Churches

The Rural Life Celebration will be Sunday at the Church of St. Joseph in Pierz. The celebration will focus on issues of social justice as Minnesota farming families face difficult economic times. The Rev. Gerald Dalseth will host the Rural Life Celebration, which will begin with Mass at 1:30 p.m. and continue to 5:30 p.m. with speakers, food, refreshments and entertainment by the Roman Block and the Buckaneers polka band. The event is free and open to the public.

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Celebrate Life!

A Celebrate Life! party will be Sunday at the Walker Community Church to benefit the American Cancer Society.

Family activities will start at 4 p.m. with bratwursts and burgers being served at 5:30 p.m. The evening will end with music and a dance party. Raffle tickets will be available with a chance to win prizes with all proceeds going to the cancer society. The event is in honor of Cyndie Limvere, who lost her fight against cancer last February.

WestSwede Singers

The WestSwede Singers, a gospel singing group for Sweden, will perform at the 8:15 and 10 a.m. services Sunday at First Lutheran Church in Brainerd.

A going away picnic will be held for Pastor Dan Clites at noon Sunday in Kiwanis Park. If the weather is poor, the picnic will be held in the church's fellowship hall.

Ice cream social

Living Savior Lutheran Church in Lake Shore will host an ice cream social and concert by Christian guitarist/storyteller Jim Olsen from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday. Olsen plays acoustic, finger style guitar and sings original songs with a message of God's love. Bring lawn chairs.

Dueling Pianos

The Dueling Pianos, Sue Clair and Debbie Hintermeyer, will perform at 6 p.m. Sunday at Crosslake Evangelical Free Church.

Potluck picnic

Youths from Zion Lutheran Church in Brainerd will sponsor a worship service and potluck picnic at 11 a.m. Sunday at Lum Park. Sloppy joes, beverages and eating utensils will be provided.

Guest speaker

Pastor John Halvorsen will be a guest speaker at the 10 a.m. service Sunday at the Remnant Ministry Center in Brainerd. Halvorsen recently completed Prayer Walk America, where he walked almost 5,000 miles across the country to call people throughout the nation to pray for America.

Vacation Bible School

Area residents and visitors are invited to the summer Vacation Bible School at Mission of the Cross Lutheran Church in Crosslake from 9 a.m. to noon July 9-13. Classes are available for children ages 3 through sixth grade. There will also be a group for parents.

Bazaar, bake sale

The women's group of Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Pequot Lakes will hold its annual Bazaar and Bake Sale on Bean Hole Day, July 11, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The "Bean Hole" meal, including fresh fruit pie and ice cream, as well as lefse, will be sold at Bobber Park in Pequot Lakes.

Meditation retreat

The Hidden Mountain Center in Brainerd will host a meditation intensive retreat, called "Get Out of Your Head," June 23-30. The retreat is open to the public.

Pig roast dinner

Walker Community Church will host a pig roast dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, July 14. The public is welcome. Tickets are $7.50 for adults and $3.50 for children under 11.

Spring convention

The annual spring convention for the Duluth Diocesan Council of Catholic Women recently met at St. Andrew's Catholic Church in Brainerd. The featured speaker was Brother Anthony Sweere, Franciscan Brothers of Peace, from St. Paul. His talk was titled, "Windows Into Heaven: An Introduction to Icons." More than 250 priests, deacons, sisters, brothers, women and men of the diocese attended. New officers were installed and Alice Stenlund was named new diocesan president.

Zone Rally

Seventy-six Lutheran Women's Missionary League members and nine pastors recently attended the Brainerd Zone Rally at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Iron Hub.

Carol Hamdorf, Iron Hub, was named vice president and Kathy Pearson, Aitkin, was named secretary. Reports were given on leadership development, publicity and mission service. Jeanine Ehnert, Frazee, and Linda Jeske, Staples, presented a skit to encourage all women to attend the national convention July 5-8 in San Jose, Calif.

Vacation Bible School

Hope Baptist Ministries welcomes children ages 3 through sixth grade to attend Vacation Bible School from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday, June 25, through Friday, June 29.

Christian Music Festival

The "Rock My Soul" Christian Music Festival will be at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Hallett Community Center in Crosby. The cost is $10 per person or $5 for groups of 10 or more.

'Holy Humor' Sunday

Trinity Lutheran Church, Brainerd, will celebrate the joy of God's love and grace at the 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. Sunday worship services. Pastor Jim Almquist and the Trinity Light music team will lead worship, along with other events.