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Spiritual notes

Christ United Methodist Church, 1359 Pennsylvania Ave., Tyrone, will hold a yard sale from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 29, at the church. All proceeds benefit church activities.

The Sacred Music Library at the First Presbyterian Church of Hollidaysburg will be closed during the month of July. The library will be open from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, June 29, for those who wish to return music.

Anyone who needs music while the library is closed should call 614-4191. The library will reopen from 1 to 4 p.m. Aug. 12.

The blessing of the Conemaugh River will be held Sunday at St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church, 427 First Street, in East Conemaugh, Johnstown, with the Very Rev. Archpriest Father George Johnson. The service begins with the Divine Liturgy at 9 a.m. followed by the procession to the river for the blessing, which will occur about 10:30 a.m. The public is invited.

The procession will form and move along First Street to Main Street to the Conemaugh River site where the blessing service will be done. After the blessing services, refreshments will be served in the St. John’s church hall.

The blessing of the Conemaugh River is an annual event in the life of the St. John’s parish. The parish has been making the procession and doing this service at the Conemaugh River for over 40 years.

Whenever the Blessing of Water is done in the Orthodox Church, it is particularly connected with the Baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River, by St. John the Baptist.

The Blessing Service contains unique hymnography, along with a number of specifically-appointed scriptural readings. The best-known mark of the service is the immersion of the Cross, three times, in the waters of the Conemaugh River. Included as well within the Blessing Service are the prayers of the church that the Lord God, who was present in the River Jordan and sanctified the water there with that presence, will then now bless, sanctify, protect and preserve the community by His presence.

The Faith Baptist Church of Altoona will hold daily vacation Bible school — with classes for the entire family — July 14-18. Classes will range from nursery for the infants, through adults. Everyone is welcome.

Children and youth will meet each night from 6 to 8:45 p.m. beginning with a free dinner served at 6 p.m. Children age 3 through grade 6 are invited to “Mars and Beyond” to explore God’s power. Youth in 7th through 12th grades will meet for nightly Bible study, songs and games. The Adult class will be held from 7 to 8:15 p.m. The group will be studying “The Book of Revelation in 5 Exciting Sessions” with Dr. Bill Shade of Source of Light Ministries International.

Transportation is available throughout Altoona. For transportation, more information or to pre-register, contact the church office at 944-2894 or visit www.fbcaltoona.org.

The Faith Baptist Church is located on the corner of Fourth Avenue and 40th Street in the Highland Park section of Altoona.

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.altoonamirror.com.

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