Purim Carnival to be held March 9
The Jewish Federation of Howard County, with local synagogues and schools, will sponsor its 16th annual Purim Carnival from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. March 9 at Reservoir High School, 11550 Scaggsville Road in Fulton.
Admission is $5 per family at the door. There will be games, vendors and food.
A performance by Barry Louis Polisar, a family entertainer, in the Reservoir High School auditorium at 4 p.m. will require a separate ticket. Polisar's song "All I Want Is You" is performed in the movie Juno. Tickets are $8 in advance and $12 at the door.
Ticket information: e-mail eric@templeisaiah.org. Other information: 410-730-4976, ext. 103.
Journeys to offer meditation service
Journeys Community, a nontraditional spiritual group, will offer contemplative prayer and an examination of the work of 14th-century mystic Julian of Norwich Sunday in the second-floor auditorium of Vantage House, 5400 Vantage Point Road in Columbia.
"Touched by Laughter," a program using stories, movies and music to elicit laughter as a healing force, will be held March 9.
The group meets at 10 a.m. Sundays to explore spirituality using music, video, reflection and meditation.
Information: 410-730-6079 or www.journeyscommunity.org.
St. Mark's will host 'thaw-out' concert
Inside Out, a collaborative ministry created by members of local churches, will hold a "thaw-out" concert at 7 p.m. tomorrow at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 12700 Hall Shop Road in Highland.
The event will include boardwalk-style food and the beach-inspired Christian music of Bill Mallia. A donation will be requested.
Information: Rick LaRocca, 410-365-1913 or www.insideout worship.com.
Shelter program open till mid-March
The Grassroots center's cold weather shelter program, a project this year of 14 local churches, began Nov. 19 and is to be available to the homeless in Howard County through mid-March.
Church volunteers provide shelter, meals, transportation, clothes, medicine and laundry services for homeless Howard County residents who cannot be accommodated by the Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center because its shelter is full.
Grassroots is the primary shelter for homeless people in the county. The county's Mobile Crisis Team, which responds to psychiatric emergencies and family crises, has its headquarters at Grassroots. Walk-in requests for crisis counseling and 24-hour hot lines also are available.
Participating churches include Atholton Seventh Day Adventist, Bethany United Methodist, Chapelgate Presbyterian, Columbia Community, Christ Memorial Presbyterian, Cornerstone Community, First Presbyterian, Gary Memorial United Methodist, Glen Mar United Methodist, Kittamaqundi Community, Linden-Linthicum United Methodist, Locust United Methodist, St. Paul Roman Catholic and St. John Baptist.
Information: 410-531-6006.
Intermarriage program offered
Beth Shalom Congregation, 8070 Harriet Tubman Lane in Columbia, will continue its program for parents and grandparents of adult children who are intermarried or planning to intermarry from 7:45 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. Thursday and March 13.
The series of programs, "Mixed Blessings: Intermarriage in Your Family," will be led by Rabbi Susan Grossman of Beth Shalom and Jacki Ashkin of Jewish Family Services.
The focus will be on coping with expectations and family tensions, and encouraging the couple's engagement with the Jewish community.
The cost for the series is $15 for synagogue members and $21 for nonmembers. Registration is required.
Information: 410-531-5115.
Lubavitch Center selling bricks
The Lubavitch Center for Jewish Education, 770 Howes Lane in Columbia, is selling bricks in its new courtyard. The bricks, which can be engraved with a text of the purchaser's choice, can memorialize a loved one, celebrate a child or honor someone important in the purchaser's life.
To submit a request for prayers for someone who is ill: www.lubavitchofhoward county.org.
Send announcements for Religion Notes to howard.religion@baltsun.com, or fax them to 410-715-2816