SHAMOKIN - Plans for mid-week worship services during the Lenten season and an annual community-wide observance on Good Friday during Holy Week were discussed at the February meeting of the Shamokin Area Ministerium of Churches with the Rev. David Byerly, president, officiating.
Continuing an annual tradition, "Soup and Sandwich" worship services and Bible study will be held each Wednesday evening during Lent at a rotation of churches affiliated with the ministerium. Soup and sandwiches will be served at 6 p.m. preceding the worship service, during which time hymns will be sung, scripture read and a homily presented, usually by the pastor or representative of the host church.
The first in a series of five services is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 29, at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, Seventh and Chestnut streets.
Subsequent services are scheduled for Wednesday, March 7, at either Our Lady of Hope, West Chestnut Street, or the Pregnancy Care Center, 151 S. Market St.; Wednesday, March 14, St., John's United Church of Christ, North Eighth Street; Wednesday, March 21, Seventh Street Primitive Methodist, and Wednesday, March 28, Trinity Lutheran, East Sunbury Street.
A committee consisting of the Revs. David Byerly, Karyn Fisher and Kay Painter was named to formulate plans for a traditional three-hour Good Friday service between noon and 3 p.m. on April 6 at St. John's United Methodist Church, West Arch Street. Speakers and other participants in the service, based on "The Seven Last Words of Christ," will be announced at next month's ministerium meeting.
Frank Stoshak, a lay representative of Our Lady of Hope Church and vice president, reported plans for a retreat of ministerium members at SS Cyril and Methodius Academy in Danville are still being considered. A date in mid-May was initially discussed for the retreat, but because of conflicts, the group is considering a new date sometime in the fall.
In reporting on efforts to obtain funds to provide emergency fuel assistance to those in need, the Rev. Jean Eckrod said several businesses were approached for possible donations. Painter, treasurer, reported some favorable response to letters of appeal for financial assistance. Churches throughout the area are asked to continue their support of the emergency fund project through voluntary monetary contributions.
The Rev. Betty Ford, president of Manna for the Many, one of several community service projects sponsored by the ministerium, said the food pantry is serving more than 500 families with new families being added as clients each week. She called attention to ministerium members to remember Manna's annual appeal today for food and monetary donations during the observance of "Souper Bowl" a national fundraising project in all churches of the area. All monetary and food donations remain in this area to assist Manna in its program of providing food to eligible clients in need.
Margaret Conrad, a representative of the Pregnancy Care Center, said the facility is being located to its new quarters at 151 S. Market St.
The session was held in First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Zach Hopple as host. Attending were the Revs. Hopple, Byerly, Eckrod, Fisher, Ford, Painter, Sam Ballavia, secretary; Alfred Bashore, David Hauck, Richard Hazzard, John Silliman and David Widoner, and lay representatives Stoshak and Conrad.
The next meeting of the ministerium will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 1, at Seventh Street Primitive Methodist Church.