Central United Methodist Church

Ash Wednesday services with Communion will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Central United Methodist Church, 1501 Mass.

Centro Cristiano Torre Fuerte

Centro Cristiano Torre Fuerte, an interdenominational, Spanish-language church, meets at 5:30 p.m. Sundays for worship, Bible teaching and prayer.

Children’s activities are also provided.

For information about the church’s new location, contact Ted Sauer at 841-0600.

Corpus Christi Catholic Church

There will be a Mardi Gras Celebration after the 5:30 p.m. Sunday Mass at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, 6001 W. 15th St.

Ash Wednesday Masses will be at 7 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:10 p.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Stations of the Cross will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Evening prayer will be at 4:30 p.m. Feb. 29.

Big Springs United Methodist Women

Big Springs United Methodist Women will have its third annual soup dinner and basket auction today at Big Springs United Methodist Church.

Vegetable beef soup, chili and vegetarian potato soup will be served from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. A selection of homemade desserts will also be available.

Donations will be accepted, with funds going to support improvement projects in the church and mission projects in the community.

Silent bids will be taken prior to the live auction at 6:30 p.m. The highest silent bids will serve as a starting bid for the live auction.

First Christian Church

A Disciples of Christ Week of Compassion Offering will be taken Sunday at First Christian Church, 1000 Ky.

This year’s theme is “God Uses All Gifts for Big Purposes,” with the emphasis on feeding the hungry around the world, including helping those in need to learn to provide for themselves.

A children’s ministry fair highlighting various ministry opportunities and offerings at the church will be at 10 a.m. Sunday.

First Presbyterian Church

The Rev. Emilee Whitehurst will lead worship at the 8 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday services at First Presbyterian Church, 2415 Clinton Parkway.

The church will enter into the season of Lent with an Ash Wednesday service at 7 p.m. Wednesday. The community is welcome to take part in a service of Scripture, hymns and the imposition of ashes.

First United Methodist Church

The first Dan Abrahamson Concert Series program will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at First United Methodist Church, 946 Vt.

Featured will be acclaimed organist John Schmidt. He is professor of organ at Texas State University at San Marcos and the organist at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas.

A study written by James Moore called “The Common People Heard Him Gladly” will be used during Lent at the church. The study will discuss what it was about Jesus and his message that attracted masses to hear him.

The study begins this weekend as part of Sunday Night Live! (meal at 6 p.m., study from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.) and concludes Palm Sunday, April 4.

An Ash Wednesday service will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Palm branches from Palm Sunday 2003 will be burned to make the ashes for the worship service.

The imposition of the ashes on the forehead will be imparted, which reminds Christians that they are expected to repent during the 40 days of Lent. The chancel choir will sing during this service.

Plymouth Congregational Church

The mission board is sponsoring a Project Linus Make-A-Blanket Day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at Plymouth Congregational Church, 925 Vt.

The event is open to the community, with activities for all ages. Plymouth’s Mother & Child Group will meet at this event.

The property and maintenance committee is having a work day today in the basement of the South Church. Work will focus on framing in various areas of the basement for storage.

An evening of song and praise will be from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Casual attire is encouraged.

As part of Plymouth’s ongoing sesquicentennial celebration, former pastor Jonathan Knight and his wife, Dianne, will visit the church for potluck dinner March 6.

St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church

Liturgies for Ash Wednesday will be at 7 a.m., 12:10 p.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesday at St. John the Evangelist Church, 1234 Ky.

Ashes will be distributed during all liturgies that day.

Stations of the Cross will be prayed at 7 p.m. Fridays, following the fish fry in the social hall. Meatless meals are served from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Proceeds benefit Lawrence Catholic School.

St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church

St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, 5700 W. Sixth St., will launch its next stage of growth with a Celebration Sunday this weekend entitled “Time to Grow.”

The Celebration Singers and Ringers will lead worship at the 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Sunday services.

There will be a special appearance by Kansas University’s Baby Jay mascot and the Balloon Man between services. There will also be activities for children.

Ash Wednesday services will be at 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Theologian in Residence

The seventh advance workshop for the 2004 Theologian in Residence, John Dominic Crossan, is at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at Plymouth Congregational Church, 925 Vt.

Topic will be two books by Crossan: “Who Killed Jesus? Exposing the Roots of Anti-Semitism in the Gospel Story of the Death of Jesus” (1995); and “The Cross that Spoke: The Origins of the Passion Narrative” (1988).

John Burch, member of Plymouth’s In-Depth Bible Study Group, will be the speaker.

Workshops are free and open to the public. No books or familiarity with Crossan’s work are required.

The Theologian in Residence 2004 Program with Crossan will take place April 18-20. For more information, call Plymouth at 843-3220.

Trinity Lutheran Church

The Rev. Gerald Mansholt, Bishop of the Central States Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, will preach at the 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sunday worship services at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1245 N.H.

Mansholt will also lead the adult forum at 9:45 a.m. Sunday in the social room. He will discuss the synod’s Companion Synod relationships with the churches in Papua New Guinea and Russia.

The church youth group is sponsoring a Shrove Tuesday pancake supper from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday as a fund-raiser for a summer mission trip. There will be pancakes and sausages, Mardi Gras mask-making and parade activities for children, plus pancake races. Nursery provided for children 5 and younger.

Ash Wednesday services are at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesday. Nursery will be available.

Stephen Ministry training continues at 7 p.m. Thursday in the conference room. Stephen Ministers will have a continuing-education meeting at 6:45 p.m. in the social room.

Unitarian Fellowship of Lawrence

A spiritual celebration, “God Talk: UU Perspectives on a Language of Reverence,” 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, “Survey Sunday,” will be from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Sunday, followed by coffee and fellowship from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

West Side Presbyterian Church

Members of Boy Scout Troop No. 55 will assist in the 11 a.m. Sunday worship service at West Side Presbyterian Church, 1024 Kasold Drive.

The liturgist and ushers will come from the troop, and Scripture passages will be read by a troop member.

Parents and friends of the troop will be guests of the congregation.

Worden United Methodist Church

Faith Weavers, a ministry for children in kindergarten up to fifth grade, is meeting from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays at Worden United Methodist Church.

Faith Weavers features snacks, crafts, games, Bible stories and music. It is a nondenominational program that is open to the community’s children.

A new prayer-and-praise worship celebration has started at the church. It will be at 7 p.m. Wednesdays. It will be followed by a Bible study at 8 p.m.

Participants will study the Letter of James, using a book by the author Max Lucado. The worship service and Bible study are separate events.