RELIGION: Religion notes

     Lent
      The Sunday of Orthodoxy will be observed at the close of the regular 10 a.m. Divine Liturgy Sunday at St. Michael's Orthodox Church, 5719 E. Judson Ave. This is the first Sunday of the Orthodox Lenten period (452-1299).
     
      The final concert in First Presbyterian Church's 1997 Lenten Recital Series will feature pianist Grace Brightwell and friends Wednesday. The concert at 1515 W. Charleston Blvd. is free. A small lunch will follow in the social hall for $2 per person (384-4554).
     
      Reformation Lutheran Church, 580 E. St. Louis Ave., will host a soup supper at 6 p.m. and Lenten worship services at 7 p.m. Wednesday (732-2052).
     
      Lamb of God Lutheran Church, 6220 N. Jones Blvd., will hold Lenten services at 6:45 p.m. Wednesday. A soup supper will precede the service at 6 p.m. (645-4998).
     
      St. Christopher Catholic Church, 1840 N. Bruce St., will host a fish fry from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday. The fish fry is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus. Cost is $4. Stations of the Cross follows at 7 p.m. (642-1154).
     
     Easter
      Our Lady of Wisdom Italian Byzantine Catholic Mission, stationed at Saint Joseph Husband of Mary Roman Catholic Church, 7260 W. Sahara Ave., has announced the lineup of its 1997 Easter services. The Entry (Palm) Sunday service is at 6:30 p.m. March 22; the Bridegroom Service and Anointing is at 7 p.m. March 24; Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin takes place at 7 p.m. March 25; Great and Holy Thursday services are at 8 p.m. March 27; Good Friday Veneration of the Cross is at 3 p.m. and Good Friday Solemn Vespers and Burial Service of Our Lord Jesus is at 9:30 p.m. March 28; Holy Resurrection Matins are at 10:30 p.m. and the Midnight Resurrection Liturgy & Blessing of Easter Baskets is at midnight March 29; and the Resurrection Sunday Liturgy and Blessing of Easter Baskets will be held at 11:30 a.m. March 30 (735-1210).
     
      First Presbyterian Church, 1515 W. Charleston Blvd., will present "The Seven Last Words of Christ" at the 8, 9:30 and 11 a.m. Palm Sunday services March 23. "The Living Last Supper" will be presented at 7:30 p.m. March 27; and "The Celebration of the Resurrection" will take place during the 8, 9:30 and 11 a.m. services on Easter Sunday, March 30 (384-4554).
     
      The origin of the Eucharist, or Holy Communion, is the theme for this year's Maundy Thursday service to be held at 7 p.m. March 27 at Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, 6670 W. Cheyenne Ave. (645-1777).
     
      A special Good Friday service, "The Seven Last Words of Jesus," will be held at 7 p.m. March 28 at Unity Church of the Desert, 1125 S. Maryland Parkway. Easter services are at 9:30 and 11 a.m. March 30 (382-8688).
     
      Warm Springs Baptist Church, 2075 E. Warm Springs Road, will present the Easter musical "Behold the Lamb" at 7 p.m. March 28 and March 30. Child care will be provided (361-7070).
     
      The Sunrise and El Camino Baptist choirs will present an Easter musical, "The Door," at 7 p.m. March 28 at Antonello Elementary School, 1101 Tropical Parkway. The musical will also be presented at 7 p.m. March 29 and at 6 p.m. March 30 at Sunrise Baptist Church, 1780 Betty Lane (452-8599).
     
     Special events
      St. Christopher's Church, 1840 N. Bruce St., will host a St. Patrick's Day dinner at 6 p.m. today. The dinner will feature corned beef, potatoes, cabbage, green beer and Irish music. Cost is $5 per person (642-1154).
     
      Ukrainian and Decorated Art Eggs will be on sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at St. Anne Catholic Church, 1901 S. Maryland Parkway (367-3688).
     
      Green Valley Presbyterian Church, 1798 Wigwam Parkway, will hold a dedication service for its new cross tower and carillon at 10 a.m. Sunday (454-8484).
     
      Congregation Ner Tamid, 2761 Emerson Ave., will host a Purim carnival from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday (733-6292).
     
      The movie "Repeat Performance" will be shown at 6 p.m. Sunday at Sunrise Baptist Church, 1780 Betty Lane (452-8599).
     
