HAWAII

Honolulu churches feature concerts

Honolulu churches will be the scene of concerts by professional church musicians.

» An “;Organ Spectacular”; at 7 p.m. tomorrow at Central Union Church, 1660 S. Beretania St., will be a tribute to Nyle Hallman for her musical career as organist at the church and harpist with the Honolulu Symphony.

Hallman, whose 80th birthday will be celebrated, will perform along with Margaret Lloyd, Central Union's associate music minister, and Constance Harding Uejio, principal harpist with the Honolulu Symphony. The concert will feature compositions by Bach, Barclay, Britten and Burton. It is free and open to the public.

» The Lutheran Church of Honolulu, 1730 Punahou St., will stage the opening concert of this year's Abendmusiken Concert series at 4 p.m. Oct. 26. Carl Crosier will conduct the Bach Chamber Orchestra and Bach Chamber Choir in “;Music for the Roman Oratory,”; narrated by Ian Capps. Also on the program is “;Last Judgment,”; by Carissimi, madrigals by Palestrina and Marenzio, and sonatas by Corelli and Legrenzi.

Tickets are $20 general admission, $15 for seniors and $12 for full-time students. For information, call 941-2566.

Israeli author to discuss Mideast

Israeli author Susan Nathan will speak in Honolulu next week about tension and problems between Israelis and Palestinians.

Nathan's recent book “;The Other Side of Israel: My Journey Across the Jewish-Arab Divide”; is on sale at the Church of the Crossroads office, 1212 University Ave., and will be sold and signed by the author at lectures at the following locations:

» Wednesday, 7 p.m., University of Hawaii Architecture Auditorium, 2410 Campus Road. It is sponsored by Friends of Sabeel and the UH Department of Ethnic Studies.

» Thursday, 4:30 p.m., Kapiolani Community College, Ohia 118 Auditorium, 4303 Diamond Head Road. It is sponsored by Friends of Sabeel and the Pacific and Asian Affairs Council.

NATION

Woman warned over her ‘visions’

HAGERSTOWN, Md. » The Roman Catholic archbishop of Baltimore told a Pennsylvania woman to stop disseminating messages that she claims she receives from the Virgin Mary.

The warning, in a pastoral advisory from Archbishop Edwin O'Brien, marks an escalation of the church's efforts to silence Gianna Sullivan of rural Fairfield, Pa.

It warns Sullivan not to talk or write about the alleged apparitions anywhere within the archdiocese, which includes Baltimore and nine Maryland counties.

The archdiocese concluded in 2000 that the alleged visions were not divine, and barred Sullivan from delivering them at an Emmitsburg church. The Vatican upheld that decision in 2003.

Sullivan had been delivering her messages at monthly gatherings at a conference center in Frederick County. After O'Brien's statement, she canceled her scheduled appearances there.

Airport opens new reflection room

WARWICK, R.I. » Emotionally drained travelers can take refuge in a section of the T.F. Green Airport in Warwick.

The Hope Reflection Room opened its doors this spring after eight years of planning by local Episcopalians. Barbara Caniglia, a member of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island, said there was a need for a nondenominational space amid the bustle of the airport.

Caniglia said that when her mother-in-law died, she tried to find a quiet corner in the baggage area where she could break the news to arriving family members.

Officials at the Rhode Island Airport Corp. agreed to make space for the room during a recent expansion. The room is illuminated by soft light and stained glass and contains a sculpture of a globe in a large hand.

Preacher ripped off during his sermon

FORT WORTH, Texas » A preacher's wallet was stolen from a church office while he was on the pulpit delivering a sermon about showing mercy to others.

The Rev. Rob Hamby was the guest preacher at Fort Worth Presbyterian Church last Sunday when his briefcase was taken. Security cameras caught images of a man and woman.

“;What troubles me is that they would go to the church not for help, but to steal. I am shocked and frustrated that these people did it. But more than anything, I feel kind of sorry for them,”; Hamby said.

About $2,000 in purchases were made on the minister's credit and debit cards before he finished preaching, including the purchase of a $676 diamond ring. In addition to his wallet, Hamby's computer valued at $2,600 was taken.

Hamby, who works as a campus minister at Texas Christian University, said he could have understood if the thieves used his credit cards to buy essentials but not luxuries that they did not need.