Religion Highlights for the week of May 9

St. Matthew’s to welcome new priest

Fr. Eric Anderson will be the new priest at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, 2001 Windsor, starting June 15. Fr. Anderson has extensive experience with youth and college aged students through his work in Campus Ministries for the Diocese of Kansas and through his work as Day School Chaplin at Grace Church in Silver Spring, Md.

“l look forward to serving you as your rector for many years. Working together with all the membres of this wonderful church, we will serve God through our church in our community, and in our diocese, and throughout the Anglican Communion by living into our baptismal covenant and the Great Commandment,” Fr. Anderson wrote in an introductory note to the parish.

Newton Bible to host Latin musicians

Newton Bible Church will be hosting sights and sounds of Latin American at 7 p.m. Wednesday when “Ecos de Esperanza” (Echoes of Hope) from Rio Grande Bible Institute present an inspirational program of singing, instrumental music and testimony at the church, 900 Old Main.

The group members are from Mexico and Nicaragua. They will be singing in Spanish and will use musical instruments typical in Latin America. English translations of the songs will be available.

Rio Grande Bible Institute is a non-denomination mission located in Edinburg, Texas, near the Mexican border. Visit www.riogrande.edu for more information.

Gospel jamboree scheduled Saturday

Tumbleweed Gospel Music Jamboree will be at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Family Life Center, Fairview and West Broadway. Special guests will be Forgiven Quartet from Bartlesville, Okla. Also appearing will be Three In Harmony and Ed Huffman and his Sanctified Sax. A love offering will be taken.

A meal will be served beginning at 5:30 p.m. consisting of barbecued hamburger or hot dog, baked beans, potato salad, drink and dessert for $5. For more information call 283-1944 or 283-9142.

Forgiven Quartet will also be in concert Sunday, May 11 at 10:45 a.m. at First Church of God, Fairview and West Broadway for a Mother’s Day Concert. Everyone is invited.

Hall’s Chapel A.M.E. plans fish fry dinner

All are invited to a fish fry dinner from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at Hall’s Chapel A.M.E. Church, 711 E. 11th in Newton.

Menu will also include pasta, salad, cake, coffee, tea and juice. Cost is $8 per person.

For more information contact Sylvia Kelly at 283-1297.

Exchange pastor assumes duties at Trinity Heights UMC

Exchange Pastor Caroline Ryder from Lytham, England has assumed the pastoral duties of Trinity Heights United Methodist Church while Pastor Phil Fischer has traveled to England to assume the pastoral duties of the Methodist Church of Lytham. For a period of a little over six weeks, the pastors will exchange homes, cars, cell phones and pastoral duties.

Originally from Cheshire, Caroline moved to Lytham in 2005 and has a passion for evangelism as well as preaching, teaching and prayer.

In addition to her duties as pastor of Trinity Heights Caroline also has volunteered to accompany the youth and adult sponsors on their mission trip to the Houston area in June.

Hoffnungsau plans ‘40s, ‘50s reunion

A Hoffnungsau Mennonite Church reunion is planned for all church members/attendees who graduated from high school in the 194's and 50s.

The meeting will begin with a worship service at 10:30 a.m. May 25, followed by a carry-in noon meal and fellowship until midafternoon.

Participants are asked to bring a hot dish, salad or dessert (nut-free foods, please). Bread will be furnished.