Religion notes

New Christian school planning open house
Family Christian Academy will host an open house from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the school, 11625 E. 15th St. S., Independence. The free event is opened to the public and intended to celebrate the school’s opening last month with an enrollment of 40 students.
The school is Christian-based with family-friendly activities and is owned by Rita and Steve Schowengert of Independence. Rita Schowengert is the school administrator. The school is in the former Columbian School.
 

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Family Farm Day set
A Family Farm Day fundraiser will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Butler Farm, 29700 Old Pink Hill  Road, Grain Valley. Help send the Hildebrand family to Africa. They will be serving as missionaries in Kenya.
There will be presentations at noon, 2 and 4 p.m. Activities include games, inflatables, horse rides, face painting, hay rides, bonfire, hot dog, chips, drinks and toasted marshmallows.
All activities and food are free. Donations are appreciated.

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Chili supper set at South Crysler
South Crysler Community of Christ will host a chili supper beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday at the church, 3100 S. Crysler Ave., Independence.
There will also be musical entertainment by Sandra Byrne and an auction of desirable gifts.
A free will offering will be taken, with proceeds being applied to some major building expenses. Due to space limitations, reservations are requested. For reservations, call Julie at 816-737-1315 or Joan at 816-478-8300.

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Harvest festival nears
Blue Ridge Boulevard Methodist Church will hold a harvest festival Saturday at the church, 5055 Blue Ridge Blvd., Kansas City.
The event will feature 10 booths, which will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., a chuck wagon from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and a KFC chicken dinner will be served from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. ($8.50 for adults, $4 for children under 4). Reservations for dinner are needed by Sept. 30, call 816-353-1435.

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Oak Grove UMC plans fall festival
Oak Grove United Methodist Church will hold its annual fall festival Saturday at the church, 1501 Harding St., Oak Grove.
The United Methodist Women will offer various bazaar items, including hand-embroidered tea towels, teapot cozies, “tree” napkins, baby blankets, fleece throws, Barbie doll outfits, baby burp pads, comforters, table runners, wooden cats, and various other items. The bazaar will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the church library.
A turkey dinner will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and includes turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, gelatin salad, rolls, pie and drink. Carry-outs available. Tickets for the dinner may be purchased in advance or at the door the day of the dinner. The cost is $7 for ages 11 and older, $4 for children 4 to 10, and those 3 and under are free.
Children’s activities will also be available during the day, and the United Methodist Men will hold a bake walk.

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Three congregations celebrate communion
Three of the Independence’s oldest churches will celebrate World Communion Sunday with a combined service at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at the Truman Memorial Building.
The churches are First Christian Church, First Presbyterian Church and First United Methodist Church, all near the Square.
The public is invited. The Truman Memorial Building is at 416 W. Maple Ave.
The speaker is Michael Graves, the preaching professor at St. Paul School of Theology and regional minister for preaching for the Greater Kansas City Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
World Communion Sunday originated in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and eventually extended to other denominations. For more information, contact Brent Schondelmeyer at bschonde@swbell.net or 816-547-9425.

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‘Receive the Kingdom’ is theme this Sunday
Terry Snapp will be speaking on the theme of “Receive the Kingdom” at the 10:20 a.m. worship service Sunday at the Stone Church Community of Christ, 1012 W. Lexington Ave., Independence.
Snapp, the presiding pastor of the Stone Church, has extensive experience as a fundraiser for non-profit organizations. Bob Wilson will be presiding, while Paulette V. Resch and Marcia Pugh will be providing the ministry of music. Others participating in the worship will be Arthur Butler, Jeanne Rider and Darlene Caswell.
Signing is available for the hearing impaired. For more information, contact the church at 816-254-2211 or www.stone-church.org.

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Obetz helps mark organ anniversary
John Obetz will open the 50th birthday celebration of the Auditorium organ with a free concert at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Community of Christ Auditorium, River Boulevard and Walnut Street, Independence.
Obetz and the Auditorium organ were heard weekly on radio stations across the United States for more than 25 years. As a concert organist, he has performed throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. He has also been a featured soloist with numerous symphony orchestras and for many conventions of the American Guild of Organists. Obetz was principal organist for Community of Christ from 1967 to 1998.
For more information on this and upcoming events on the Dome and Spire Series, visit www.cofchrist.org/dome_spire/calendar.asp.

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Respect Life events this weekend
Respect Life Sunday and National Life Chain events will be held this Sunday in honor of “Respect Life Month” at several area locations.
Activities may include a ProLife literature display, a ProLife message/sermon/homily and an offering for ProLife work. Missouri Right to Life Western Region is your ProLife Resource Center and will help you with programs for youth, seniors, any age. They have speakers, videos and quantities of ProLife literature available, all without charge. Locations include:
Blue Springs – 2 to 3 p.m. U.S. 40 and Missouri 7. Pick up signs at K-Mart lot behind Arby’s. Call 816-229-8513.
Odessa – 1:45 p.m. sign pick-up at Second and Mason; 2 to 3 p.m. event. Call 816-230-7898.
Lexington – 2:15 to 3:15 p.m., 11th and Main streets. Pick up signs at 205 S. 13th St. Call 660-259-2329.
Kansas City – 12:45 p.m. gather, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. event, Our Lady of Lourdes, Blue Ridge and Gregory Boulevard. Call 816-353-1717.
Kansas City – 1:30 to 2:30 chain on 95th Street (Bannister Road). Park and collect signs at Colonial Presbyterian, 95th and Wornall. Call 816-353-4113.

