Mormon teens relive heritage

More than 200 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints youth from Mead, Colbert and north Spokane traded their cell phones and texting for handcarts and hard work to participate in a three-day pioneer trek commemorating the tedious journeys of the early Utah settlers.

According to a press release from the LDS North Stake, Caleb Andersen, 17, a soon-to-be senior at Mount Spokane High School, was one of 205 teenagers who arrived July 22 on Hudspeth Ranch in Fruitland, Wash., to hike nearly 13 miles over rocky terrain and up steep hills pulling a handcart. He donned a pioneer costume, ate from a tin plate and slept on the ground to remember the 80,000 pioneers who migrated to the Utah mountains from 1847 through 1869.

“A lot of my friends and my peers aren’t necessarily worried about what kinds of hardships that pioneers and settlers had because it doesn’t have a touch screen or it isn’t the new thing they just have to have,” Andersen said. “The trek was a really hard thing to do, but it commemorated the hardships and struggles the settlers and pioneers did. We wouldn’t even be here to have our technology if the pioneers hadn’t crossed the Mormon and Oregon trails.”

Those historic pioneer journeys of the mid-1800s are celebrated by Mormons throughout the world each year on July 24. With parades, picnics, dramatic and musical pageants or actual trek re-creations, church members pause to honor the pioneer heritage of the early church.

Family fun night

Green Bluff Community United Methodist Church, 9908 E. Green Bluff Road, Colbert, will host a community family fun night today from 6 to 8 p.m.

The carnival-like event will have a Jonah theme. All activities and booths will be free, and a meal of a hot dog, chips and a drink will be available for $2.

For more information, call the church office at (509) 238-9100.

Vacation Bible School

The Unity Center of North Spokane, 4123 E. Lincoln Road, will present Unity Vacation Bible School, Monday through Aug. 13 from 9 to 11:30 a.m.

Kids ages 4 to 12 are invited to participate in games, arts and crafts, and learning activities. Snacks will be provided.

For more information, call the Sue Jarvis at (509) 467-6460.

Organ concert

Organist Kenneth Fuller will perform at 7 p.m. today at First Church of the Nazarene, 9004 N. Country Homes Blvd.

Fuller will play music from Frank Sinatra on the church’s 1930s Wurlitzer organ.

For more information, call the church office at (509) 467-8986.

Movie night

Mission Community Presbyterian Church, 2103 E. Mission Ave., will present the movie “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” on Friday at 6 p.m.

For more information, call the church office at (509) 534-5402.

Rummage sale

Mead United Methodist Church, 12611 N. Wilson St., Mead, will hold a rummage and community yard sale Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Members of the community can rent spaces for $10.

There will also be musical entertainment starting at noon.

For more information, call (509) 238-9438.