Church to elect associate pastor

Plymouth Congregational Church will vote Sunday on a candidate to become associate pastor at the church.

The candidate, Joshua Longbottom, will preach at a combined 9:30 a.m. service Sunday. No 11 a.m. service is scheduled.

Longbottom also will be available to meet youths and parents at 8:30 a.m. in the Mayflower Room. A meeting to vote on his candidacy is scheduled after the service.

If approved, Longbottom would join the Plymouth staff in summer 2006. Greg Hurd and Nancy Thellman are serving as interim associate pastors until then.

Longbottom is finishing his third and final year at Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis. He is a graduate from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Church starting services at new site

First United Methodist Church will kick off a new weekly worship at a second site beginning Sunday.

The service will be at 9 a.m. at the Hereford House, 4931 W. Sixth St. The Rev. David Livingston will preach.

During the worship service, activities and education will be available nearby at Googols of Fun for children from birth through third grade.

The new service comes in preparation for the opening of the church’s Celebration Center located at the southwest corner of the intersection of U.S. Highway 40 and Kansas Highway 10. The church broke ground on the center last month, and it is expected to be completed in fall 2006.

Same-sex marriage foe starting services here

A leading proponent of the constitutional amendment banning gay marriages in Kansas is starting a worship service in Lawrence.

Jerry Johnston, senior pastor at First Family Church in Overland Park, will preach at 7 p.m. Sunday in his church’s first worship service in Lawrence. The service will take place in Rooms 3139 and 3140 in Wescoe Hall at Kansas University.

Johnston was a leader in pushing for the constitutional amendment, which voters approved in April.

According to information distributed by the church, First Family Church has more than 3,000 members. It was founded in 1996.

LDS church makes leadership changes

The Lawrence Second Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sunday voted on leadership changes.

The changes were necessary because Steve Lassen, first counselor to the ward, left to pursue an internship in clinical child psychology in Boston. The counselors assist Bishop Steven Gill in presiding over the 300-member congregation.

The new first counselor is Trent Beal, a former second counselor and employee at Payless Shoes in Topeka.

Replacing Beal as second counselor will be Paul Heiner, area coordinator for the Church Education System.

ECM wins award

Ecumenical Christian Ministries this summer was named the 2005 Campus Ministry of the Year in the southcentral region of the National Campus Ministry Assn.

The award was presented in July at the NCMA’s annual conference in New York.

ECM was described as a “progressive, comprehensive, well-organized campus ministry that involves a diverse cross-section of the university community in its programs and through outreach.”

Specifically, the NCMA cited the University Forum lecture series, Veggie Lunch, Human Sexuality Seminar, alternative spring break programs and Holiday Gift Market in its honor.

The ECM, at 1204 Oread Ave., is sponsored by the Presbyterian Church, United Church of Christ, Church of the Brethren and the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).

EVENTS THIS WEEK

Calvary Temple Assembly of God Church

606 West 29th St.

Wednesday: Adult Bible study on the Book of Acts, 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m.

Clinton Parkway Assembly of God

Sunday: Children will be promoted to new Sunday school classes during the morning worship service.

First Baptist Church

1330 Kasold Drive

Sunday: Promotion Sunday for Sunday school classes. Adult Bible studies are forming, with more information available by calling 843-0020.

First Christian Church

1000 Ky.

Sunday: Combined Summer Class, with speaker Spencer Lott of Squiggle Puppet Productions, 10:10 a.m. in fellowship hall.

First Presbyterian Church

2415 Clinton Parkway

Sunday: Flapjack Welcome Back, with breakfast served by Chris Cakes and information about church programs, 9 a.m.-10:45 a.m.

Immanuel Lutheran Church and University Student Center

2104 Bob Billings Parkway

Today: Student welcome barbecue, 5:30 p.m. on the church grounds. Includes a free meal and music by The Billions.

St. James AME Church

647 Maple St.

Sunday: A Day of Celebration for Rev. Gregory R. Gray and Cynthia Gray. A roast will take place at 115 W. 11th St., Room 3, after the 11 a.m. worship. That will be followed by at 3 p.m. celebration featuring John Littleton and the Capistranos, with the Rev. LaDell Flowers as guest speaker.

St. Luke AME Church

900 N.Y.

Sunday: Annual Men’s and Women’s Day Program at 3:30 p.m., featuring music from the Storms of Life and several church choirs.

St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church

5700 W. Sixth St.

Sunday: Kick-off Sunday festivities following each service, with information on worship and fall activities. Spiritual Journaling class, 3:30 p.m. Youth Kick-Off Barbecue after the 5:30 p.m. service.

Trinity Episcopal Church

1011 Vt.

Sunday: Adult Forum featuring Carol Francis talking on her book, “Local Happenings in Lawrence, Kansas, 1921-1946,” 9:30 a.m. Children’s Christian Education classes begin this week for preschoolers through third-graders, 10:30 a.m., and children in fourth through sixth grades at noon.

Thursday: Bible study group, 7 p.m. in the youth room.

Trinity Lutheran Church

1245 N.H.

Sunday: Information on what is a Lutheran, 9:45 a.m. Installation of David Whetter, seminary intern, and Ben Keseley, director of worship and music, at 8 a.m. and 11 a.m.

Tuesday: Introductory-level Bible study, 5 p.m.

Friday: Rummage sale in fellowship hall to benefit Habitat for Humanity and the Strategic Learning Center, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Continues Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon.

Unitarian Fellowship of Lawrence

1263 North 1100 Road

Sunday: Religious Odysseys program, 10 a.m.-11 a.m.

Unity Church of Lawrence

900 Madeline Lane

Wednesday: Healing meditation with David Mosher, 6 p.m.

University Community of Christ

1900 University Drive

Sunday: The church will not have worship so members can participate in a special outdoor service at Lake Shawnee in Topeka. Anyone wanting a ride to Topeka can call Avanelle Mercer at 749-0021.

West Side Presbyterian Church

1024 Kasold Drive

Sunday: A six-week class, “Exploring the Church,” begins at 9:30 a.m. for those interested in Presbyterianism or Christianity.

Worden United Methodist Church

4 miles west of the junction of U.S. highways 59 and 56

Sunday: Presentation by Robert Rogers, whose family was killed in a flood in 2003 along the Kansas Turnpike, 6 p.m.