Religion Forecast: Churches schedule Lenten activities

Saturday, March 10, 2001

Religious observances next week include Id al-Adha, the Islamic festival of sacrifice, and the Baha'i month of fasting.

Special in Lent

Among special Lenten activities:

The congregations of Collaborative Ministries of Northwest Flint will gather at 4 p.m. Sunday at Charity United Methodist Church, 4601 Clio Road, for a joint service. The Rev. Colon Brown will preach.

Members of Oak Park and Fenton United Methodist churches will gather for dinner and worship at Oak Park, 2125 N. Saginaw St., Flint, on Friday. The chapel will be open for prayer from 2-5 p.m., Oak Park will provide a soup and salad supper at 5:30 p.m. and worship and Communion will begin at 7 p.m.

At Hartland Presbyterian Church, the Rev. Gus Nussdorfer presents a biblical portrayal in place of the sermon each Sunday in Lent. He will visit Caiaphas, the high priest, at 10 a.m. Sunday. Later visits will include Pilate, Judah and Peter. The congregation worships in the Performing Arts Center of Hartland High School, M-59 west of U.S.23.

The Woman's Auxiliary of the Great Lakes Baptist District Association will present its annual Lenten breakfast and fashion fair at 9 a.m. Thursday at Christ Fellowship Baptist Church, 317 E. Hamilton Ave. The Rev. Earnest Girley, pastor of Morning Star Baptist Church, will speak.

Harpsichord festival

A two-day harpsichord festival with strings will begin at 7 p.m. March 17 at First Presbyterian Church, 746 S. Saginaw St., Flint.

Jeffrey Walker and Joy Schroeder, music directors at First Presbyterian and Court Street United Methodist churches, will perform on the harpsichord. They will be joined by five string musicians from the Flint Symphony Orchestra.

The festival will continue at 3:30 p.m. the next day at Court Street, 225 W. Court St. The programs will be different, but will include a concerto by Bach, music for solo harpsichord and music for two harpsichords.

The concerts are free, although an offering will be received.

A look at Pilate

"Pontius Pilate," a one-act play based on the award-winning book by the same name by Dr. Paul L. Maier, will be presented at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Resurrection Reformed Church, 5225 Calkins Road, Flint Township.

Ronald C. Smeenge, who has taken his drama programs to 19 states since 1993, will take the role of the Roman governor of Judea who ordered Jesus' execution. A former pastor, he also has performed "Pilgrim's Progress," "The Other Wise Man" and "Screwtape Letters."

Smeenge wrote the play, in which Pilate looks back and reflects on his action.

Maier is professor of ancient history at Western Michigan University.

The performance is free.