MSC sisters install new leadership team [Religion Digest]

Aug. 20—The Missionary Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (MSC) celebrated the installation of a new leadership team for their United States Province on Aug. 6 at St. Michael's Convent, Hyde Park.

This team, which will serve for the next four years, includes the Province leader and three councilors, who take responsibility for fostering life and unity within the community and coordinating the talents and gifts of the sisters in the service of others and the mission of the congregation.

Sister Dorothy Fabritze is the new Province leader. Her councilors are Sister Raymond Gazo (first councilor) Sister Mary Anne Bigos and Sister Patrice Cosgrove.

Fabritze says that she hopes to "live in the awareness that God is Love, to continue our MSC mission of being sent to all to make known the love and kindness of God, and to support our sisters as they do the same."

An international community of 600 religious women serving people among seven provinces in 21 countries, MSC ministries include education, parish ministry, social services, elder care, prison ministry, hospice, campus ministry, youth ministry, health care and circus ministry.

To learn more about the MSC mission and the ways you can join, visit www.mscreading.org.

----St. Andrew's United Church of Christ, 1320 Spruce St., Reading, will be holding a Peach Festival next Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Homemade beef vegetable soup, hamburger barbecue, hot dogs, homemade macaroni salad, shoo-fly pies, peach crumb pies, beverages and other assorted back goods along with peaches and ice cream will be available for purchase.

—Bern Lutheran Church, 820 W. Leesport Road, Bern Township, will hold a free supper and worship service for people with special needs and their families and friends on Tuesday. Supper is from 4:30- 5:30.p.m. The WIZ group of Zion Union Church, Maxatawny Township, is providing the supper. Worship is at 5:45. Worship leaders will be the Rev. Allen Forsman, pastor, and Randy and Sally Schlegel. Groups are needed to provide the suppers on Oct. 25 and Nov. 22. For more information, contact the Rev. David Kistler at davedeek@gmail.com or 717-933-8802.

—Christ Lutheran Church, 222 Niantic Road, Barto, will worship on Sunday at 9 a.m. There will be a hymn sing during the prelude. Coffee & Conversation will be held at 8:30 in the Welcome Center and then again following worship.

—St. John's Lutheran Church, 4125 Penn Ave., Sinking Spring, will hold in-person worship Sunday at 9 a.m., with Holy Communion and special music. Masks are optional. The service also will be livestreamed on Facebook. There will be socializing and refreshments in Fellowship Hall following the service.

—Epler's Church, United Church of Christ, 1151 W Leesport Road, Bern Township, will hold its annual Peach Festival today from 3 to 7 p.m. There will be entertainment from 4:30-5:30, and food will be available for purchase all day. A basket and gift card raffle will finish at 6. The event is held rain or shine. For more information, visit www.eplerschurch.org.

—St. John's Gernant's Church (A Federated Congregation), 13 Gernant's Church Road, Ontelaunee Township, will worship Sunday at 9:30 a.m. in Memorial Hall, 12 Gernant's Church Road, which is handicap accessible. Guest speaker will be Kyle Lord, director of Keystone Military Families. Special music will be a piano solo by Fern Kulp ("Make Us Holy, Make Us Whole.")

—The United Church of Christ in Robesonia will worship at 301 W. Penn Ave. at 10:15 a.m. on Sunday by You Tube, in person, by Facebook and by telephone. Details are available at 1zion.org and sprucc.org. Children's Clothing Closet and Soup 'n' Such will be held on Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. Soup 'n' Such is free and is eat-in or take-out.

—Reformation Lutheran Church, 3670 Perkiomen Ave., Exeter Township, will worship Sunday at 9:30 a.m.. The service will be livestreamed on Facebook and may be viewed live or later at www.Reformationlutheran.org under worship videos. Together Time, a period of conversation and refreshment, will follow worship.

—St. John's Lutheran Church, 45 N. Reading Ave., Boyertown, will hold worship on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. Livestreamed worship continues on YouTube (St. John's ELC Boyertown). Free drive-through, take-out meal every Saturday from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. No registration necessary. Sunday school begins Sept. 11. Register at stjohnsboyertown.org.

—Schwarzwald United Church of Christ, 75 Church Lane Road, Exeter Township, will be holding an in-person and Zoom service on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. It will also be available on YouTube. For more information, visit www.schwarzwalducc-pa.org.

—Maidencreek Church, 261 Main St., Maidencreek Township, will hold a hybrid worship service on Sunday at 9 a.m. with Betsy McGeorge preaching. Music includes Kimberly Ayrton, piano and organ; Ron and Carter Flicker, alto sax and piano; and Sophia Ayrton, violin. The service also is livestreamed to Facebook and YouTube. Links can be found at maidencreekchurch.org.

—Schwarzwald Lutheran Church, 250 Church Lane Road, Exeter Township, will worship in person on Sunday at 9:30 a.m.

—St. Paul's United Church of Christ, 5 W. Arch St., Fleetwood, will have two worship services in the sanctuary, at 9 and 10:30 a.m. The 9 a.m. service also will be available on Facebook and YouTube; links can be found at www.stpaulsfleetwood.org. Worship leaders will be Ramona Wolf at 9 and Carol Aulenbach at 10:30. Special music will be "Beautiful Jesus" by the Chancel Choir.

—Grace Lutheran Church, 30 Liberty St., Shillington, will hold in-person worship Sunday at 9:30 a.m., with Holy Communion. Guest pastor the Rev. Dr. Denise Keltz will be presiding. Music will be provided by pianists Nancy Kennedy and Linda Sepeda. The service will be available online after 11:30 at graceshillington.org.

—Zion Lutheran Church, 300 W. High St., Womelsdorf, will hold its 48th annual Peach Festival

today from 2 to 8 p.m. There will be freshly baked peach pies, peaches, cake, ice cream and more, gift basket and quilt raffles, jewelry sale. Dave and Friends will perform music from the 1960s and '70s from 4 to 6. Profits will be shared with the National Alliance on Mental Health.

—Christ Episcopal Church, 435 Court St., Reading, will hold three in-person worship services on Sunday, all including Holy Eucharist: at 8 a.m., a said service (no music); at 9, a service for families with young children; and at 10:30, a service with music. Masks are optional. Parking is available at the Abe Lincoln Hotel parking garage and the M&T Bank lot, both located off of Washington Street. Parking is also available beside the church on Court Street for those with disabilities or who require assistance. To join the livestream, go to rdgchristchurch.org. On Thursday, a Morning Prayer service from the Book of Common Prayer will be held at the Red Bridge recreational area, 2141 Tulpehocken Road, Spring Township, weather permitting.

—Bern Reformed United Church of Christ, 3196 Bernville Road, Bern Township, offers live worship at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday. You also can participate from your vehicle in the parking lot by means of an FM 87.9 transmission or on Facebook.

—Kissinger's Church, 715 Berkshire Blvd., Wyomissing, will hold an Hour of Prayer on Wednesday at 4 p.m. The public is invited to attend to submit prayer requests and to pray for others.