From the pulpit and pew

| The New Mexican

5/3/2008 - 5/3/08

Events sponsored by area faith communities this week and in the coming weeks:


Singing Churchmen

At 7 p.m. on May 13, First Baptist Church Santa Fe is hosting the Singing Churchmen of New Mexico — a choir of Baptist ministers of music. This free concert will offer a range of music of traditional choral, contemporary, a capella and spirituals. Refreshment will follow the concert. The public is invited to attend. It will be held in the church sanctuary at 1605 Old Pecos Trail.

Anger

From 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Monday, a free talk titled "Uprooting Anger" will be held at Borders Bookstore at the Sanbusco Center. The talk will be given by Gen Kelsang Gomlam, a Buddhist nun and resident teacher at the Tushita Buddhist Center. Anger is the friend of no one. Under its influence, people lose all freedom of choice. A new series of teachings, that Gomlam will be promoting, will show particiapants ways to eradicate anger at its root. The center is at 1583 Pacheco St.

For more information, visit the Web site is www.meditateinsantafe.org or call 820-2226.

Heaven meets Earth

The Christian faith begins in the Garden of Eden and leads to the Heavenly City. This Sunday at the United Church of Santa Fe, the Rev. Talitha Arnold will discuss this city where "heaven and Earth meet" in a sermon titled "Faith and the Environment." She will discuss God's vision of the Holy City and offer a vision and the hope — and the challenge — it offers people for life together as human family on this planet in both the 8:30 and 11 a.m. Sunday Communion services.

Friends IV, a Gospel quartet, sings at both services. The Sanctuary Choir, directed by Catherine Robinson, also sings at the 11 a.m. service. Steinway artist Jacquelyn Helin plays selections from Johannes Brahms at both services.

The focus on the environment continues in the 9:45 a.m.Adult Forum with a presentation on "Transportation: From Bicycles to Hybrids." A second forum series focuses on "spiritual practices" to deepen our connection with God and God's Spirit.

Children's and Youth Ministry are offered during the ll a.m. service and child care for infants and toddlers is offered throughout the morning.

This Sunday, immediately following the 11 a.m. service, the church will host a barbecue.

The church is at 1804 Arroyo Chamiso. For more information, call 988-3295.


At the 10:30 a.m. Sunday service at Unity Santa Fe, the Rev. Brendalyn Batchelor will
discuss "Focus on What's Right" to inspire those who attend to focus not on what is wrong with a person, but on what makes a person right and to see clearly a person's strength andweakness. This is part of the spring book study of Yes, You Can Change the World by Aman Motwane. Also at the church:

• Youth Expressing Spirit, the children's group, and Youth of Unity, the teen group, gather during the 10:30 a.m. service. Child care is provided for infants and toddlers at the 10:30 service.
• From 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursdays through June 12, The Energy of Money course will be held. This study of the principles and techniques in Maria Nemeth's The Energy of Money will be facilitated by Mary Ruth. The class is free. A free-will love offering is suggested.
  

The church is at 1212 Unity Way. For more information, send an e-mail to unitysf@
newmexico.com or call 989-3643.


At 9:30 a.m., the Sunday worship service will be held at Zia United Methodist Church.During the service, Children's Church and nursery care for infants and toddlers also is offered. There is Communion during the service and fellowship time after the service.

At 11 a.m. Sunday school classes for all ages are held. ASL and Spanish translators are available upon request. The church is wheelchair accessible.

The church is at the corner of Richards Avenue and Governor Miles Road, one mile south of the rodeo grounds.


At the Sunday service of Eckankar — the Religion of the Light and Sound of God, Judy Just will discuss "Contentment: The Daily Practice of Happiness." The 10:30 a.m. service provides readings, singing HU (a love song to God), a talk, open discussion and fellowship. Services are held at the Woman's Club, 1616 Old Pecos Trail. For more information, visit the Web site at www. eckankar.org. Call 989-5767.


Westminster Presbyterian Church, Santa Fe's multi-cultural church que es reformada y siempre reformándose, offers worship services on Sundays at 11 a.m. in Spanish and English; 1:30 p.m. in Korean; and at 4 p.m. in Spanish.

This Sunday, the topic will be "The Baptism of Baby Jaleesa" based on Mark 1:6 and
Matt 28:16-20. Holy Communion will be offered.

The church is at 841 W. Manhattan Ave. on the corner of W. Manhattan Avenue and St. Francis Drive. For more information, visit the Web site at www.wpcsf.org or call 983-8939.


