Church

The Cat in the Hat paid a visit to Spread Your Wings Learning Center Preschool students at Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hagerstown on Wednesday but unlike the character in the book, left no mess to clean up. “She read a book to us,” Aniyah McFarlane, 4, of Hagerstown, said. “I liked giving (the Cat in the Hat) a hug.” Dr. Seuss' most famous character, played by Lisa Conrad, of Hagerstown, read “One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish,” another book by the author, to six students there Wednesday morning.

Members of the 140-year-old Sharpsburg Bible Church on Antietam Street in Sharpsburg broke ground Feb. 3 for a new addition to the present church building that was first used 32 years ago. After the regular Sunday morning church service, the congregation stepped outside, and in the cold and snow listened to Pastor Gene Renner's words from the Bible and retired Pastor Ralph Jamison's prayers. The congregation sang the hymn “To God Be the Glory” without instrumental accompaniment.

The principle of separation is one of America's greatest contributions to political thought. Responsible citizenship makes it important to identify myths to sort out intended and unintended distortions of fact. Myth 1: We don't have separation of church and state in America because those words do not appear in the Constitution. Baptist scholar Brent Walker points out that there are many words used in accepted constitutional interpretation that do not appear in the original document.

Janet Lorraine Hydorn, 72, of Falling Waters, W.Va., died Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013, at her home. Visitation will be Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. at Falling Waters Presbyterian Church in Hedgesville, W.Va. A Celebration of Life service will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at the church. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Douglas A. Fiery Funeral Home.

Community business leaders can access the knowledge and experience of world-renowned leaders by attending the Chick-fil-A Leadercast May 10 at Bridge of Life in Hagerstown. Chick-fil-A Leadercast is a one-day leader-development event broadcast live from Atlanta to hundreds of sites throughout the nation. Speakers for this year's event include Jack Welch, former chairman and chief executive officer of General Electric; Andy Stanley, leadership author and communicator; Mike Krzyzewski, head men's basketball coach for Duke University and Team USA; John Maxwell, author and leadership expert; Dr. Henry Cloud, author and leadership consultant; Lt. Cmdr.

St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Lappans offers Evensong and a Concert for the First Sunday in Lent at 5 p.m. in the St. Mark's Fellowship Center, 18313 Lappans Road, just off Sharpsburg Pike.    The Washington Cappella Antiqva, a small vocal ensemble dedicated to the integration of liturgical and musicological research and scholarship, will sing Choral Evensong and present a short concert at the end of the prayers.  A reception to honor the...

During each Wednesday in Lent, Christ's Reformed Church will offer a short midday lunch and service in its auditorium from 12:15 to 1 p.m. Attendees will share a light lunch, then hear lessons from pastor and author Tim Keller from his DVD series, “The Gospel in Life.”  The topics will be: Wednesday - “Heart: Three Ways to Live” Wednesday, Feb. 20 - “Idolatry: the Sin Beneath the Sin” Wednesday, Feb. 27 - “Community: the...

For the first time since Gregory XII stepped down from the Throne of St. Peter in 1415, the leader of the Catholic Church is resigning. Pope Benedict XVI's decision to step down took by surprise many local members of the Roman Catholic Church on Monday. He said that at age 85, he no longer has the necessary physical strength to lead the world's more than 1 billion Roman Catholics. “I'm very surprised. Yet, when I think about his age and frailty, he's one of the smartest men, so he knows what's best for the Church,” said Father John Lombardi of St. Peter's Catholic Church in Hancock, Md. “I am sad because I and many of the faith have a very high regard for Pope Benedict XVI,” the Rev. J. Collin Poston, pastor of St. Mary Catholic Church in Hagerstown said Monday.

Jamie Rohrer was prepared to sing after DJ Bobby Hayes selected her song for karaoke. Tri State Civitan held karaoke night for the developmentally disabled recently at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church at 15 Randolph Ave. in Hagerstown. Dancing is also part of the program, including group dances such as the electric slide, chicken and hokeypokey. Snacks are provided with drinks. This is a free event. The public is invited. The next karoake night with Hayes will be Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Maryland State Police said a man died Sunday morning of a self-inflicted gunshot wound while he was parked in the lot of a southern Washington County church. Members of Faith Christian Fellowship were attending church at the time of the incident, according to Washington County Emergency Services. The incident was reported at about 10:10 a.m. Sunday. The church is at 16726 Lappans Road, otherwise known as Md. 68, between Downsville Pike and Williamsport. - Julie E. Greene