Religion Notes for Jan. 9: News, events from the Valley’s faith community

Visalia, Goshen churches become one parish

Bishop Armando Ochoa of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno will be at St. Mary’s Church, 608 N. Church St., Visalia, for a 10:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, Jan. 10, to sign a document to consolidate three Visalia churches and one Goshen church into a single parish named Good Shepherd Catholic Parish. Sunday’s Mass will be followed by an 11:30 a.m. multi-cultural reception in the Parish Hall that will include food and entertainment from the parish’s many ministries.

Good Shepherd Catholic Parish will replace the Catholic Church of Visalia name, but worship sites will retain their names, including The Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, commonly known as St. Mary’s, Holy Family Church, St. Thomas the Apostle Church and St. Charles Borromeo Church. The parish will also include Catholic School of Visalia, George McCann Memorial Campus and Bethlehem Center.

Church leaders say this is the first time the diocese has consolidated multiple churches into one parish, “an answer to the shortage of priests – a problem that persists across the country. The success of this consolidation may mark the start of a trend for the diocese.” The consolidation is not expected to affect the daily pastoral life of the parish, but it should streamline administrative work. Most affected will be sacramental certificates, registers and financial bookkeeping.

2016 Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration

The annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration begins on King’s Jan. 15 birthday with a garlanding ceremony from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Fresno County Courthouse Park, 1100 Van Ness Ave., Fresno. Please bring flowers.

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Committee of Fresno will also present the following events:

Friday, Jan. 15: Reception and awards ceremony from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Rutherford “Bud” Gaston Middle School, 1120 East Church at Martin L. King Jr. Boulevard, Fresno, to honor people for outstanding service to the community.

Saturday, Jan. 16: Community breakfast at 9 a.m., followed by a program that starts at 9:45 a.m. at Clovis Veterans Memorial Building, 453 Hughes Ave., Clovis. Keynote speaker is Darius Assemi of Granville Homes. Tickets are $5, and people are asked to donate canned food. Tables that seat eight are available for $40 with advanced reservation. Contact Erin Ford-Horio at (559) 324-2476 or erinf@cityofclovis.com

Saturday, Jan. 16 : An interfaith candlelight vigil will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. at the water fountain outside Fresno City College’s administration building across from the library, 1101 E. University Ave., Fresno, to denounce hate and violence. Prayers will also be shared for Amrik Singh Bal, a Sikh man who was violently attacked last month in Fresno. The violence is being investigated as a hate crime.

Monday, Jan. 18: March and “Mountain of Food” collection from 9:15 to 10:45 a.m. outside Fresno City Hall, 2600 Fresno St. Fresno marchers assemble at 9:15 a.m. and the march begins at 10 a.m., ending at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium for a commemoration program. Canned food will be collected at Fresno City Hall.

Monday, Jan. 18: Commemoration program from 11 a.m. to noon at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium, 2425 Fresno St., Fresno, featuring speakers, dancers and singing in celebration of diversity and culture to honor King’s life.

Tuesday, Feb. 11: Student art exhibition reception and program from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Clovis Veterans Memorial Building, 453 Hughes Ave., Clovis, to honor student speech, essay and art winners from Fresno County school districts. Art will be on display from Jan. 13 to Feb. 11.

Canned food will be collected for families in need at all events.

‘Marriage Works’

A 10-week “Marriage Works” class will begin Wednesday, Jan. 13, from 6 to 8 p.m. at New Covenant Community Church, 1744 E. Nees Ave., Fresno. The course is taught by Ron and Joan McLain of the Healthy Marriage Coalition. Cost is $60 per couple, and child care will be provided for $15 for the full 10 weeks. Registration is available online at growyourmarriage.com under the “classes” tab. More information is available by calling 559-313-4226.

OTHER EVENTS

Kerman Covenant Church, 15495 W. Whitesbridge Ave., Kerman, 559-846-5307, free. 7 p.m.

Clovis Evangelical Free Church, 2377 Armstrong Ave., Clovis, 559-292-3344, www.clovisevfree.org, free. 6:30 p.m.

The Bridge Church, 3438 E. Ashlan Ave., Fresno, 559-226-4100. 10 a.m.

Fresno Pacific’s BC Lounge, 1717 S. Chestnut Ave., Fresno, 559-453-2312, johndyerfpbs.eventbrite.com, $22. 8:30-11:30 a.m.

Clovis Hills Community Church, 10590 N. Willow Ave., Clovis, cts.compassion.com/events/328. 10 a.m.-6:40 p.m.

Harvest of Harmony International Church, 5242 N. Garfield Ave., Fresno, 559-485-1446, www.harvestofharmony.org/#!events/c1888, Free. 7-10 p.m.

Clovis Hills Community Church, 10590 N. Willow Ave., Clovis, cts.compassion.com/events/328. 10 a.m.-7:40 p.m.

Clovis Hills Community Church, 10590 N. Willow Ave., Clovis, cts.compassion.com/events/328. 9 a.m.-4:40 p.m.

Clovis Hills Community Church, 10590 N. Willow Ave., Clovis, cts.compassion.com/events/328. 10 a.m.-5:40 p.m.

Riverpark Bible Church, 7500 N. Millbrook Ave., Fresno, 559-435-0190, www.riverpark.org/events/level-ground-womens-conference-with-nancy-guthrie, $45, $15 ages 17 and younger. 7-9 p.m.

Harvest of Harmony International Church, 5242 N. Garfield Ave., Fresno, 559-485-1446, www.harvestofharmony.org/#!events/c1888, Free. 7-10 p.m.

Fresno Pacific University BC Lounge, 1717 S. Chestnut Ave., Fresno, Free. 5-9 p.m.

Riverpark Bible Church, 7500 N. Millbrook Ave., Fresno, 559-435-0190, www.riverpark.org/events/level-ground-womens-conference-with-nancy-guthrie, $45, $15 ages 17 and younger. 8:30-11 a.m.

This story was originally published January 8, 2016 at 4:33 PM with the headline "Religion Notes for Jan. 9: News, events from the Valley’s faith community."