Christian

Joseph Francis Piccolomini, 74, of Martinsburg, W.Va., died Friday, Oct. 26, 2012, in Morgantown, W.Va. The family will receive friends Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Brown Funeral Home, Martinsburg. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Monday at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church. Burial prayers will be said in Pleasant View Memory Gardens.

Travis James Duncan, 24, of Shepherdstown, W.Va., died Wednesday, March 20, 2013, at City Hospital in Martinsburg, W.Va. The family will receive friends Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. at St. Agnes Catholic Church, Shepherdstown. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the church. Arrangements are by Brown Funeral Home, Martinsburg.

Toni Michele Gusic Saylor, 37, died Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012, at her home. Friends may pay their respects from noon to 6 p.m. today and family will receive friends from 6 to 9 p.m. at South Berkeley Chapel in Inwood. Friends may pay their respects from 9 to 10 a.m. Friday at St. Leo Catholic Church. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Friday at the church with Father Brian Shoda as celebrant. Burial will be in St. Leo Catholic Church Cemetery.

The 1.3-million-square-foot Macy's fulfillment center in Berkeley County remains on schedule to open and begin operating this spring, according to Berkeley County Development Authority Stephen Christian. "In a year's time, they've just made amazing progress," Christian said in a recent phone interview. The formal announcement of the retail giant's plan to build a facility for its Internet business in Cumbo Yard Industrial Park near Martinsburg was made Dec. 13, 2010, Christian said.

The West Virginia Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council approved a $2 million loan Wednesday as part of ongoing efforts to land a company that could bring more than 2,500 jobs to Berkeley County. The loan from IJDC to the West Virginia Economic Development Authority would allow the state to purchase property and reimburse some site-work costs at a proposed location for the unnamed company in Tabler Station Business Park, according to Berkeley County Development Authority Executive Director Stephen Christian.

A Mass of Christian burial for Lawrence Joseph Plumadore Hartnett, 93, will be celebrated Friday, Oct. 5, 2012, at 12:30 p.m. at St. Mary Catholic Church, Hagerstown, with the Rev. James Nirapple as celebrant.

Luigena "Jeanne" Smith, 79, of Martinsburg, W.Va., died Wednesday, March 13, 2013, at her home. A Mass of Christian burial will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at St. Leo Catholic Church in Inwood, W.Va. Burial will be at St. Leo Catholic Church Cemetery, Inwood. Arrangements are by Brown Funeral Home, Martinsburg.

BOONSBORO - The ancient Christian practice of navigating through a labyrinth as a sacred walk to help people reflect on their lives will be available at St. Mark's Episcopal Church on Sunday, March 5, from 7 a.m. to noon. Designed to help create order out of chaos and draw people closer to God, a portable version of a labyrinth painted on a large canvas is spread on the floor of the Parish Hall at 18311 Lappans Road. The most famous Christian labyrinth is found in the Cathedral of Chartres in France.

Billy Shaheen Okal, 82, of Hedgesville, W.Va., died Sunday, Aug. 19, 2012, at his home while under hospice care. The family will receive friends today from 7 to 9 p.m. at Brown Funeral Home, Martinsburg, W.Va. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Friday at 1 p.m. at St. Bernadette's Catholic Church, Hedgesville, with the Rev. George Pucciarelli as celebrant.

Dorothy Jean Taylor, 74, of Martinsburg, W.Va., died Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012, at INOVA Hospital in Fairfax, Va. The family will receive friends Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Brown Funeral Home, Martinsburg. Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Monday at 11 a.m. at St. Leo Catholic Church. Burial prayers will be said in Rosedale Cemetery, Martinsburg.

Tickets are on sale now for Christian comedian, songwriter and singer Tim Hawkins' concert at 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3, at The Maryland Theatre, 21 S. Potomac St., downtown Hagerstown. The event is a fundraiser for Boys and Girls Club of Washington County. VIP floor reserved and box reserved seats cost $40 advance only; $45 at the door. Only 48 VIP box seat tickets will be sold. Cost includes a meet and greet with Hawkins after the show. Premium reserved tickets cost $25 in advance; $30 at the door.

