The UPMC Altoona Pastoral Care Department will hold two informational sessions for volunteers interested in ministering to hospital outpatients and families.

Under the Prayer Partner Program, volunteers visit several outpatient service areas and support patients undergoing general surgery, treatment for cancer, difficult-to-treat wounds and intravenous therapies.

To learn more, those interested are invited to attend a brief overview of the Prayer Partner Program.

It will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 30, or 2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6, in the hospital’s chapel, fourth floor, Outpatient Center, 620 Howard Ave.

For more information, contact UPMC Altoona Pastoral Care director, Tony Conrad, by calling 889-4323 or emailing ConradAW@upmc.edu.

Community gospel sing and soup, bread and dessert meal will be held from 4 to 7:15 p.m. Saturday at Christ Lutheran Church, 206 Walnut St., Claysburg.

Entertainment includes Gianna Cleveland, Amy Ward, Mountain City Grass, Heidi Kennedy.

Others to perform include the Claysburg Church of the Brethren children’s choir and the Claysburg Community Chorus.

Cost is by donation, with all proceeds going to the Claysburg Area Public Library.

The event is sponsored by Claysburg Library Friends.

The Hicks United Methodist Church, 1211 Third Ave., Duncansville, will host a large indoor yard sale from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday to benefit the upcoming Mexico mission trip.

The sale will be held in the church basement social hall.

Items include Vera Bradley purses, Coach bags, American Girl accessories, UGG boots, gaming systems and game cartridges.

Other items are electronics, baby furniture and baby items, toys, collectibles, brand name clothing and shoes, home decor and bedding. Christmas trees and seasonal decorations, furniture, computer equipment, books and baked goods will be available.

All proceeds benefit the mission team’s trip to Ensenada, Mexico.

During the trip, volunteers will build homes for a family in need and hold a vacation Bible school with the children in the village.

For more information, email katie@hicksumc.org.

A Married Couples Weekend Get-Away: The Mission of Marriage will be held at St. Joseph Convent, 1872 Munster Road, Portage, from 5:30 p.m. Feb. 9 to noon on Feb. 11

The presenter for the weekend is Dr. John R. Wood, the author of “Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Mission: 5 Steps to Winning the War Within,” one of Dynamic Catholic’s bestselling books, with more than 200,000 copies distributed to date.

Since the release of the book in December 2012, Wood has addressed people of all ages at more than 100 parishes and schools across the country.

A suggested donation of $75 for the weekend or $35 per day is being requested to help cover meals and costs.

Registrations are due by Feb. 7 and can be made by contacting Sister Jacinta at sister

jacinta@gmail.com or 886-4459.

The weekend is organized by the Sister Servants of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The Faith Baptist Cafe will host a free community meal from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 3 at Faith Baptist Church, 315 40th St., Altoona.

The meal will include chili, cornbread, tossed salad, dinner roll and dessert.

Anyone in need of transportation should call 944-2894 by 3 p.m. Friday.

DivorceCare, a Bible-based program to assist men and women going through the divorce/separation process in the Altoona area, will begin a new 13-week session from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 31 at Calvary Baptist Church, 810 Ruskin Drive.

Children assistance is available for children ages 4 and up.

Videos will feature top experts on divorce and recovery subjects and case studies of people, who have been through the divorce experience.

Support group sessions include a time to talk about what participants have seen on the DivorceCare videos and to volunteer what is going on in their lives.

Dating others in the class is not encouraged (to allow you time to focus on your personal healing).

A $10 registration fee includes a personal workbook, and scholarships are available.

The two facilitators for DivorceCare have experienced their own divorces and have an understanding about some of the issues people going through a divorce face.

To register, call 946-4350 or 693-9808 and leave your name and number.

Religious organizations are invited to submit upcoming events, special speakers and other items to be published free of charge in Spiritual Notes. Items can be emailed to religion@altoonamirror.com or call Holly at

946-7451.

Items may also be submitted online through the Mirror’s virtual newsroom at vnr.altoona

mirror.com.