Religion notebook: Russian singers to appear at Holy Trinity

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 1703 N. Washington St., will present the Valans Youth Choir, a singing group from Valaam Island in northern Russia, today at 7 p.m.

The five-member group will sing Russian church and folk songs.

Admission is free, but donations will be accepted to help pay for the choir’s traveling expenses.

For more information, call the church office at 328-9310.

More concerts and musical services

“The Episcopal Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, 127 E. 12th Ave., will present the Service of Choral Evensong on Sunday at 4 p.m.

The women of the choir will sing, and the Rev. Barbara Novak will preach and conduct the choir at this service that will be officiated by the Rev. Canon Kristi Philip.

The church will also be open for self-guided tours, meditation and hospitality from 1 to 4 p.m.

For more information, call the church office at 838-4277.

“St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 316 E. 24th Ave., will offer a jazz liturgy for the rest of the services at 8:30 and 10:45 a.m. on Sundays this month.

Dan Keberle composed this liturgy, which is used during the church’s Fat Tuesday celebrations in February.

Local musicians will accompany Keberle on trumpet and Carol Miyamoto on piano.

For more information, call the church office at 747-6677.

Speaker events

“Julia Esquivel, a poet, theologian and human rights activist from Guatemala, will speak Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Robinson Teaching Theatre in Weyerhaeuser Hall on the campus of Whitworth University, 300 W. Hawthorne Road.

Esquivel will read from her poetry and share stories about human rights, poverty and justice.

For more information, call 323-6557 or 535-1813.

“Dr. Tristram Engelhardt, professor of philosophy at Rice University and professor emeritus in the departments of medicine and community medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, will speak at several locations in Spokane today through Sunday.

He will speak on the topic, “Why Orthodox Christian Theology Is so Different,” today at 7 p.m. in the Wolff Auditorium of the Jepson School of Business on the Gonzaga University campus, 502 E. Boone Ave.

On Friday at noon, he’ll be in the fourth-floor classroom of the Sacred Heart Medical Center’s Children’s Hospital, 101 W. Eighth Ave., and will speak on the topic, “Ordinary Versus Extraordinary Care: Re-Thinking an Old Distinction.”

Saturday’s topic will be “Christianity and the Culture Wars,” presented at 2 p.m. at Christ the Savior Orthodox Church, 12407 E. 16th Ave.

And Engelhardt will speak on “Being Christian in a Post-Christian World” Sunday at 2 p.m., also at Christ the Savior Orthodox Church.

For more information, call Christ the Savior at 891-7632.

“Russell O’Quinn, a test pilot and aircraft designer, will speak at the Christian Youth Theater-Spokane’s benefit dinner Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at the Red Lion Inn at the Park, 303 W. North River Drive.

O’Quinn will speak on the topic “Wings of Hope: Pursuing Our Dreams.”

The cost of the dinner is $65 per plate or $400 for a table of eight.

For more information, call 487-6540.

Classes

“Plymouth Congregational Church, 1502 W. Eighth Ave., will present a three-part series of seminars that will discuss the Middle East on Sunday evenings this week through Oct. 28.

The Rev. Floyd Schneider will present the classes, “Islam: Why the Radicals Hate Us,” “Cause of Middle East Conflict” and “History and Beliefs of Islam.”

Schneider served for seven years as chairman of the Intercultural Studies Department at Emmaus Bible College in Dubuque, Iowa.

For more information, call the church office at 838-8667.

“The Radha Yoga Center, 406 S. Coeur d’Alene St., will offer “The Power of Now: Living in the Present” Friday from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

The class will discuss ideas for expanding the here and now.

The cost is $15.

For more information, call the center at 838-3575.

Christian living for the homeless

The Spokane Dream Center Men’s Discipleship, 29 W. Second Ave., is looking for homeless men who are interested in Christian living.

For more information, call Rich Withers at 624-1363.

Fall festival

“Green Bluff Community United Methodist Church’s annual Apple Festival Craft & Bake Sale continues Saturday and Sunday and Oct. 20 and 21.

The hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

The festival will include entertainment, crafts, apple pie and dumplings with hot vanilla sauce.

The church is at 9908 E. Green Bluff Road. For more information, call the church office at 238-9100.