Regular services at The Well Community Church's three campuses are canceled Sunday, March 17, so congregants can do community outreach service projects.

More than 1,000 people will participate in the all-church "Serve Dei." The effort begins with check-in at 8:30 a.m. at the Fresno State parking lot near the Leon Peters Building, followed by an opening rally at 9 a.m. Participants will work on the service projects from 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

The Well started serve days seven years ago. They are designed for congregants to take action. The serve days have evolved over the years. Now, the church allows "lifegroups" -- small groups of congregants who meet regularly -- to decide what projects they want to do. This year, 100 to 130 projects will be taking place in Fresno, Clovis and Sanger.

They include painting the Pregnancy Care Center, sprucing up the Community Garden Project at the Pinedale Boys and Girls Club and holding "Community Day for Families" at Susan B. Anthony Elementary School near downtown Fresno and Quigley Park in west-central Fresno. A lifegroup also is taking on a project at the Fresno Rescue Mission.

The Well's Clovis campus pastor, Jerrod Rumley, believes the projects can be transforming experiences for congregants. In a video on the church's website, he says the effort is about "serving God, who he is, and who we are, and how we live out what he has called us to do."

Details: thewellcommunity.org or (559) 326-5100.

New pope off to 'great start'

Bishop Armando X. Ochoa of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno fielded many media questions about the new pope at a news conference in Fresno on Wednesday.

He says he has never met Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina, now Pope Francis. Ochoa, like so many others, watched live TV of the announcement Wednesday -- and felt emotionally moved.

"I saw him on the balcony, breaking protocol ... asking for a blessing of the people there," Ochoa said. "What a beautiful way to say, 'We're all in this together.' I think we're off to a great start."

Fundraiser features DeRuyter, Carr

A Fellowship of Christian Athletes of the Central Valley fundraiser -- featuring Fresno State football coach Tim DeRuyter -- is at 6 p.m. Sunday, March 17, at the Clovis North Performing Arts Center, 2730 E. International Ave.

The Night of Champions event also features Derek Carr, who returns in the fall as the Bulldogs' senior quarterback, and Lauren Albertson, who returns next season as a senior middle blocker on the Bulldogs volleyball team. Former Bulldogs football player Lorne Bell and softball player Jamie Maxie also are speakers.

Cost is $10. Proceeds benefit local school sports teams seeking to attend Hume Lake sports camps. Details: centralvalleyfca.org or (559) 439-4081.

Service featuring 'Christ in the Passover'

A representative of the Jews for Jesus ministry is giving a presentation -- "Christ in the Passover" -- at the 10:50 a.m. service Sunday at LifeWay Baptist Church, 4250 W. Bullard Ave.

Amy E. Moore of San Francisco will set a table with items traditionally used at the Passover meal and provide information about their spiritual significance.

The event is free. Details: (559) 228-1614.

Tickets on sale for Southern gospel event

Tickets are available for Great Western Southern Gospel Fan Festival 2013, scheduled April 25-27 at the Visalia Convention Center.

The event features some of the nation's top Southern gospel and quartet groups. Scheduled this year are Triumphant Quartet, Greater Vision, The Collingsworth Family, Gordon Mote, The Booth Brothers, Liberty Quartet, The Hoppers, Jeff and Sheri Easter, The Mark Trammell Quartet, The Herb Henry Family, RSV and California Melody Boys.