CHURCH NEWS

Chris Sligh's second annual Back to School tour "The Stimulus Package" will make a stop in Brainerd at 7 p.m. Sept. 20 at Tornstrom Auditorium.

The concert will feature season six American Idol top 10 finalist Chris Sligh, three-time Dove Award winner Aaron Shust along with Meredith Andrews, Lanae Hale and Andrew Witt.

There are three options for tickets. Option one is the artist circle ticket package which includes a special hour-long acoustic concert with Shust and Sligh, a meet and greet with the artists, a T-shirt, choice of a CD and a ticket for the main concert. Limited option one tickets are available for $30. Option two is the general admission plus package for $12 which includes a general admission ticket and a T-shirt. Both of these options are available only at itickets.com or by phone at (800) 965-9324. Option three is a general admission ticket for $12. Those tickets are available at Bethany Book and Gift in Baxter, Rick's Piano and Music in Aitkin, Good Book and Gift in Little Falls and Christian Corner Book and Gift in St. Cloud.

Lutheran Church of the Cross Rally Day

NISSWA - The first official day of Sunday school at Lutheran Church of the Cross is Rally Day on Sunday. Rally Day is set to be a fun-filled hour of tossing, picking, dropping and jumping. Bring the entire family. Meet teachers, classmates and friends. Register at the door for classes and pick up your children's offering envelopes.

The first day of class is Sept. 20. All children preschool through sixth grade will meet in the sanctuary for opening at 9:30 a.m. Parents are welcome to stay for opening on any Sunday. At 9:45 a.m. the children will head to their classrooms for their lesson of the day. We will release the children from class at 10:25 a.m.

Christ Community Church events planned

NISSWA - Christ Community Church, 24646 Hazelwood Dr., Nisswa, will have a men's breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Saturday and learn about "Becoming a Godly Man."

Loyalty Sunday will feature the CCC choir program "Here We Are" at both the 9 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. services on Sunday with a picnic lunch to follow at the church.

AWANA and youth group will begin with a fellowship meal at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday with the groups meeting from 6-7:30 p.m.

For those interested in attending a Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University class, a preview of the program is planned for 6 p.m. Sept. 22 at Christ Community Church. Preview the material and then sign up for the class which will run from 6-8 p.m. for 13 weeks beginning Oct. 6 at CCC. The cost is $99 per family.

Rally Sunday at Bethlehem Lutheran

"Come and See" is the theme as Bethlehem Lutheran Church in northeast Brainerd celebrates Rally Sunday on Sunday. Worship will return to the 8:30 and 10:45 a.m. schedule, with a French toast breakfast between services.

Sunday school begins Sept. 20 for ages 3 and up, including a five week adult forum of large and small group discussions exploring seven faith practices for daily life with God.

Benefit for Benjamin Castro and family planned

GARRISON - Four-year-old Benny Castro was critically injured in August after being struck by a car while riding his bike. A "Benny-fit" is planned for him and his family at 6 p.m. Sunday at the Community Alliance Church, 9475 Jefferson St., Garrison. There will be music by Chosen and Dean Goossen of Silverline will be the special guest speaker. All proceeds will go to the Castro family. For more information call (320) 692-4420.

Pasty dinner at Grace United Methodist Church

PEQUOT LAKES - The eighth annual all-you-can-eat fall pasty dinner at Grace United Methodist Church, two miles south of Pequot Lakes on Highway 371, will be from 5-7 p.m. Sept. 18. Cost: $7 for adults; $3.50 for children 6-12; and children five and under are free. Reservations are not necessary. Pay at the door. Take-out meals available for shut-ins. Fresh frozen pasties are available in almost any quantity at $4 each.

Annual harvest dinner planned in Emily

EMILY - Emily United Methodist Church will hold its sixth annual harvest dinner from 5-7 p.m. Sept. 26 at the Emily City Hall. The meal will be a pork and beef buffet. Tickets may be purchased ahead or at the door. Cost for adults is $8; children under 12, $5; and children under 3 free. For further information call 763-2050.

Fall programs to resume

Fall programs will resume at First Congregational United Church of Christ, Brainerd, on Sunday for Welcome Sunday. Choir practice is at 8:45 a.m., worship at 10 a.m., followed by fellowship and education for all ages. The adult forum topic is "Changing the Conversation: A Third Way for Congregations," a book by Anthony Robinson, reviewed by the Rev. Deborah Celley.

First Lutheran Church events

First Lutheran Church, 424 S. Eighth St., Brainerd, will resume regular worship schedule Sunday. Worship services will be 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. with Wednesday services at 6 p.m. Healing and meditation services will also be at 6 p.m. the first Thursday of each month.

Rally Sunday at First Lutheran Church, Brainerd, is Sunday. Special activities at 9:15 a.m. include adult enrichment in the Upper Room, Magician Matt performing for the Sunday school students and parents in Koinonia and coffee fellowship. During the 10:30 a.m. service, children's backpacks will be blessed and Sunday school teachers and confirmation guides will be recognized.

New Song Ministries/Crossroads Music Cafe

The New Song Ministries/Crossroads Music Cafe will sponsor Journey North Community Church praise and worship team from 7-8 p.m. Thursday and from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Sunday at Crossroads Music Cafe, 217 S. Seventh St., Brainerd.

For more information, call 829-0834.

Rally Sunday at Trinity Lutheran

Rally Sunday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Brainerd will be Sunday. The beginning of the fall worship schedule will be highlighted with a lively worship service featuring a puppet show, the Trinity Clowns and more. The various groups will perform at both the 8:15 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services. It also marks the beginning of the Sunday school year with classes starting at 9:30 a.m.

As part of the Sunday celebration, there will be the second annual Mission Fest which will highlight Trinity's many mission outreaches and opportunities. Also, an ice cream and pie social will be held which is sponsored by the Health Ministry Team. These two events will be held from 9-11 a.m. in the fellowship hall.

Trinity Lutheran Church of Brainerd is located at 1420 South Sixth St. For more information, call 829-5147.

Grief and loss support group to meet

A grief and loss support group at Park United Methodist Church in Brainerd will begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday. This will be a six session series with possible follow up meetings. Leader of these sessions will be Linda Messer Abraham, bereavement coordinator of Heartland Home Health Care and Hospice. The group is open to any who wish to attend.

Latin service planned

Father Eric Hastings from St. Benedict's Parish in Duluth will preside at the 5:30 p.m. Sunday Mass at St. Francis Church in Brainerd. He will celebrate the extraordinary form of the Roman rite (the "novus Ordo") in Latin. For more information, call the parish office at 822-4040.

The Church on the Wise Road to join sister church for service

The Church on the Wise Road will not be having its regular worship service on Sunday. Instead, the church will be joining its sister church Eagle's Nest in Breezy Point for a church building dedication at 10 a.m. Sunday. Eagle's Nest is located on Highway 11 between County Road 4 and Pequot Lakes.

Church in Ukraine seeks independence

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) - A breakaway Orthodox Christian church in Ukraine is pressing its call for recognition as a legitimate entity independent of the Moscow-based church that dominates the faith in the former Soviet Union, officials said.

The appeal comes weeks after the head of the Moscow-based Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, visited Ukraine and criticized splinter churches seeking independence.

The Ukrainian Autocephalous Church sent an official request last week to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, the spiritual leader of the 250 million world's Orthodox Christians.