Spiritual leader of Greek Orthodox churches in North America to speak in Reading [Religion Digest]

Sep. 23—His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, the spiritual leader of all the Greek Orthodox churches in North America, will visit Reading to deliver the keynote address at the 2023 Metropolis of Pittsburgh Clergy-Laity Conference, which is hosted by Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church, 1001 E. Wyomissing Blvd.

The three-day event is taking place Thursday through Saturday.

The Clergy-Laity Conference is the annual gathering of clergy and delegates from all 50 Greek Orthodox churches in the Metropolis of Pittsburgh, which covers parts of Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia.

Elpidophoros is scheduled to arrive at the church at 5 p.m. on Thursday, where he will be greeted by Metropolitan Savas of Pittsburgh, dozens of clergy and a group of children from the Reading church.

The archbishop will speak during the banquet, which starts at 6 p.m. in the Kraras Hall at the church.

----The First Reformed Church of the United Church of Christ of Hamburg, 76 S. Third St., will celebrate the 125th anniversary of the formation of its congregation as a separate entity from the former Union Church known as the United Lutheran and Evangelical Reformed St. Johns Church on Sunday during its 10:15 a.m. worship service. There will be special scriptures, music and a message revolving around the theme of "Foundation" After the service, there will be food and fellowship in the auditorium.

—Salem Belleman's Church, 3540 Belleman's Church Road, Centre Township, will be holding its annual Pennsylvania Dutch worship service next Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Old Church.cThe Old Church was built in 1815 and is on the National Register of Historic Structures in America. It features a hand-pumped organ located in the balcony and a unique wine-goblet-shaped pulpit. All aspects of the worship will be presented in the Pennsylvania Dutch dialect, and the message will be presented by the Rev. Richard Miller. Preordered turkey and waffle meals will be available for pickup from 3-6 p.m. at the adjacent Fellowship Hall. For information and to preorder, contact the church office at 610-926-0461.

—Wyomissing Church of the Brethren, 2200 State Hill Road, Wyomissing, will be holding a Fall Festival next Saturday from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. There will be a craft show/flea market from 8:30-11:30 a.m.; Kaffman's BBQ chicken and Way-Har ice cream wagon from noon-3 p.m.; Elvis gospel and oldies concert by Jeff Krick from 1-3 p.m.; and fall crafts and games for kids and adults from 1-3 p.m.

—The New Holland Band will present a free concert of sacred and secular musicon Sunday at 2 p.m. at Advent Lutheran Church, 16 Telford Ave., West Lawn.

—Christ Lutheran Church, 222 Niantic Road, Douglass Township, Montgomery County, will celebrate Harvest Home Sunday at its 9 a.m. worship service. Non-perishable food and monetary donations will be accepted for local food banks. Quilts and a prayer shawl also will be blessed.

—There will be a gift basket, gift card and meat tray bingo on Sunday in the Memorial Hall at St. John's Gernant's Church (A Federated Congregation), 13 Gernant's Church Road, Ontelaunee Township. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. Tickets are $25. Bible study will be held Tuesday at 1 p.m.

—A circle of blessing will be formed, with candlelight, at the end of the 10:15 a.m. worship service on Sunday at the United Church of Christ of Robesonia, 301 W. Penn Ave. The handbell choir will ring. Men's breakfast will be held today at 8:30 a.m. at Red Plate Restaurant, 440 E. Penn Ave., Wernersville. Bible study will be held Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. by Zoom and in person. Soup 'n' Such, a free community meal, and a free children's clothing rack are open from 4-6 p.m. on Thursday. For clothing at another time, make an appointment by caling 610-621-5770.

—Schwarzwald Lutheran Church, 250 Church Lane Road, Exeter Township, will celebrate Harvest Home during its 10:30 a.m. worship service on Sunday.

—Schwarzwald United Church of Christ, 75 Church Lane Road, Exeter Township, will be having a Fall Festival next Saturday from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Breakfast, lunch and baked goods will be available to purchase. Crafts, games and face painting for kids will be held from 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

—St. John's Lutheran Church, 45 N. Reading Ave., Boyertown, will have a free drive-through, take-out meal today from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. No registration necessary.

—The Barnstormers will present a concert tonight at 7:30 at St. Paul's United Church of Christ, 5 W. Arch St., Fleetwood. On Sunday, Harvest Home will be celebrated at the 9 and 10:30 a.m. worship services. Coffee hour will be held after the 9 a.m. service in the social room.

—The youth at Epler's Church United Church of Christ, 1151 W. Leesport Road, Bern Township, are hosting the Great Apple Bake-Off today at 1 p.m. to benefit the church. There are five categories: cakes, cookies/crisps, pies, jams/jellies/butters/sauces and candies/miscellaneous. For a donation you can taste the 30 items and vote on each category. There also will be a basket raffle.

—Christ Church Children's Center, located in Christ Mertz Lutheran Church, 16 Fleetwood Road, Rockland Township, will host a drive-in on Thursday from 4-7 p.m. There will be food, craft vendors, a children's clothing and toys sale, music and an online silent auction. Hanna Violet will perform on the outdoor stage from 5-7. Bring lawn chairs. The silent auction is open online at https://app.charityauctionstoday.com/auctions/cccc-silent-auction-2023-38758. The silent auction features specialty baskets for the entire family. The auction closes on Oct. 4 at 6 p.m.

—Grace Lutheran Church, 30 Liberty St., Shillington, will have a special healing service on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. with a fellowship gathering to follow.

—On Sunday morning from 9:05 to 9:45, Christ Episcopal Church, 435 Court St., Reading, will present "Living Life to its Fullest: Define Success and Failure," a forum, in the first-floor parlor. Parking is available in the Abraham Lincoln garage and the M&T Bank lot, both off of Washington Street. Handicap spaces are located beside the church on Court Street.

—People with special needs/IDD, their friends and family are invited to Bern Lutheran Church, 820 West Leesport Road, Bern Township, on Tuesday for the Berks Festival of Faith monthly free supper and worship. This month's dinner will be spaghetti prepared by the members of Zion Moselem Lutheran Church, Kutztown, followed by a choral concert performed by the Berks Festival of Faith choir. Dinner will be served from 4:30-5:30 p.m.. The worship service with concert will begin at 5:45 p.m.

—The Obie Award, Kesselring Prize and Outer Critics Circle Award-winning play "The Christians" will be presented at Immanuel United Church of Christ, 99 S. Waverly St, Shillington, on Friday and next Saturday at 7 p.m. and on Oct. 1 at 3 p.m. John Gancar directs an all-star cast in this big-little play about faith in America, and the trouble with changing your mind. Discounted tickets are available at thechristians.eventbrite.com or $20 at the door, cash only.

—Maidencreek Church, 261 Main St., Maidencreek Township, will worship at 9 a.m. on Sunday. Special music includes a piano solo by SaraAnn Harbonic and a violin ensemble with Sophia Ayrton, Chris Bieber, Noelle Border, Zoey Fisk, Carter Flicker and Clara Horn.

—St. John's Lutheran Church, 4125 Penn Ave., Sinking Spring, is selling Kauffman's chicken BBQ tickets in the church office for $12. Stop by or call 610-678-1088 to order. Pick up is Oct. 1 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Zoom Bible study will be held from 5-6 p.m. on Tuesday.

In order to have an event listed in the religion digest, it must be something that is not just a regular worship service. This includes things such as guest musicians or vocalists who are not members of the church choir; guest speakers; flea markets and other sales; meals, etc. Send information to life@readingeagle.com.