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Tag: church building

  • 2 killed, 6 others injured in shooting in Mormon church parking lot in Salt Lake City, police say

    A shooting outside a church building in Salt Lake City killed two people and injured six others Wednesday, police said.The shooting took place in the parking lot of a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon church.Dozens of people were attending a funeral inside at the time. All the victims were adults.Police said they do not believe the shooter had any animus toward a particular faith.“We don’t believe this was a targeted attack against a religion or anything like that,” Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd said.Police also do not believe the shooting was random. Authorities said no suspect was in custody.Brennan McIntire said he and his wife, Kenna, heard the gunshots from their apartment next to the parking lot while watching TV. He jumped off the couch and ran outside to check on things.“As soon as I came over, I see someone on the ground,” McIntire said. “People are attending to him and crying and arguing.”About 100 law enforcement vehicles were at the scene in the aftermath, and helicopters flew overhead.“This should never have happened outside a place of worship. This should never have happened outside a celebration of life,” Mayor Erin Mendenhall said.The church was cooperating with law enforcement and was grateful for efforts first responders’ efforts, a spokesperson said.“We extend prayers for all who have been impacted by this tragedy and express deep concern that any sacred space intended for worship should be subjected to violence of any kind,” Sam Penrod said in a statement.The church is headquartered in Salt Lake City, and about half of Utah’s 3.5 million residents are members of the faith. Churches like the one where the shooting occurred can be found in towns throughout the city and state.The faith has been on heightened alert since four people were killed when a former Marine opened fire in a Michigan church last month and set it ablaze. The FBI found that he was motivated by “anti-religious beliefs” against the church.

    SALT LAKE CITY —

    A shooting outside a church building in Salt Lake City killed two people and injured six others Wednesday, police said.

    The shooting took place in the parking lot of a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon church.

    Dozens of people were attending a funeral inside at the time. All the victims were adults.

    Police said they do not believe the shooter had any animus toward a particular faith.

    “We don’t believe this was a targeted attack against a religion or anything like that,” Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd said.

    Police also do not believe the shooting was random. Authorities said no suspect was in custody.

    Brennan McIntire said he and his wife, Kenna, heard the gunshots from their apartment next to the parking lot while watching TV. He jumped off the couch and ran outside to check on things.

    “As soon as I came over, I see someone on the ground,” McIntire said. “People are attending to him and crying and arguing.”

    About 100 law enforcement vehicles were at the scene in the aftermath, and helicopters flew overhead.

    “This should never have happened outside a place of worship. This should never have happened outside a celebration of life,” Mayor Erin Mendenhall said.

    The church was cooperating with law enforcement and was grateful for efforts first responders’ efforts, a spokesperson said.

    “We extend prayers for all who have been impacted by this tragedy and express deep concern that any sacred space intended for worship should be subjected to violence of any kind,” Sam Penrod said in a statement.

    The church is headquartered in Salt Lake City, and about half of Utah’s 3.5 million residents are members of the faith. Churches like the one where the shooting occurred can be found in towns throughout the city and state.

    The faith has been on heightened alert since four people were killed when a former Marine opened fire in a Michigan church last month and set it ablaze. The FBI found that he was motivated by “anti-religious beliefs” against the church.

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  • Cape Ann religious news, services

    Cape Ann religious news, services

    Carillon concerts

    Carillonneurs Luann Pallazola, Cynthia Cafasso, and Thomas Dort will perform a Christmas in July concert, rain or shine, on Friday, July 26, from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Good Voyage Church, 142 Prospect St. in Gloucester. The concert of familiar traditional Christmas songs and carols will be recorded for a special CD to help raise money for the parish. Our Lady’s guild members will also offer snacks and drinks for sale.

    Installed in 1922, the carillon bells in Our Lady of Good Voyage Church were the first toned set in the United States.

    The annual summer carillon concert series continues on Fridays at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 9, 16, 23 and 30. More information is available by contacting Pallazola at lpallazola@gmail.com.

    Assisi trip

    The Assisi Project will be making a pilgrimage to Assisi, Carceri and LaVerna from Nov. 11-20 with Brother Patrick and the Rev. James Achadinha of Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport. Cost is $4,200 per person includes round-trip air travel, ground transportation, guest house accommodations with single rooms and private bathrooms and travel insurance. Travelers will visit several basilicas and sanctuaries, a hermitage, and Cathedral of San Rufino. Space is limited and reservations are open. More information is available by emailing Father Jim at frjim@assisiproject.com.