On April 9, the middle and high school students at Broadfording Christian Academy were treated to an international lunch. Students had the option of trying several foods that are commonly prepared and eaten in the Chinese and South Korean cultures. The luncheon was part of the ongoing international student exchange program at the school.

Voices filled Five Forks Church north of Waynesboro on Sunday during a visit from the 160-member National Christian Choir. Audience members filled the auditorium and spilled into the hallway for the performance featuring contemporary Christian music, hymn arrangements, gospel songs and a cappella moments. “It's more of a worship service rather than a concert where the audience sits detached,” said Kathy Bowman, director of music and ministries for the choir. Started in 1984, The National Christian Choir rehearses weekly in Rockville, Md., during the school year.

The spring Christian Business Men's Connection outreach breakfast is scheduled for Friday, May 3, at Golden Corral, 17635 Valley Mall Road in Halfway. Networking begins at 7 a.m. and the program will end by 8:30 a.m. Sponsored by the Hagerstown chapter of the CBMC, the annual event is open to all adults. The $10 fee includes a complete breakfast. The speaker will be Stan Barrett, president and chief executive officer of Daystar Lighting Solutions LLC, a startup business in Fayetteville, Pa. He will share how he discovered the sustainable energy to start a new business and how that energy has sustained his life.

Third quarter marking period Distinguished honor roll K5 - Marissa Culler, Madalyn Eby, Jordan Miller First grade - Roxy Renner Second grade - Delaney Renner Third grade - Atlee Barnhart, Camryn Moore Ninth grade - Marissa Swope Honor roll K5 - Shae Cawley, Steven Hershberger, Morgan Shaffer First grade - Madison Bageant, Andrew Cawley, Joel Cook, Alison Hoyt, Grace Tedrick Second grade - Corrina Angle,...

Joseph Francis Knipe, 62, of Martinsburg, W.Va., died Saturday, March 23, 2013, at City Hospital. Family will receive friends Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. at Brown Funeral Home, where there will be a vigil service at 6 p.m. Tuesday. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Wednesday at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church with the Rev. R. Eric Hall IV officiating, assisted by the Rev. Ed Grove. Burial prayers will be said in Rosedale Cemetery.

Religions blended Sunday when a United Church of Christ congregation hosted a Jewish-Christian seder to mark Passover. Pastor Michael Cromer from Church of the Apostles told the 30 people gathered to pay attention to the instructions about when and how to eat, drink and pray. “That's one of the important messages of the Exodus story - following God's orders,” he said, telling the crowd that “seder” means “order.” Cromer said he tried to retain much from the traditional Jewish observance, but a section at the end of the seder talked about Jesus.

Patricia Ann McCarthy, 70, of Charles Town, W.Va., died Saturday, March 23, 2013, at her home. The family will receive friends Tuesday from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at Eackles-Spencer & Norton Funeral Home, Harpers Ferry, W.Va. A Mass of Christian burial will be Wednesday at 9 a.m. at St. James Catholic Church, Charles Town, with the Very Rev. John Ledford as celebrant.

Travis James Duncan, 24, of Shepherdstown, W.Va., died Wednesday, March 20, 2013, at City Hospital in Martinsburg, W.Va. The family will receive friends Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. at St. Agnes Catholic Church, Shepherdstown. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the church. Arrangements are by Brown Funeral Home, Martinsburg.

Walter Eugene "Mickey" McDonough, 92, of Flintstone, Md., died Tuesday, March 12, 2013, at Western Maryland Health System in Cumberland, Md. The family will receive friends Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Grove Funeral Home, Hancock. A Mass of Christian burial will be Friday at 10:30 a.m. at St. Peter Catholic Church, Hancock. Burial with a military service will be at Rocky Gap Veterans Cemetery, Flintstone.