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Spiritual notes — January 9

Clothing giveaway planned Grace’s Closet at Grace Lutheran Church, 1114 N. Cambria St., Bellwood, will host a clothing giveaway from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 10. Winter clothing is available. Masks are optional. For more information, call the church at 814-742-7501 or ...

Broadway director achieves a rare feat

NEW YORK — Fifteen years ago, rising theater director Alex Timbers achieved a remarkable feat: Still only in his early 30s, he had two shows running simultaneously on Broadway. As 2026 dawns, Timbers has now eclipsed that mark — he has four. Timbers’ latest, “All Out: Comedy About ...

New pipe organ signals rebirth for Episcopal parish

NEW YORK — The organ arrived from Utah on a warm August morning. Greeted by holy water, incense and slide whistles, it came in a 53-foot-long truck that was double-parked on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The Church of the Epiphany’s priests clambered up on the truck’s loading dock, ...

Hollywood starts 2026 with ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ No. 1

NEW YORK — Hollywood kicked off 2026 with “Avatar: Fire and Ash” atop the box office for the third straight week and with hopes for a blockbuster-filled year after a disappointing 2025. In three weeks of release, “Fire and Ash” has cleared $1 billion worldwide. The third chapter in James Cameron’s Pandora epic collected $40 million over its third weekend in North American theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday. “Fire and Ash” is doing its biggest business overseas; it’s grossed $777.1 million internationally thus far. The Walt Disney Co. on Sunday trumped ...

Pope sets new governing style with annual cardinal meetings

VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV said Thursday he intended to bring the world’s Catholic cardinals together annually, indicating a new governing style for the church that cardinals welcomed as a chance to get to know themselves and the pope better and be of greater service to the church. At ...

Millions celebrate Orthodox Christmas

Millions of people around the world celebrated Orthodox Christmas on Wednesday, nearly two weeks after much of the world marked the holy day. Certain Eastern Orthodox churches, including those in Russian and other traditions, follow the ancient Julian calendar. It runs 13 days later than the Gregorian calendar, used by Catholic and Protestant churches as well as by much of the secular world for everyday use. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church and some other Oriental Orthodox churches — which are distinct from Eastern Orthodox but share many traditions — also celebrated Christmas on ...