Published: November 27, 2009 01:59 pm      

RELIGION IN BRIEF | Breakfast will feature Precious Life director

BY JANICE RAINEY

JRAINEY@TRIBDEM.COM

Scott Manganella of Precious Life will speak during a men’s prayer breakfast at 7:30 today at Emmanuel Baptist Church, 425 Luther Road, Johnstown.

Precious Life is a pregnancy care ministry that offers alternatives to abortion and provides support to women who choose to carry their babies to term.

Manganella has been running Precious Life in Altoona for many years, and has recently purchased a building at 1062 Bedford St., Johnstown.

He resigned from his church in Portage in 1986 to enter crisis pregnancy work full time, and was hired as director of Precious Life.

Pastor to teach ‘Christmas Essentials’

The Rev. Tom Verner, pastor of Franklin Street United Methodist Church, Franklin and Locusts streets, downtown Johnstown, will begin a new teaching series, “Christmas Essentials,” during the 8:30 and 10:45 a.m. Sunday worship services.

The four-week series will examine the essentials of the season. Sermons are titled “Christmas Preparations,” “Christmas Imperatives,” “Christmas Signs” and “Christmas Wonder.”

The series will end on Christmas Eve with the message “Born to be King.”

“Noah’s Park,” the children’s ministry center, will offer a children’s focused hour of puppets, lessons and fun during both services.

Hanging of the Greens at Westmont church

Westmont Church of the Brethren, 2301 Sunshine Ave., will hold a Hanging of the Greens service during the 9:30 a.m. Sunday worship service.

The youth will entertain the children with movies, activities, storytelling and snacks at 6 p.m. Friday for “Parents Night Out.”

Walnut Grove church to note Advent

Walnut Grove Church of the Brethren, 1068 Bedford St., Johnstown, will mark the beginning of Advent by holding a Hanging of the Greens service during worship at 10 a.m. Sunday.

The service will involve the congregation in decorating the sanctuary for Christmas.

Musical presentations will include the choir and a solo by choir director Brad Callihan.

Lighting the first Advent candle and traditional Christmas tree will highlight the service.

Former pastor to speak in N. Cambria

North End Assembly of God, 2305 Chestnut Ave., Northern Cambria, will host one of its former pastors, the Rev. Arnold Wheatley, and his family during the 10:30 a.m. Sunday worship service.

Wheatley will speak. His family will provide special music.

Wheatley, and his wife, Penny, and their daughters, Valerie and April, ministered at North End Assembly of God from 1975 to 1983.

He is controller and information technologies director for the denomination’s headquarters over Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Tire Hill church books speaker

Tim Rigby of WJAC-TV will speak during the 10:30 a.m. Sunday worship service at Tire Hill Church of the Brethren, 665 Tire Hill Road.

The sermon title will be “What a Difference a Prayer Makes.”

Roxbury St. Paul’s to host Student Day

Roxbury St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 160 Derby St., Johnstown, will begin the Advent season during the 10:30 a.m. Sunday worship service by celebrating United Methodist Student Day and consecrating mission workers who will travel to North Carolina to work with Operation Christmas Child.

A praise service will begin at 8 a.m.

Roxbury church sets Sunday schedule

Roxbury Church of the Brethren, 112 Sell St., Johnstown, will hold its annual Hanging of the Greens service during worship at 10:30 a.m. Sunday.

The children of the church will take part in the program, which includes decorating the sanctuary.

Gary Scott Mosholder and Jeffrey Mullen will serve as narrators.

The first Advent candle, Hope, will be lit during the service, and the meaning of chrismon will be discussed.

The Rev. Brian Simmons will deliver the message, “Do You Know What Time It Is?” based on Luke 21: 25-31.

The cathedral choir will sing “Star of the East,” under the direction of Melanie Shiley and accompanied by pianist, Laura Krouse.

Claire Montoya will play “O Holy Night.” 

The children of the church will sing “Away in a Manger.”

There will be a mitten and sock tree to benefit a Honduras mission and New Day Inc.

A covered-dish dinner and fellowship will follow in the social room of the church.

Information: 536-6716.

Minister to speak at Shiloh Baptist

The Rev. Tommy Thompson, associate minister of First Metropolitan Church in Houston, will speak for the missionaries during the 11 a.m. Sunday worship service at Shiloh Baptist Church, 639 Menoher Blvd.

Thompson, a former resident of Johnstown, is the brother of Matthew Thompson, who is training to become a deacon at Shiloh Baptist.

Nativity festival at First Presbyterian

The 26th annual Festival of the Nativity will be held from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Friday and Dec. 5 and 1:15 to 3:30 and 6:30 to 9 p.m. Dec. 6 at First Presbyterian Church, 309 Lincoln St., downtown Johnstown.

The event will feature bell choirs, church choirs, Johns-town Reed Band, nativity displays, creches and works of art.

Information: 536-8141.