christianity

Howard County datebook

"O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree." Well it is that time again, folks. The annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony in the lot adjacent to Rodgers Tavern will be held on Dec. 14 from 4 to 5:30 p.m.. There will be caroling, Santa will be there along with crafts for sale and light refreshments.

In downtown Havre de Grace this eve (Friday) at 6 p.m. with a parade followed by meeting Santa Claus at 115 N. Washington St.

Laurel Museum's Holiday Open House, Friday, Dec. 6, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 8, 1 to 4 p.m. at the museum, 817 Main St. Offerings offers wreaths, holiday decor, the new historic St. Mark's United Methodist Church 2013 ornament, holiday and Laurel themed gifts, locally made jewelry and crafts, kitchen textiles and wooden toys.

Garnette Lynch Brant, a retired real estate saleswoman who also had a Waverly consignment shop, died of congestive heart failure Nov. 19 at Stella Maris Hospice. She was 93 and lived in Lutherville.

Glenwood Middle School student Ellie Feaga handed over two checks last week. After the sweet success of a charity bake sale that ultimately earned over $5,400 in donations and sales, the sixth grader delivered the funds to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and to the Shaughness Education Fund.

Higher minimum wage would make life better for disadvantaged

Fires, storms, tornadoes destroy buildings, not spirit

Arthur Lee Shreve Waxter, a Towson and Bolton Hill real estate developer who was a former Maryland Arts Council chairman, died of cancer Sunday at Talbot Hospice House in Easton. The former Roland Park resident was 87.

Sister Clara Linz, a member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame who cared for children and the sick and had also been a teacher's aide, died Friday of dementia at Villa Assumpta, her order's Woodbrook motherhouse. She was 91.

Advocates for saving the Mariner Point Swim Club in Joppatowne, as well as having the county purchase the property and turn it into a community center, have been meeting with top Harford County officials in recent weeks.

John Raymond Sterner died after setting himself on fire at an Ocean City church; the pastor died of smoke inhalation

Margaret P. "Maggie" Brewster, an inveterate sportswoman who hunted foxes, skied and played tennis, died Nov. 23 of multiple myeloma at her home in the Brightwood retirement community in Lutherville. She was 82.

Grace Episcopal Church of Elkridge recently welcomed a new rector, the Rev. Travis K. Smith.

Every year, volunteers at Grace Fellowship Church in Timonium church, take part in Operation Christmas Child, sending shoeboxes filled with hygiene items, toys and other things to children around the world for Christmas. They will fill and send nearly 20,000 boxes this year. The local effort is part of a worldwide effort sponsored by Christian relief organization, Samaritan's Purse.

Bernard J. Weigman Jr., who taught at Loyola University Maryland for more than 40 years where he also chaired the physics and engineering department, died Saturday of cancer at his Reisterstown home. He was 81.

Jonathan W. "JP" Pine Jr., a longtime editor at Lippincott Williams & Wilkins/Wolters Kluwer Health who was active in several patriotic organizations, died Thursday of lymphoma at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda. He was 56.

Annual count shows thousands remain homeless; problems persist in programs

Gregory J. Smith, a sports consultant and former chief operating officer of the Maryland Stadium Authority, died of cancer Thursday at Gilchrist Hospice Care in Towson. The Lake-Walker resident was 48.

Shoppers at the 41st annual Holiday Mart in Cooksville on Dec. 7 will find hand-painted sports team logos, Christmas icons and other symbols on wineglasses, beer mugs and ornaments, thanks to the long hours being put in by Debbie Rich. The Ellicott City resident is winding up months of preparation for the popular arts and crafts show.

After scandal, lost doctors and patients, University of Maryland Medical System bolsters St. Joseph

A National Guardsman who went missing after a night out in Fells Point and was later found dead in the harbor died accidentally, his family said Friday.

