Today

'Messiah': The Columbia Pro Cantare chorus will perform the Christmas portion and selection from Parts II and III of Handel's Messiah, accompanied by orchestra and organ, at 7:30 p.m. at Jim Rouse Theatre for the Performing Arts at Wilde Lake High School, 5460 Trumpeter Road, Columbia. Composer Tom Benjamin will give a free preconcert lecture from 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Refreshments will be served at intermission. Tickets are $23 in advance; $20 for senior citizens and students. A $2 surcharge will be applied to tickets purchased at the door. 410-465-5744.

Tomorrow

Healing pets:

Howard County Cat Club will meet at 7:30 p.m. at the central library, 10375 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia. Dr. Julia Sturm, a veterinarian at Glenelg Animal Hospital, will discuss acupuncture, Chinese herbs and other health care choices for cats. 410-730- 3679.

Tuesday

PFLAG to meet:

PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) will meet at 7:30 p.m. at Owen Brown Interfaith Center, 7246 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, for a potluck supper and entertainment by the Men's Chorus of Baltimore. Admission is free. Colette Roberts, 410-290-8292.

Wednesday

Sample classes:

Music Together - a parent-child music class for babies and children, newborn to 4 years, and their parents - will offer a free demonstration music class at 10:15 a.m. at Slayton House in Wilde Lake Village Center, Columbia. Registration is required. 410-747- 4957.

Thursday

Improv:

Yo' Mama's Cookin', Howard Community College's improvisation group, will perform at 8 p.m. in the college's Theatre Outback, 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia. Tickets are $5 at the door. 410-772-4940, or e-mail studentarts@howardcc.edu.

Friday, Saturday

Celebrating it all:

Well-Springs East will sponsor two workshops - "Kefuffle-Busting: Celebrating When Everything Goes Wrong" - from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Dorsey Emmanuel United Methodist Church, 6951 Dorsey Road, Elkridge. Participants move, draw, write and meditate to music. Anyone ages 6 and older is welcome. The cost is $5 for the Friday workshop; $15 a family. The cost for the Saturday workshop is $30; $50 a family. Participants should take a lunch. Sally Voris, 410-796-2276.