    Services

    First Baptist Church of Gloucester, 38 Gloucester Ave., hosts Sunday Services at 10 a.m. The sanctuary is open for worship, and been marked with arrows for entrance and exit, and some pews have been blocked to help observe proper COVID-19 protocols. Masks are required at all times, as well as practicing social distancing. The service is also available on Facebook Live for viewing as it is being conducted, or for viewing at a future time if desired. All are welcome.

    First Baptist Church of Rockport, 4 High St. in Rockport, worships on Sundays at 10 a.m. Worship takes place in the sanctuary and is live streamed via facebook. There is a robust Children’s Church program divided by respective ages that takes place during the service. The service includes traditional and contemporary worship music.

    For more information, visit FirstBaptistRockport.org or follow on Facebook and Instagram.

    First Congregational Church of Essex holds Sunday Worship service in person & live streaming on our Facebook page (www.facebook/firstcongregationalchurchofessex). Our regular worship service is held from September, after Labor Day to the end of May from 10:30—11:30 a.m., with children’s Sunday school at the same time. Adult Sunday school is at 9:30 am. Family communion for all is held on the first Sunday of every month throughout the year. Summer worship starts the beginning of June to the beginning of September (before Labor Day) from 9:30—10:30 a.m. Visit us at www.fccoe.org. All are welcome!

    First Congregational Church, UCC, of Rockport, 12 School St., is meeting in person and online on Sundays at 10 a.m. Links to online streaming can be found at www.oldsloop.org as well as weekly rebroadcasts of the Sunday service. Masks are now optional for in-person services and meetings in the buildings. See the church’s “calendar” of weekly activities and Zoom prayer meetings, storytelling, Bible study, book groups, coffee houses, choirs and poetry at the website, www.oldsloop.org, for times and locations. Questions? 978- 546-6638.

    First Parish Church Congregational Manchester, 10 Central St. in Manchester, is hosting in-person and online Sunday morning worship at 10 a.m. Details can be found at firstparishchurch.org. Virtual worship can be found at facebook.com/firstparishmanchesterma/live and YouTube (search First Parish Church Manchester by the Sea).

    Mondays: On first and third of month, “Still Speaking” group meets at 7:30 p.m. to discuss modern intellectuals’ thinking on issues of faith, morals and justice as they relate to our spiritual tradition. Last Monday of the month, the Book Group meets at 7 p.m. to discuss of a book of interest to people of various backgrounds.

    Wednesdays: Prayer & Meditation, 7 p.m. An opportunity to come together for quiet reflection, sharing of scripture and the offering of prayer intentions.

    Thursdays: Bible Study, 4 p.m., discusses upcoming weekly scripture. No preparation is needed.

    To join these programs on your computer, tablet, smart phone or phone, contact office.fpchurch@gmail.com or 978-526-7661 for details.

    Gloucester Assembly of God, 211 Washington St., hosts Sunday services at 10 a.m. Care is available for infants and children up to age 5. More information is available by contacting Pastor Jim Williams at jim.williams@gloucesterassembly.org or the church office at 978-283-1736.

    Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church, 10 Church St., holds Sunday services at 10 a.m. in-person in its historic sanctuary, as well as online. Please visit the church’s website, www.gloucesteruu.org, for the link to the livestream. Activities provided during the service for elementary school-aged children. The church is handicap accessible. All are welcome.

    North Shore Bible Church, 65 Eastern Ave. in Essex, hosts Sunday services at 10 a.m. The service is also live streamed at northshorebiblechurch.com. For more information call 978.768.3539 or email northshorebible@gmail.com.

    North Shore Friends (Quakers) are now meeting at 10 a.m. on Sundays at 74 Hart St. in Beverly Farms. More information is available by contacting Martin Ray at 978-283-4585.

    The Orthodox Congregational Church of Lanesville‘s Sunday 10 a.m. worship service takes place in person and online. Visit https://occlanesville.org/ for information or for the link to connect via Zoom or Facebook to participate.

    Pigeon Cove Chapel in Rockport‘s services are being celebrated in person and online at 10:30 a.m. Sunday. See its YouTube channel, Pigeon Cove Chapel. 978-546-2523.

