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Spiritual notes

Trunk or treat events planned — St. John the Evangelist Church in Lakemont and the Lakemont Fire Hall will hold their annual Trunk or Treat, Costume Contest and Halloween Parade beginning at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25, in the church parking lot. Parade and costume contest will follow Trunk or Treat at 2 p.m. at the fire hall. — Trunk or treat will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, in the parking lot at Twenty-eighth Street Church of the Brethren, 28th Street and Union Avenue. — Newry Lutheran Church, 1030 Shamrock Lane, will host Trunk or Treat from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, ...

Spiritual notes

Pumpkin, mum sale Twenty-eighth Street Church of the Brethren, 28th Street and Union Avenue, is selling pumpkins and mums at the church. The sale is based on the honor system; if no one is available, the money can be placed in the church’s mail slot. Pumpkins and mums are $7 each. All proceeds benefit the youth fund. Hymn sing A hymn sing will be held at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 25, at The Well Ministry Center, 605 Burns Ave., Altoona. Favorite hymns and some you might not remember will be shared. The message “Life in the Pressure Cooker” will be presented after the hymn sing. ...

Steele to conclude service with Church of the Brethren

ELGIN, Illinois — David A. Steele of Martinsburg has announced that he will conclude his service as general secretary of the Church of the Brethren on Aug. 31, 2028, at the end of his current term. Steele began serving as General Secretary in 2016. In October 2025, the denomination’s Mission and Ministry Board extended his term through August 2028. He has since decided that this will be his final term, concluding 12 years of service in the role. Steele believes the time is right both for a new chapter in his own life and for new leadership to help guide the Church of the Brethren ...

Concert aims to raise food funds

A variety of local musicians will perform at a fundraiser to help feed the hungry at 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18, in the sanctuary of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, at the corner of Eighth Avenue and 13th Street in Altoona. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted. All proceeds will benefit St. Luke’s Food Pantry and its monthly food distributions. Titled “Eclectic Music: Accordions to Ukuleles,” the concert will feature a variety of music, from classical pieces to Halloween favorites. Each performer will bring a unique style to the event. Claude Fabinyi, music director ...

Bergman to speak on creation

Jerry Bergman will be the featured speaker at a series of meetings sponsored by the Central Pennsylvania Creation Fellowship from Friday, Oct. 23, through Sunday, Oct. 25. Bergman is the author of more than 50 books dealing with a variety of subjects including creation versus evolution. Bergman will present “Genesis and the Failure of Long Age Creationism” at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, at Penn State in Room 362 of the Willard Building. The 8:30 a.m. breakfast Saturday morning at the Bellefonte Presbyterian Church, 2-3 N. Spring St., will feature “A Whale of a Tale,” challenging ...

Faiths find common ground with pet blessing

A love for animals has a way of bringing a community together, no matter their differences. This weekend, the newly restored Altoona Interfaith Alliance is hosting the area’s first-ever interfaith Blessing of the Animals at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4, in Tuckahoe Park. Rabbi Dr. Audrey ...