Robbie Silverman felt uneasy approaching his rabbi about this subject, fearing the spiritual leader of his congregation would find it weird, or at least silly. But Silverman had lost a loved one only weeks before, and wanted to do something in honor of his deceased cats, Sylvester and Tweety.

Dolores B. Scott, a retired educator and librarian who taught in city public schools for three decades, died Nov. Nov. 19 of Alzheimer's disease at Chaparral Winds Hospice in Sun City West, Ariz. The former longtime Randallstown resident was 86.

The Parkville-based Baltimore Flute Choir will perform Nov. 28 at the Loch Raven Festival of the Arts

It's Black Friday. I hope you all had a blessed Thanksgiving holiday, perhaps with lots of friends and relatives. Many folks are now in the turmoil of holiday shopping madness, straight through until Christmas. Friends who work in the retail business reported to work yesterday eve to open stores early to shoppers – lunacy! Happy Black Friday

Around Town in Perryville 11/29

Baltimore County government must respond to local concerns and act in public interest

Volunteers at a church in Ocean City were opening their Thanksgiving food bank Tuesday morning when a man rushed inside, his body engulfed in flames.

Two men were killed and a woman was critically injured in a fire in an Ocean City church on Tuesday morning, authorities said.

Edward Hall Covell Jr., a leader in Maryland's broiler industry who owned a farm supply business and was named to the Poultry Hall of Fame, died of pneumonia Nov. 22 at the Blakehurst Retirement Community in Towson. The former Talbott County resident was 92.

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church will hold its Breakfast with St. Nicholas on Dec. 7

The Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to jump into a growing legal dispute between businesses run by conservative Christians and the Obama administration over whether a company must pay for birth control drugs that conflict with its owner's religious beliefs.

United Way of Central Maryland distributed 3,600 Thanksgiving meal boxes this year, an increase over last year as the economic recovery passes some people by and others are struggling with cuts to food stamps.

The ambassador from Greece will top the list of dignitaries who will attend the inauguration of Annapolis mayor-elect Mike Pantelides and the new city council on Monday afternoon.

Every month the students at Dayton Oaks Elementary collect and deliver groceries to senior citizens at the Morningside Park Apartments in Jessup.

Students at Mount View Middle are busy drilling on the most remote regions of the world. From Zimbabwe to Addis Ababa, the kids are readying for the National Geographic Bee on Dec. 4.

The Little Sisters of the Poor hold a Turkey Drop throughout the holidays asking for donations of turkeys and hams to help feed throughout the year the nearly 65 residents they care for at St. Martin's Home in Catonsville.

Henry A. Minch, a retired assistant chief engineer who worked for the state Public Service Commission and World War II veteran, died Nov. 15 from heart failure at College Manor Nursing Home in Lutherville. He was 92.

Mary C. Burke, a devoted churchgoer who taught in Baltimore City public schools for more than 30 years, died Nov. 18 of lung cancer at Northwest Hospital in Randallstown. She was 78.

St. Philip's Episcopal Church, in Laurel, opens its doors for Thanksgiving Day dinner. Laurel Lions Club is holding its annual Christmas tree sale at Laurel Shopping Center parking lot. First United Methodist Church is hosting its annual bazaar Dec. 7. The Woman's Club of Laurel invites families to "Breakfast with Santa" Dec. 7. Holy Trinity Lutheran Church presents its annual Christmas concert Dec. 8.

Raymond Joseph Peroutka Sr., who founded a janitorial supply business, died at the Johns Hopkins Hospital Nov. 17 of complications after heart surgery. A resident of Oak Crest Village in Parkville, he was 83.

This couple's Block Island wedding was filled with nautical details.

Donna L. Hansen, a former congressional staffer whose lifelong struggle with diabetes led her to become an advocate for diabetes and cardiac research, died Nov. 15 from heart and kidney failure at Carroll Hospice's Dove House in Westminster. She was 56.

Anne Arundel religion briefs

The local chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference is holding an emergency education stakeholder meeting Monday to discuss the high rates of suspensions among pre-kindergartners in Baltimore City.