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Peacemaking Offering Sunday

Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church will be joining with congregations across the denomination to support the 2009 Peacemaking Offering at the 10:30 a.m. worship service on Sunday at the church, 3108 W. U.S. 40.
This offering supports peacemaking ministries across the church and is crucial to the on going success of the Peacemaking Program. Through gifts, congregations receive training and resources to deal with conflict, International Peacemakers bear witness to how they live out their faith in the midst of challenge and even violence, children young and old can make a difference building peace. The session of the church has voted to send 25 percent of the Peacemaking Offering to support Grace United Community Ministries, as has been done in the past. There will also be communion served as usual on the first Sunday of the month and it is also World Communion Sunday.
Immediately following the worship service, a Commemoration Service of Sally Denise and Janet Nadel will be held. A reception will be held with decorations, including a “money-tree” and albums for cards of appreciation for their dedicated service to our church over the past years.
To complete the day, the Fall League Softball team “Highlanders” will play at 7:30 p.m. at Blue Springs Park.
The congregation will also be participating in the CROP for Hunger Walk on Sunday 11. This has been an annual walk for the church to help stop hunger in our neighborhood and around the world! See Michelle Jones, Ruby Gulick, Jackie LaRue, Sue Letizia or June Fisher for registration forms.
For more information, call the church 816-229-3367.
 
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‘Eat, Pray, Love’ author to speak at Unity Village
Author Elizabeth Gilbert will appear at Unity Village on Tuesday for an evening lecture and VIP reception in the Activities Center, near Lee’s Summit.
Gilbert is most famous for her recent book “Eat, Pray, Love.” The book profiles the year she spent traveling around the world in search of personal restoration after a difficult divorce.
The lecture will begin at 7 p.m., and she will provide a first-hand account of her travels and life experiences. A question-and-answer session will follow. Tickets are $38 (plus a processing fee).
Gilbert will sign books during a private reception. This event will begin at 8:30. Only 150 tickets will be sold. The cost is $85 (plus a processing fee). This ticket price also includes the lecture.
For more information or to purchase tickets, call 816-251-3540 or visit www.spiritpathonline.org/eatpraylove.

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Youth basement sale

St. Matthew United Methodist Church will be holding a youth basement sale from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 8, 9 and 10 at the church, 2415 R.D. Mize Road, behind the old Medical Center of Independence building. There will be a wide variety of items to choose from.
For more information, call Shirley Weaver at 816-461-9224 or Sherri Bradshaw at 816-461-3628.

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‘Famous Fish Dinners’ back on for October
St. Ann’s will hold its “Famous Fish Dinners” from 4:30 to 8 p.m. Oct. 9, 16 and 23 at the church, Cedar and Lexington avenues, in the Fairmount area of Independence.
The menu includes boiled shrimp, fried shrimp, whole channel catfish, catfish fillets, french fries, boiled potatoes, coleslaw, green beans, hush puppies and cornbread. Drinks are included with dinner.
Dinner prices range from $7.50 to $9.75. A fish sandwich and fries is also available for $4. A la carte items may be purchased separately. Desserts are available and sold by the Altar Society.
For more information, call 816-252-1160.

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Community breakfast

Summit Grove Community of Christ will be holding a community breakfast from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. Oct. 10 at the church, 411 S. Lee’s Summit Road, Independence.
The menu includes biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, sausage, hash brown potatoes, oatmeal, juice and coffee. The cost is $5 for adults, $2.50 for children under 4.

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Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship to meet

Mike Postlewait will be speaking at the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International meeting at 6 p.m. Oct. 10 at Bass Pro Shops, in the Hemingway Room, 18001 Bass Pro Drive, Independence.
Postlewait is president of Management By Strengths Inc., a management consulting firm based in Olathe, specializing in communication and team building skills. While much of Mike’s time is spent teaching people in business how to improve teamwork and communication, his favorite thing to do is to teach Christians “How to walk in Agape Love.” People learn how to practice 1 John 3:16...“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
For more information and to make reservations, call International Director Bill Phipps at 816-333-0348.

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Church on the Rock events

Church on the Rock Outreach Center in Lee’s Summit have several activities planned for October.
They will be holding Love’s Outreach Community Food Distributions from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Oct. 10 at the church, 1700 S.W. Market St., Lee’s Summit, and from 9 to 10 a.m. Oct. 24 at the Pleasant Hill Community Center, 308 W. Commercial.
The Old Fashioned Harvest Festival will begin at 10:30 a.m. Oct. 11 at the church. The Peterson Family Band from Branson, Mo., will be the special music guests. Evangelist Robert Madu, a young dynamic preacher, will be the guest speaker at the 10:30 a.m. worship service Oct. 18, and KC Kopaska will be the special missionary guest at the 10:30 a.m. worship service on Oct. 25. A free-will offering will be taken.
For more information, call 816-246-7625 or visit www.cotroc.org.

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An evening of song

Come for an evening of Joyful Song, an evening of music, beginning at 7 p.m. Oct. 16 at New Walnut Park Community of Christ, 23rd and Pearl streets, Independence.
The benefit performance features The Mengels, Western Pennsylvanians, New Walnut Parks’ Own and more. There will also be door prizes and free refreshments.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children, $35 maximum for families with three or more children. For more information, call 816-796-0548 or 816-795-8058.

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Northland Cathedral wants bazaar exhibitors
The Women’s Ministries of Northland Cathedral is seeking exhibitors for its  2009 Holiday Bazaar scheduled for Nov. 14. Deadline for registering is Wednesday.
To receive a contract or additional information, contact Diane Caudillo at 816-468-1499 or visit www.northlandcathedral.org/ministry-programs/women/holiday-bazaar.