Bible school takes kids on journey with Potter
The St. Andrew's 2003 Vacation Bible School will use the adventures of the most popular fictional character of current children's literature to explore personal issues of spiritual gifts, moral choices, temptation, courage and faith.Reservations are being taken now for the "Wizards and Wonders: A Hero's Journey With Harry Potter" at St. Andrew's Cathedral. The daytime sessions from Aug. 11 to 15 will include field trips and a variety of activities. The summer school is open to children ages 5 to 12. The fee is $50. Scholarships are available. Call Jenny Wallace at 524-2822, ext. 215, or write to jennywallace@hawaii.rr.com.
Workshop introduces centering prayer idea
A free introductory workshop on the Christian meditation method of centering prayer will be presented from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. next Saturday at Central Union Church."Centering Prayer: A Meditative Method for a Deeper Relationship with God" is based on the writings of the Rev. Thomas Keating, author of "Open Mind Open Heart." The "centering" discipline involves periods of solitary meditation in the midst of daily activities. Weekly ecumenical prayer groups are sponsored here by Contemplative Outreach.
Participants should bring lunch. Call Carol at 739-5288 to register.
Krishna devotees host presentation on music
A program of performance and lectures on Hindu devotional music is being presented nightly at the Hare Krishna Temple at 51 Coelho Way.The "Krishna Lila Classical Indian Chants and Discourse" features Mukunda Datta, who has released several recordings of bhajans (devotional chants). Datta, who holds a master's degree in South Asian languages and literature from the University of Washington, has lectured in the United States for 30 years. He will focus on the Govinda-damodara-stotra hymn, which describe the divinity of Brahma.
The free presentations will be given from 6:30 to 8:30 tonight through next Saturday.
'Celebrate Freedom' with Grammy winner Harris
The July 4 holiday will be celebrated with a concert of patriotic and Christian music featuring gospel music singer Larnelle Harris, winner of six Grammy awards.The producers aim to gather a 500-voice chorus to perform in the "Celebrate Freedom" concert at 7 p.m. July 3 at the Waikiki Shell.
Members of several island choirs will combine as the Spirit of America Choir for the event. Local musicians Ben Vegas, Maila Gibson, Trisha Nakamoto and Nalani Choy, of Na Leo Pilimehana, will participate.
Tickets at $10, $15 and $20 will be sold at the Neal Blaisdell Center box office, 591-2211. A portion of each ticket will benefit the Cambodian Women's Center in Southeast Asia.
The concert will be produced by Salem Communications Corp., which operates radio stations KHNR AM, KGU AM and KAIM FM; Concert Ministries; and Global Connection International. Call 533-0065 for information.
Auditors check abuse policies in all U.S. dioceses
WASHINGTON >> A watchdog lay panel appointed by U.S. Roman Catholic bishops will send auditors to every diocese to see if they are complying with the new sex abuse policy the bishops adopted last year.The audit will be conducted by the Gavin Group of Boston, a firm run by former FBI director William Gavin, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops announced. More than 50 auditors were trained last month to conduct the checks in the nation's 195 dioceses. Operating in teams of two, they will determine whether bishops have formed boards that include lay people to review sex abuse claims, hired victim-assistance coordinators and started education programs meant to protect children from abuse.
No auditor will be permitted to audit his own diocese if he is a Catholic, the bishops' conference said. The dioceses' policies and actions before the policy was adopted will not be part of the review. Monsignor Walter Hurley, the top church official on abuse cases for Detroit, said his archdiocese was scheduled to be among the first to undergo an audit. The lay panel is called the National Review Board.
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