Oak Ridge Today

Biblical scholar to give science, religion talk on Sunday

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Stan Saunders

Stan Saunders

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The topic for the 11th annual Jackson B. Davidson Memorial Lecture on Science and Religion will be “A Dwelling Place for God: Recovering the Forgotten Story of God, Humankind, Temple, and Creation.”

Stanley Saunders, associate professor of New Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Ga., will deliver the lecture at 7 p.m. Sunday, April 27, in the sanctuary of First Presbyterian Church, 1051 Oak Ridge Turnpike (at Lafayette Drive).

Refreshments will be served after the lecture, and childcare will be provided during and after the free talk.

“Modern, western Christians typically presume that Christian salvation entails escape from our bodies and this earth, so that we can dwell with God in an ethereal heavenly realm,” Saunders said. “The New Testament, on the other hand, much more clearly affirms a vision of God coming to dwell with us.” [Read more…]

Spotlight: Hard hats required at ORUUC Easter sunrise service

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ORUUC Easter Sunrise Service

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Twenty-two members of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church held a sunrise service on Easter morning at the site of their new building at 809 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

While the building won’t be finished until this fall, members received permission from Hickory Construction to use the site for this special purpose, provided they each wore hard-hats. So, it was with a light spirit that the small group celebrated the in-breaking of a new light, of new life, and the resurrection of Jesus. [Read more…]

Community meal at Oak Ridge Family Bible Church on Wednesday

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Oak Ridge Family Bible Church Logo

Oak Ridge Family Bible Church will host its monthly community meal, Dinner with our Neighbor, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

This event began a number of years ago and has not just been feeding the community, but has also been a time of building relationships and helping neighbors during lonely and difficult times, a press release said.

The Rev. Robert May said: “There are many folks in our area that will sit down to have a meal alone, and it is our aim to give them an opportunity to have a meal with someone who cares and possibly make some new friends. Also, there may be some folks that are finding it difficult to feed their family, and the dinner we serve might relieve that pressure.” [Read more…]

Faith column: National Day of Prayer event on May 1

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You are invited to be a part of the Oak Ridge National Day of Prayer Community Event as we gather together to fervently pray for our nation and our community. This year’s event theme is “One Voice United in Prayer,” taken from Romans 15:6. 

The service will be at Glenwood Baptist Church on May 1 at 6 p.m., located at 200 N. Alabama Road. Each year, this event brings believers together from congregations all over the Oak Ridge community to demonstrate the power of unity to pray for those in authority and various vocations.

We encourage all believers to come and join as we gather in one accord lift our hearts and voice declaring the plan and purposes of God. [Read more…]

Family Bible Church has Passover Seder on Friday

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Passover Seder

The Oak Ridge Family Bible Church has a Passover Seder 2014 at 6 p.m. Friday (Good Friday).

It will be officiated by Messianic Rabbi H. Michael Weiner.

The church is at 1978 Oak Ridge Turnpike.

Women’s Interfaith Dialogue hosts free forum on world belief systems on Monday

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Women's Interfaith Dialogue Steering Committee

Members of the Women’s Interfaith Dialogue Steering Steering pictured above are, from left to right, Barbara McCord, Jo Ann Garrett, Eileen Handler, and Cleva Marrow. (Submitted photo)

The Women’s Interfaith Dialogue of Oak Ridge will sponsor a free community forum on different world belief systems at 11 a.m. Monday. The forum, “Tell Us about Your Faith: Learning from Each Other,” will be at the Jewish Congregation of Oak Ridge.

The presentations by a dozen or so local women will be organized from oldest belief system in origin to newest, including Wicca, Hindu, Jewish, Roman Catholic, Islam, many of the major Protestant denominations, Quaker, Universalist and Baha’i.

A question and answer session will follow the presentations. The forum is free and open to the public. Donations are welcome.

The presenters include Nayeema Ahmad, Sharon Annis, Carolyn Dipboye, Margaret Dory, Diane Edwards, Jo Ann Garrett, Kas Gomathinayagam, Barbara McCord, Kathy Olsen, Ruth Prince, Fran Silver, and Toni Stephenson. [Read more…]

Jewish Congregation of Oak Ridge to show ‘Dear Mr. Waldman’ on Saturday

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The Jewish Congregation of Oak Ridge will have its monthly Jewish Film Series on Saturday, April 5, at 7 p.m.

Each month, the rabbi picks a different Jewish film ranging from comedy to drama, from fiction to documentary. This is a free event and refreshments are provided.

