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Religion

Season of joy, rebirth continues

Alleluia! Christ is risen. The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia! These or similar words are what we often hear in church in this Easter season, tomorrow being the fourth Sunday of Easter in many churches. The Easter Season is roughly 1/7th of the year, so some look at it as the “sabbath” of the year. Even if you come from a tradition that does not practice Lent, Holy Week, and then the season of Easter, most churches celebrate Easter Sunday when words like the above are said hopefully and with some gusto! This season is a celebratory time when you will see more desserts in the ...

Love thy family, save worship for God

A little while ago, I attended a wedding at a Roman Catholic church, and I witnessed a beautiful religious gesture in the middle of the service: offering a bouquet of flowers to the Holy Family and asking for a blessing for the couple’s marriage. Being United Methodist, I am generally unfamiliar with the veneration of the Virgin Mary, yet I could appreciate the value in recognizing the sacrifice and authority of the Mother of God. I hope we all so recognize the Virgin Mother this Mother’s Day! However, upon reflecting on stories of the Holy Family in Holy Scripture, I think the ...

Church briefs

Saturday morning rummage sale The Lycoming Presbyterian Church, 825 Arch St., Williamsport, will host a rummage sale and lunch from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 18. Spring Festival celebrates the season Phelps Chapel Church off Pine Creek exit along Route 220 is having a Spring Festival on starting at 11 a.m. May 18. Homemade ice cream, potato salad, baked beans, hamburg barbecue, hot dogs and dessert are on tap. For more information, call 570-753-3689. Tivoli to hold soup sale TIVOLI — A soup sale will be held at Tivoli United Methodist Church along Route 220 from 9 a.m. to noon May 18 ...

13th annual Biker Blessing honors man who began it

Jersey Shore’s Crossroads Church once again opened their facilities to the local community to spread love with the 13th Annual Biker Blessing. The goal of the event was to share the love of God with individuals who ride as part of larger motorcycling community. However, this year’s ...

Institutional services

The following institutional services are arranged for and reported by United Churches of Lycoming County: Sunday County Prison, 1:45 and 3:15 p.m., the Rev. Ronald Shellhamer, semi-retired Lutheran Pastor, Williamsport. HCR Manor Care South, 2 p.m., the Rev. Danesta Whaley, Citychurch, Williamsport, and LaVon Hawley, Bethany Lutheran Church, Montoursville. Valley View Nursing Home, 2 p.m., Pastor Tammey Aichner, First Church of Christ Disciples, Williamsport. Aristacare, 2 p.m. the Rev. Kenneth Wagner-Pizza, Trinity Episcopal Church, Williamsport. HCR Manor Care North, 2:15 ...

Islam, a religion of peace, submission

Islam is a religion of peace and submission to Almighty God. It is a continuation of monotheistic belief and was preached by Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) who was born in Arabia in 570 A.D. He started preaching Islam at age 40 after receiving a divine revelation over a 23-year time span that, at its completion, became the Holy Quran, which still exists in its original Arabic text. Translations are available in different languages side by side with the original Arabic text. The Holy Quran contains a complete code of life for humankind. It came at a time when Arabia was passing through ...