Rev. Scott Moon will lead the congregation at Grace United Methodist Church. He previously served as pastor of First United Methodist Church in Warrensburg, Mo. Moon served as campus minister at the Wesley House at Southeast Missouri State University and pastor of Third Street United Methodist Church from1990 to 1996. Since then he has served churches in St. Louis and Warrensburg.

Moon is a graduate of Eden Theological Seminary in Webster Groves, Mo. His wife, Michele, is a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University and Loyola University. She served as youth minister at Centenary United Methodist Church and as coordinator of religious life at St. Vincent parish in Cape Girardeau during the 1990s.

Third Street United Methodist Church and Hobbs Chapel will share a pastor. The Rev. Janet Hopkins will serve both churches. To accommodate the changes, the worship service at Hobbs will be at 9 a.m., followed by Sunday school at 10:15 a.m.

The Rev. James Hogue will move from Hobbs Chapel to serve the Hornersville-Caruthersville church.

The Rev. Dr. Stephan R. Breon, will served as the district superintendent for the southeast region of the United Methodist Conference. He previously was senior pastor at First United Methodist Church in Joplin, Mo. He had served there since 1995.

The southeast district includes 102 churches in an area that extends from Perryville north to the Arkansas border south and west into Van Buren, Mo. It is the largest district by territory of the 12 districts in the state.

Rigoberto Lopez will serve as pastor of a Hispanic outreach ministry, Jesus es el Camino. Worship services are led in Spanish and the group meets in the Family Life Center at Centenary United Methodist Church.

Cape church plans confirmation event

As part of its 150th anniversary celebration, Trinity Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau will hold a confirmation reunion dinner July 13. The dinner is open to anyone who was confirmed at the church. Special guests will be current and former teachers and principals from the school.

The event will be held at the church following worship service.

Reservations are due by July 1.

Freedom celebration planned by Cape church

Abundant Life Church in Cape Girardeau will hold a rally to celebrate America's freedom at 10:30 a.m. Sunday. Special guests include state Rep. Jason Crowell. There will be a selection of patriotic music. The church will hold its annual picnic at Kiwanis Park after the worship. For more information, call 243-6686.

Worship times change at First Christian Church

The worship schedule changes beginning July 6 at First Christian Church in Cape Girardeau.

Sunday school will be at 9:15 a.m., a fellowship at 9:45 a.m. and worship at 10 a.m.

Classes for body and mind offered

The Cape Girardeau Seventh-day Adventist Church will offer a free 10-week course on strengthening the body and mind at the church, 820 S. West End Blvd. The course is held at 6:45 p.m. each Friday through Aug. 29.

The course includes an hour of Pilates, a 15-minute health presentation and 45 minutes of Bible study. Participants must provide their own workout mat. For information, call 334-7523.

Presbyterian churches welcome Cuban visitor

Three area Presbyterian churches are welcoming a visitor from Matanzas, Cuba, during the coming week.

Andres Valle, who attends the Versailles Presbyterian Chuch in Cuba, is spending time with the congregations of Westminster Presbyterian Church, First Presbyterian Church in Cape Girardeau and First Presbyterian Church in Jackson. The trip is sponsored by the Presbyterian Church USA.

Valle will speak at the 10:45 a.m. worship Sunday at Westminster and will be guest during a 6 p.m. ice cream social at First Presbyterian Church in Cape Girardeau. He will speak to a Bible study group at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Chateau Girardeau.

A luncheon for area pastors is being held in his honor Wednesday at First Presbyterian Church in Cape Girardeau.

-- From staff reports