religion digest 2/16

Bishop to visit New Hamburg parish

The Rev. John J. Leibrecht, bishop of the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Roman Catholic Diocese, will visit St. Lawrence parish in New Hamburg, Mo., today and Sunday.

He will celebrate Mass at 4 p.m. today when 39 teen-age candidates for confirmation will be presented. He will celebrate Mass at 8:30 a.m. Sunday and visit the religion classes afterward.

Church to host weekend full of gospel music

First General Baptist Church in Jackson, Mo., will host a weekend of gospel music with the Dixie Melody Boys of Kinston, N.C., and Jim and Loretta Murray.

The Dixie Melody Boys will perform at 5:30 p.m. today. The Murrays will sing at 8:30 and 10:40 a.m. Sunday.

A nursery will be provided at all services. There is no admission fee, but an offering will be collected.

Eisenharts to speak at Bethel Assembly of God

Barry Eisenhart and his wife, Karen, will be guests at Bethel Assembly of God Church at 10:30 a.m. Sunday.

Barry Eisenhart will speak during the service.

The Eisenharts have been missionaries since 1970. They spent 10 years in Germany and were most recently serving in Central Asia.

Alpha course to be offered at Centenary

Centenary United Methodist Church will offer an Alpha course beginning Feb. 21. Alpha is a 12-week course that covers the basics of Christian faith. It is designed primarily for people who are new to Christianity or who aren't churchgoers.

Alpha is open to anyone.

The course will be offered in a home setting on Thursday evenings and includes an informal dinner.

To register, call Judy at Centenary's church office at 334-2869. The registration is $15 for singles and $25 for couples and includes books and supplies.

Area residents return from Nicaragua

A team of mission volunteers from Southeast Missouri recently returned from a week in Nicaragua. Dr. Clayton L. Smith, pastor of Centenary United Methodist Church served as the team coordinator. Other volunteers were Rob Litzelfelner of Jackson, Mo., John MacDaniel of Perryville, Mo., Scott Brink and the Rev. Ed Hankinson, both of Charleston, Mo., Susan Brewer of Marble Hill, Mo., Dr. James Ellegood and Karen Mustoe, also of Cape Girardeau.

The group spent a week building houses and visited housing developments, schools and clinics.

Another trip for Volunteers in Mission is being planned for 2003. The team will again serve in Nicaragua.

-- From staff reports