Central United Methodist Church

Central United Methodist Church, 1501 Mass., has begun Ignite, a junior high group that meets at 9:30 a.m. Sunday. There will be music and relevant studies.

The Gen-Xer’s have begun meeting at 9 p.m. Wednesday. To participate in discussions for 18- to 24-year-olds, call Brian at 865-8477.

Centro Christiano Torre Fuerte

A new Spanish-language church, Centro Christiano Torre Fuerte, is forming in Lawrence. It meets at 6 p.m. Sunday for worship, Bible teaching and prayer. Children’s activities are also provided.

For location and more information, call Ted Sauer at 841-0600 or Fernando at 812-3283.

Clinton Parkway Assembly of God

Clinton Parkway Assembly of God, 3200 Clinton Parkway, will have a message series on stewardship through October. The Rev. Rick Burwick will share this message at the 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Sunday services.

A Parkinson’s exercise class at 1 p.m. Wednesday is free and open to the public. Caregivers and spouses of those who have Parkinson’s are welcome to attend.

First Christian Church

Lydia Christian Women’s Fellowship Group will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Lois Hamlet’s home, 1505 E. 250 Road. Dinah Dutta will present the lesson. Car pool leaves at 6:40 p.m. from Westlake Ace Hardware at Sixth Street and Kasold Drive.

Participants are asked to bring personal-size toiletries for the Drop In Center.

The group is open to all women in the community.

First Church of the Nazarene

First Church of the Nazarene, 1470 N. 1000 Road, will have today its third annual Homemade Chicken-and-Noodle Dinner and Classic Cars, Hot Rod Show and Swap Meet. Dinner will be served from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and will feature chicken and noodles, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad and dessert. Hot dog plates will be available for children. Suggested donation is $5 for adults, $3 for children. The car show is free and will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, call 843-3940.

Indian Hills Church of God

Indian Hills Church of God, Louisiana and 29th St. Terrace, will celebrate 30 years of worship in its present location this weekend.

A contemporary worship service will be at 6:30 p.m. today. A special time of worship will be at 10:45 a.m. Sunday. Peter Smith, a former associate pastor and youth leader, will speak.

The community is invited to participate in the anniversary celebration.

Lone Star Church of the Brethren

Lone Star Church of the Brethren will have its annual pancake-and-sausage supper at 5 p.m. Oct. 20.

The church is 12 miles southwest of Lawrence.

For more information, call (785) 542-1030.

Martha & Mary’s Way

The next presentation in the monthly series, “Women of Faith,” sponsored by the interfaith ministry Martha & Mary’s Way, will be at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vt.

Judy Roitman, guiding teacher of the Kansas Zen Center, will speak about her practice of Zen Buddhism.

The program is free and open to the public. For more information, call 691-9985.

Plymouth Congregational Church

Chancel choir recognition will take place during the 9:30 a.m. Sunday service at Plymouth Congregational Church, 925 Vt.

The Open and Affirming Steering Committee will have an open forum at 10:45 a.m. Sunday. A panel of speakers will share from personal and family experiences regarding homosexuality.

Robert Bluestone, classical guitarist, will be the guest musician at the Gathering of Grace service at 11:15 a.m. Sunday.

Members of the confirmation class will take part in the annual CROP Walk at 2 p.m. Sunday. Call the church office at 843-3220 to sign up or to be a sponsor.

A new member orientation class will be held at 6:30 p.m. Sunday. New members will join the church during services Oct. 19.

St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church

Members of the intercessory prayer team will be commissioned during the 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Sunday services at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, 5700 W. Sixth St.

The new children’s worship team will meet at 10:20 a.m. to prepare for the 10:45 a.m. Sunday service.

A marriage-support group, “Love for a Lifetime,” starts Monday. A new coffee-time Bible study group will begin meeting from 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Tuesday. Childcare will be provided.

The pastoral, staff, vestry and other church leaders will attend the Leadership Conference from Thursday to Saturday at the Church of the Resurrection in the Kansas City area.

Blessing of the animals will be Oct. 19 at the church.

Trinity Episcopal Church

A three-part series on feminist theology will begin today in the chapel of Trinity Episcopal Church, 1011 Vt. The Rev. Judy Long O’Neal of Centenary United Methodist Church will lead the series. Cost is $35 to attend.

Steve Clark, an architect with Gould Evans Associates, will present an update on the master plan being developed for the church at 9:30 a.m. Sunday in the parish hall.

Prize-winning Iris rhizomes from the Miller garden in Tonganoxie will be sold Sunday in the parish hall.

Blessing of the animals will be 1 p.m. Sunday on the church lawn. The Rev. Jonathon Jensen will bless any animals that are brought to the event, which honors the Feast of St. Francis.

Trinity Teens will meet with youth leader Zane Wilemon at 5 p.m. Sunday.

Trinity Lutheran Church

A class on Christian faith and life from a Lutheran perspective will be from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1245 N.H. The class will continue Oct. 12 and 26 and Nov. 2.

Class will focus on the history and teachings of the Lutheran Church, as well as worship and the use of Scripture. The Rev. Gary Teske, lead pastor, and Linda Davis, a diaconal ministry candidate with a master’s from Wartburg Seminary, will teach the class.

Children’s Sunday school program will wrap up its unit on Moses and the Ten Commandments with a celebration and special presentation at 9:45 a.m. Sunday.

Michael Bauer, minister of arts at Trinity Lutheran and professor of organ and church music at Kansas University, will continue his class, “Faith and Creativity,” from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The course suggests many ways a Christian can approach human creativity and its function in the everyday world.

Unitarian Fellowship of Lawrence

A spiritual celebration, “Living Our Values,” will be from 9:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Sunday at the Unitarian Fellowship of Lawrence, 1263 N. 1100 Road.

A program, “An Account of my Time in the Marshall Islands,” will be presented by Caitlin Boley from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Sunday.

Coffee and fellowship from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Veritas Christian School

Veritas Christian School, 256 N. Michigan, invites the community to its seventh annual Barn Party fund-raiser from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Oct. 17 at Building 21 at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, 19th and Harper streets.

There will be live and silent auctions. Dinner will be provided. Tickets cost $9 at the door, or advance tickets can be purchased for $6 at the school by calling Linda at 749-0083.

Veritas will hold a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony for the opening of its new high school at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 21.

The Lawrence Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the event. Tours of the campus will be given.

West Side Presbyterian Church

Volunteers from across Lawrence will participate in the annual “Walk with the World” CROP Walk, sponsored by Church World Service, starting at 2 p.m. Sunday at West Side Presbyterian Church, 1024 Kasold Drive.

Donations for the CROP Walk will be accepted until Sunday. Anyone wishing to join the walk can meet at the church. Wes Buller and Gary Freedman are coordinators. Refreshments will be provided by the women of the church.

The first Sunday in October is also designated World Wide Communion Sunday, and churches around the world will celebrate Holy Communion as they unite in this common bond with sister churches everywhere.

The first of a series of Bible studies focusing on “Curing Affluenza” will be at 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Light snack will be provided.

Mission and Stewardship Committee will meet at 6:30 p.m. Sunday.