Immaculate Heart Retreat Center, 6910 S. Ben Burr Road, will present a weekend retreat, “Living through Grief,” March 30 through April 1. The Rev. Stan Malnar, M.D. and Dr. Jim Shaw will present skills to move through the grieving process to receive hope and healing.

Central United Methodist Church, 518 W. Third Ave., will present a family fun night at 6 p.m. Saturday. The evening will feature games, refreshments, a silent auction and karaoke. The event will raise funds for Central United Methodist Women and their work supporting women and children around the world.

Temple Beth Shalom, 1322 E. 30th Ave., will present its 71st annual Kosher Dinner from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. The first Kosher Dinner the temple offered 71 years ago served 200 community members. That number has grown to about 2,000 guests at the temple each year.

The Rock and Worship Roadshow is coming to the Spokane Arena, 720 W. Mallon Ave., at 6 p.m. Sunday. The concert will feature the bands, MercyMe, Tenth Avenue North, LeCrae, Hawk Nelson, Disciple, Sidewalk Prophets and Rend Collective Experiment.

Central Baptist Church, 19 W. Shannon St., will present “Our Story and God’s Story,” a soup supper during Lent that will include members of the congregation sharing stories of their spiritual journey, from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday. The church will also offer worship with the Rev. Rick Church Sunday at 11 a.m. Church will speak on the topic, “Show Me Your Path, O Lord.”

Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent, is this week, and several Spokane Valley churches are planning special worship services to mark the day. Lent is the 40 days preceding Easter and is considered a time of spiritual preparation. Services on Wednesday will be held at:

St. David’s Episcopal Church, 7315 N. Wall St., will present a Celtic Communion service at 7 p.m. Wednesday to begin the Lenten season. The service will feature the imposition of ashes, communion, reflections on desert spirituality, sung chants, Celtic prayers and music.

Shiloh Hills Fellowship, 207 E. Lincoln Road, will host an open house for the Rev. Bill Siewert from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday. The event will honor Siewert, who retired at the end of 2011. There will be a special program at 2:30 p.m.

Immaculate Heart Retreat Center, 6910 S. Ben Burr Road, will host an ecumenical prayer retreat, “God Calling: Invitation to Prayer,” Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Rev. Nancy Copeland-Payton, a Presbyterian pastor, will explore different forms of prayer and spiritual practice.

St. David’s Episcopal Church, 7315 N. Wall St., will present a Celtic Communion service at 7 p.m. today. The service will include sung chants, Celtic prayers and music centered on the theme “Dreams and Visions.”

Moran United Methodist Church, 3601 E. 65th Ave., is starting a seven-week teaching series Sunday at 11:30 a.m. The Rev. Barbara Caviezel will base sermons on James W. Moore’s “You Can Get Bitter or Better!” during the church’s casual contemporary service.

Sunday begins a new year filled with new possibilities. Area churches are starting the year with special services. • St. David’s Episcopal Church, 7315 N. Wall St., will hold a New Year’s Day service of lessons and carols Sunday at 9 a.m.

Today is Christmas Eve and churches all over the Spokane Valley area will be hosting special worship services today and Sunday to mark the holy day. • Genesis Church will have a Christmas Eve service at 5 p.m. The church’s children will sing and the Christmas story will be told. A Christmas Day service will begin at 10 a.m. Sunday. The church is at 14415 E. Sprague Ave.

The Christmas season is here, and area churches are holding special services to mark the occasion. • St. John’s Lutheran Church, 5810 S. Meadowlane Road, will offer family worship at 6 p.m. Christmas Eve, as well as a candlelight worship service at 11 p.m.

There are a few more children’s Christmas pageants to come from Spokane Valley churches this week as people make preparations for the holiday. • The children of Spokane Valley United Methodist Church will present “Nativity Idol” during a combined worship service at 10 a.m. Sunday. A birthday party for Jesus will follow the service, where children will have the opportunity to make crafts. The church is at 115 N. Raymond Road.

The countdown is on – only 10 days until Christmas. To celebrate, area churches are hosting several events this week.

This is the week when children across Spokane Valley will don costumes and prepare to perform in Christmas pageants at local churches. Some churches will also have special Christmas choir performances. • Foothills Community Church will present its Sunday school Christmas program at 6 p.m. Sunday. The musical about the gift of hope is titled “The Present is the Future.” The church is at 11102 N. Forker Road.

Shalom Ministries will present its fourth annual St. Lucy’s Candlelight Breakfast Benefit Saturday from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, 127 E. 12th Ave. The meal will be accompanied by live music and fresh-baked St. Lucy’s crown breads.

The congregation of Opportunity Presbyterian Church is seeking donations for its fourth annual Toy Store, which will be open on Dec. 10 this year. The store allows low-income families referred to the church by local schools and social service agencies to purchase new toys for about 80 percent off the retail price.