    St. John’s Episcopal Church, 48 Middle St., has in-person worship Sundays at 10 a.m., and streaming the service live on Facebook, and posting later to YouTube at stjohnsgloucester. Updates, links to services, and more information are available at www.stjohnsgloucester.org.

    St. Paul Lutheran Church, 1123 Washington St. in Gloucester, holds worship services every Sunday at 10 a.m., in-person and on Zoom. All ages, genders, sexual orientations, races, and faiths — including non-believers and persons curious about faith — are welcome. More information is available at www.stpaulcapeann.org or by calling 978-283-6550.

    Temple Ahavat Achim is meeting in-person and via Zoom. Instructions on how to join the temple’s Zervices may be found at on its homepage, https://www.taagloucester.org/, where details on High Holidays programming can also be found.

    Trinity Congregational Church UCC, 70 Middle St., Gloucester, invites all to its Sunday Services at 10:30 a.m. Guest musicians in a range of styles complement the weekly services. Zoom link available for those unable to attend. Please contact the church office, trinity@trinitycongregational.org for the link. Coffee hour following the service. All welcome. Connect with church via email, or online at www.trinitycongregational.org, where a full calendar can be found.

    Unitarian Universalist Society of Rockport, 4 Cleaves St., Rockport, has resumed in-person worship on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Services will also be available via Zoom. Check the website (www.uusr.org) for the Zoom ID and password or email us at rockportuu@rockportuu.org, if you cannot attend in person. Everyone is welcome.

    Visitation Parish, Churches of Sacred Heart & St. John the Baptist: The Rev. Paul Flammia celebrates Mass in Manchester at Sacred Heart Church, 62 School St., at 5 p.m. on Saturdays and at 8:30 a.m. on Sundays, and at 10 a.m. Sunday at St. John the Baptist, 52 Main St. in Essex. More information may found on the parish website at https://www.mecatholic.org.

    West Gloucester Trinitarian Congregational Church, 488 Essex Ave. in Gloucester, an open and affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ, is hosting in-person services Sundays at 10 a.m. with the Rev. Rona Tyndall. Children’s Message & Music offered, children worship with their families. The church offers youth groups for junior high and high school students as well as programs for younger children. Masks are optional in the Sanctuary but are suggested. Services are also streamed live on the church’s Facebook page. You do not need to be a subscriber to Facebook to view the worship service.

    Monthly Mission Bin Collection: Canned soup, coffee, tea and cocoa for The Open Door.

    Coffee Hour Conversations on Christian Basics; Baptism, Holy Communion, membership and the United Church of Christ, Sunday mornings in Fellowship Hall after worship.

    For pastoral needs, questions, or to reach the Rev. Rona Tyndall, please contact the church at 978-283-2817 or www.wgtccucc@gmail.net. The website is www.wgtccucc.org.

    Annisquam Village Church, 820 Washington St., is conducting worship Sundays at 10 a.m. in person and via Zoom. There is a new Children’s Church program during the service for children ages 3 to 12; it offers music, storytelling, arts, nature-based activities, movement and more, with trained adult leaders. As an independent, interdenominational church, members come from a variety of religious backgrounds and strive to follow Jesus Christ’s way of love and compassion, while being open to the wisdom found in the world’s great religious and spiritual traditions. A non-dogmatic spiritual community, the church encourages members to care for oneanother and the Earth, and to reach out in service to the community and the world. All are welcome. Parking is available along Leonard and Washington Streets. For more information and web links, please visit annisquamvillagechurch.org.

    Cape Ann Bible Church, 8 Thompson St., Gloucester, offers an in-person Sunday Service at 10:30 a.m. and continues to provide it live-streamed on facebook.com/capeannbiblechurch where past services and messages may be found. For more information go to capeannbiblechurch.org or call 978-281-3941.

    The Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport‘s churches are open for Masses without capacity limits and reservations.

    Saturday Vigil Masses are at 4 p.m. at St. Ann Church, 74 Pleasant St. in Gloucester, and 6 p.m. at Our Lady of Good Voyage Church, 142 Prospect St. in Gloucester.

    Sunday Masses will at 7 and 11:45 a.m. in Our Lady of Good Voyage Church, 8:15 a.m. in St. Ann Church, and 10 a.m. in Saint Joachim Church, 56 Broadway in Rockport. Sunday Mass will also be offered online at the churches’ YouTube channel, https://bit.ly/3oXvBnf.