This month’s film will be “Dear Mr. Waldman” (Israel, 2006, NR, 84 minutes). Set in early 1960s Tel Aviv, this coming-of-age story centers on 10-year-old Hilik and his struggle to help heal the emotional wounds of his father, who hasn’t recovered from losing his elder son at Auschwitz. Still in denial, Moishe believes his son escaped and is now President Kennedy’s aide. To help his father move on and gain the father-son relationship he sorely needs, Hilik puts Moishe’s love to the test. [Read more…]

Kern United: Pancake breakfast, plant and rummage sale, silent auction April 12

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Kern Church Men's Group Pancake Breakfast

Morris Osborne, a member of the Kern Church Men’s Group, serves pancakes to a guest at last year’s pancake breakfast. This year’s breakfast is Saturday, April 12. (Submitted photo)

The Kern United Methodist men’s group will host a pancake breakfast on Saturday, April 12, in the church’s Family Life Center. Pancakes with sausage, juice, and coffee will be served from 8 a.m. until noon for the cost of $5 for adults, $3 for children 3-12 years, and free for children under 3. Proceeds from the pancake breakfast will benefit the Men’s Club to help finance their valuable work around the church.

In conjunction with the breakfast, a plant and rummage sale will be held. Church members are contributing plants from their home gardens, and plants from Kern’s flower garden will be divided and sold. Lori McAlister, the owner of Tennessee Naturescapes, is also donating some native and prairie woodland wildflower plants. The rummage sale will feature all kinds of large and small miscellaneous items such as toys, kitchen and household items, flower pots, bird houses, books, gardening tools, sporting equipment, and games, among other things, a press release said. [Read more…]

Church Women United to host speaker from Healthy Start

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Susan Moore

Susan Moore

Susan Moore, program supervisor for Healthy Start of Anderson County, will discuss the program’s role in preventing child abuse during an April 4 presentation in Oak Ridge.

The program is part of the celebration of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month, and it’s hosted by Church Women United, a press release said.

Healthy Start of Anderson County has been deemed an elite “model program,” ensuring the medical well-being of mothers and infants and preventing child abuse. Healthy Start programs enhance child development by helping children meet physical and mental milestones that affect their readiness for school. Healthy Start also supports parents and extended families in creating a positive environment for the child within the family, the press release said. [Read more…]

Ulster Project serves up a ‘Taste of Ireland’

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Peace Sculpture Northern Ireland

Peace sculpture on the ancient city wall of Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland. (Photo by T. Burns)

The Ulster Project of East Tennessee will host “Taste of Ireland”—a “sense-sational” celebration—on Saturday, April 5, from 6 to 10 p.m. in the Family Life Center at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Oak Ridge. Co-sponsored by the Knoxville and Oak Ridge chapters, the event will feature traditional Irish food and drink, live music, dance, and a silent auction.

Special musical guests, the local Irish/folk band, Shamrock Road, will entertain. Enjoy a buffet of traditional Irish favorite dishes and dessert between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. Visit any of the four traditional Irish watering holes for something to accompany your meal or to quench your thirst from dancing a jig.

A “Taste of Ireland” is the perfect way to welcome spring and support the efforts to grow and sustain the peace process in Northern Ireland. The evening of food and entertainment costs $25 for adults and $20 for students (under 21) and seniors (65+). Tickets are available in Oak Ridge at Realty Center, 201 S. Tulane Ave.; at The Ferrell Shop in Historic Jackson Square; or through e-mail at ulstereasttenn@gmail.com. Tickets will also be available at the door. [Read more…]

Free community meal at ORUUC on Friday

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Stone Soup Community Meal

From left to right, volunteers Jinx Watson, Beatrice Holt, Todd Sherline, and daughter Poppy prepare for guests at a recent ORUUC Stone Soup Free Community Meal. The next meal will be served on March 28. Everyone is welcome.

The Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church will have a free community meal on Friday, March 28, from 5 to 6 p.m. in the church’s Social Hall. Dine-in or takeout will be available.

Homemade Santa Fe chili, corn chips, and blond brownies and milk are on the menu.

The Stone Soup Ministry free community meal is held the last Friday of every month at the same time in the Social Hall. Food for the free monthly meal is provided by the ORUUC congregation along with financial support from several members of the Oak Ridge community. [Read more…]

Church Women United to highlight state, national developments during Friday lunch

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Church Women United will have the second meeting of its new lunchtime series in Oak Ridge on Friday. The meeting will focus on state and national development in Church Women United.

The meeting starts at 11:30 a.m. Friday with a reception with refreshments at Grace Lutheran Church, which is at 131 W. Gettysburg Ave. in Woodland. There will be short meeting at noon, followed by the program. The program will finish in time for attendees to return to work or attend other events at 1 p.m., a press release said.

Past Tennessee state president Donna Mosby will highlight developments at the state and national levels in a presentation titled “Church Women United in Action,” the release said. Visitors are encouraged to drop in and stay however long they can. Brown bag lunches are welcome! For more information, contact Gay Marie Logsdon at (865) 483-7940.