From 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, the first course of the program titled "Stages of the Path to Enlightenment" will begin at the Thubten Norbu Ling Buddhist Center. The program is a comprehensive study of Lama Tsongkhapa's text "Middle Length Lam-Rim."

The program consists of six courses and is expected to be offered over a year.

This program will be taught in six sequential courses, beginning with "Preparing for the Path," which introduces the text and the fundamental contemplations that ensure our successful study and practice. The first course is scheduled to be completed by Sept. 3. Don Handrick, resident teacher, will teach the course. The program is open to all and is offered on the basis of donations from participants.

The center is at 149 E. Alameda St. For more information, send an e-mail to tnlsf@yahoo.com, visit the Web site at www.tnlsf.org or call 660-7056


Yom HaShoah is a day set aside to remember the millions that perished in the Holocaust — and pray that nothing such as this ever happens again. At 7 p.m. today, Grace Community Church will show a special 60-minute film produced by Jews for Jesus called Survivor Stories. Pastor Jimmy Sandoval will give a short message addressing anti-Semitism.

On Sunday, there will be a one-time Sunday School class at 9 a.m. titled "Building Bridges and Bridging Barriers," on how to address the Muslim community and interact with Muslim neighbors. The public is invited to attend these free events.

The church is at 2247 Camino Carlos Rey. For information, call 471-0749.


At 7 p.m. on the second Friday of each month, prophetic evangelists James and Judy Warnack, the hosts of God's Heartbeat television program and founders of Only You Lord Ministries, hold what they call "powerful and anointed times in the Presence of the Lord."

The May meeting will be this Friday at the Park Inn & Suites, 2907 Cerrillos Road. The public is invited to attend the services and receive healing and direction.


Wherever a person is on life's journey, that person is welcome at the Unitarian church of Los Alamos.

This Sunday, the youth of the church talk about what it means to be part of the faith community, and a youth in this community, in a special worship service.

Those who attend will celebrate with the graduating seniors, and welcome in the newest members of the high-school group.

The Adult Forum will meet for coffee and conversation on Sundays in May. Those who attend will discuss any topic that comes to mind and reflect upon the last Sunday's sermon.

Religious Exploration and Adult Forum classes begin at 9:30 a.m. Worship begins at 10:30 a.m., with coffee and fellowship following the service.

The church is at 1738 N. Sage Street.

For more information, visit the Web site at www.uulosalamos.org.

For an appointment with the Rev. John Cullinan, call the church office at 505-662-2346.


At the 8:30 and 11 a.m. Sunday services at the Church of the Holy Faith, the Rev. John Onstott will preach and preside at the service of the Holy Eucharist.

Nurseries are provided from 8:15 a.m. through the 11 a.m. service.

This Sunday is Hospitality Sunday at the church. The men of the church will be cooking breakfast. The public is invited to join the congregation for breakfast in Palen Hall at 10 a.m.

The church is at 311 E. Palace Ave. For more information, visit the Web site at www.
holyfaithchurchsf.org or call 982-4447.


From 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on May 17, a day of shared centering prayer, time for solitude, silence and reflection will be held at the Sangre de Cristo Center, 410 State Road 592 near Santa Fe.

A suggested donation of $40 is payable upon arrival. Lunch is included. To register, send an e-mail to susruch@aol.com orcall 930-1777.


The Santa Fe Kabbalah Study Groups welcome anyone interested in the study of Kabbalah.

• The Beginners Group will meet Thursday to study the sefirot of Binah and Hokhman on the Tree of Life.
• The Advanced Group meets on May 15 to study the idea of grace in relationship to spiritual work and its effect on the various aspects of the psyche.

For more information on the groups, call Steve Russell, the groups' tutor, at 466-3137.


Sunday at Immanual Lutheran Church, the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ continues with the observance of the 50 days of Easter. Each week, during Sunday divine services, Easter hymns and liturgical songs are sung.

At 8 a.m. on Sunday, morning prayer begins. Divine service with extended liturgy is held at 10:30 a.m. Sunday School and adult Bible study are held at 9 a.m.

This Sunday, Pastor Douglas Escue will focus on the Ascension and its importance in the life of believers.

All are welcome to join. All first-time guests receive a Lutheran work of art in recognition of their visit.

• The church also sponsors and operates Gentle Shepherd Lutheran Preschool. The school is taking registrations for its summer session that begins July 15 and operates for six weeks on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings. For more information and to register a 3- to 5-year-old child, call 983-9383.

Immanuel Lutheran Church is a member of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. the LCMS has a history of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in more than 60 global mission fields. The church is at 209 East Barcelona Road. For more information, call 983-7568.