    Daily Masses are celebrated at Our Lady of Good Voyage Church on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m., Thursdays and Friday at 8 a.m., and on the first Saturday of the month at 8 a.m.

    The sacrament of confession is offered Wednesdays from 6:05 to 6:45 p.m. at Our Lady of Good Voyage Church and by appointment.

    The Rev. James Achadinha, pastor of the community, said all pastoral ministry and service organizations are meeting again. Pastoral assistance is always available by calling 978-281-4820 or office@ccgronline.com.

    Community Church of East Gloucester, 7 Chapel St., Gloucester. Opportunities to worship available on the church’s website at https://www.eastgloucester.org/news/holy-week-2024.

    Listings may be sent to: Religion Calendar, Gloucester Daily Times, 36 Whittemore St., Gloucester, MA 01930; or emailed to Andrea Holbrook at aholbrook@gloucestertimes.com, at least two weeks prior to the event.

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  • Pomona church lost to fire that also burned hundreds of toys meant for giveaway

    Pomona church lost to fire that also burned hundreds of toys meant for giveaway

    When Victory Outreach Church in Pomona went up in flames early Sunday morning, incinerating the church building along with more than 500 toys set to be given away later in the day , it didn’t take long for the spirit of Christmas to sweep through the community.

    The Los Angeles County Fire Department sent 100 firefighters to fight the blaze and then to knock down walls, stamping out hot spots. But before the smoke had even cleared, fire officials hatched a plan to send two Search and Rescue trucks loaded with toys to the disaster site later in the day.

    A Los Angeles County fighter pump responded to a fire at Victory Outreach Church in Pomona. The church was in the process of setting up to give food and gifts to families later in the day.

    (Onscene.TV)

    And after news of the disaster spread, all morning long, members of the community converged on the site with donated toys.

    “We have to help save Christmas for this congregation,” said L.A. County Fire Captain Sheila Kelliher-Burkoh. “We know the building isn’t the church. The church is in the hearts of these people and we’re here to help.”

    The blaze ignited a little after 2 a.m., burning so fiercely in the building’s attic that firefighters had to retreat. No one was injured, but when the flames were finally out, the building was gone, along with 500 toys the congregation had painstakingly collected for children in need. “That is the horrible timing of this one,” Kelliher-Burkoh said.

    Officials at the L.A. County Fire department quickly decided they could help. The department, in conjunction with ABC7-TV, collects toys all season for the needy, storing them in a giant warehouse in Vernon before distributing them. As firefighters sent giant machines through the smoldering site to make it safe, officials back at headquarters made plans to dispatch two trucks’ worth of toys to the church by 5 p.m.

    “We’re still going to do what we intended to do,” said Jose Montiel, a congregant who, along with his wife, Lourdes, helped organize the toy drive and signed up more than 600 needy families.

    Victory Outreach Church members Chuck Ortega and Mario Munoz gather toys in boxes.

    Victory Outreach Church members Chuck Ortega, left, and Mario Munoz gather toys Sunday for a giveaway later in the afternoon. Toys that originally were gathered for the giveaway burned in a fire that began around 2 a.m. Sunday, destroying the structure built in 1981.

    (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)

    Meanwhile, all across Pomona and beyond, members of the community heard about the disaster and rushed to Victory Outreach to save the holiday for the church’s children.

    Around 11 a.m., Steve Ybarra arrived at the scene of the disaster with a pickup truck stuffed with presents. Ybarra is a pastor of the nearby Abundant Living Family Church. His congregation held their toy drive a day earlier, he said, and had some leftover gifts. When he heard about the fire, he said, “it broke my heart.”

    A few minutes later, another woman from the neighborhood, Carole Glass, walked up holding a toy to contribute — a stuffed dragon. “It’s more important to give to someone who really needs it,” she said.

    Behind them stood the ruined church. At the spot where the door used to be, one element had survived: A small Christmas tree in a golden pot that somehow escaped the flames.

    The remains of Victory Outreach Church after an early morning fire.

    Victory Outreach Church in Pomona erupted in flames around 2 a.m. Sunday, resulting in a total loss of the structure built in 1981.

    (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)

    Doug Smith, Jessica Garrison

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