      Fred McCoun will speak at Namaste Life's Thursday Night Celebration at 7 p.m. Thursday at First Christian Church, 101 S. Rancho Drive (258-0440).
     
      The Rev. Sergius Propst will conduct a Parish Mission at Holy Family Catholic Church, 4490 Mountain Vista St., Monday through Friday at all of the noon and 7 p.m. Masses (458-2211).
     
      The Lev HaShem Messianic Congregation will present a "Purimspiel" in celebration of Purim at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Red Rock Baptist Church, 5500 W. Alta Drive. A study from the "Mageloth," the Book of Esther in the Old Testament, will also take place (869-8983).
     
     Music
      The Watchman Quartet will perform at 7 p.m. Sunday at First Presbyterian Church, 1515 W. Charleston Blvd. Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 at the door (384-4554).
     
      The Chancel Choir of First African Methodist Episcopal Church, 2450 S. Revere St., North Las Vegas, will present its second annual "Festival of Flowers" at 4 p.m. March 23 (649-1774).
     
     New Bible study
      Word of Life Christian Center, 3520 N. Buffalo Drive, will offer the LIFEstyles Bible Study and Fellowship for women only from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays. Child care will be provided for a small fee (645-1990).
     
     Support groups, classes
      The Rev. Suzanne Dougherty will offer a class entitled Re-Discovering Creativity, based on the book "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 3616 E. Lake Mead Blvd. An organizational meeting will be held at 11:15 a.m. March 23 (437-2404).
     
      Beth Elohenu Messianic Congregation will host a series of studies on Jesus at 10:30 a.m. Saturdays at 6210 W. Cheyenne Ave. (248-1318).
     
      Central Christian Church, 3415 S. Mojave Road, presents 12 Step, a Spiritual Journey, a program for healing damaged emotions, from 5 to 6:45 p.m. Saturdays (735-4004).
     
      First Henderson United Methodist Youth Ministry will hold its 1997 youth Confirmation classes at 1 p.m. Sundays in the youth facility at the church, 609 E. Horizon Drive, Henderson (565-6049).
     
      The Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 3616 E. Lake Mead Blvd., will offer a class on mythology from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays. Joseph Campbell's videotapes will be used as a basis for the class (459-4250).
     
      First Henderson United Methodist Church, 609 E. Horizon Drive, offers the following support meetings: Youth Decision Making and Relationships at 9:15 a.m. Sundays; Family Support, the Challenges of Adulthood at 9:15 a.m. Sundays; and Christian Weight Loss at 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays (565-6049).
     
      Highland Hills Baptist Church, 615 College Drive, Henderson, offers the following support meetings: The 12 Steps for Christians at 9:45 a.m. Sundays; Alcoholics Anonymous at 7:30 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays; Gamblers Anonymous and Gam-Anon at 7 p.m. Friday. Other support groups are offered on a rotating basis (566-0200).
     
      College Park Baptist Church, 2101 E. Owens Ave., offers the following support groups and classes at 5:30 p.m. Sundays: Search for Significance deals with adult self-esteem issues; Untangling Relationships deals with codependency in relationships; Keeping Love Alive/Love is a Decision deals with marriage enrichment; and 12-Program deals with addictions (642-5921).
     
      Women of Word support group holds its monthly meetings the second Monday of the month. Call Reformation Lutheran Church, 580 E. St. Louis Ave., for details (732-2052).
     
      First Southern Baptist Church, 700 E. St. Louis Ave., offers a scripturally based anonymous 12-step recovery group from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Mondays (732-3100).
     
      Friends, Love & Miracles, a support group for people facing the challenge of cancer and other catastrophic illnesses, meets at 7 p.m. Mondays at the First Church of Religious Science, 1420 E. Harmon Ave. (631-0591).
     
      Canyon Ridge Christian Church, 2620 Regatta Drive, Suite 206, offers the following support and recovery groups: a divorce recovery group at 7 p.m. Mondays (658-3151); codependency, boundaries and assertiveness group at 7 p.m. Mondays (269-8664 or 895-3641); a women's sexual abuse survivors support group at 6 p.m. Wednesdays (220-5670); 12-step drug and alcohol recovery program at 5:30 p.m. Sundays (451-1330 or 363-8487); a group for parents of troubled children at 7 p.m. Mondays (395-7649 or 224-9850); and a grief and bereavement group at 7 p.m. Tuesdays (648-1234 or 242-4400).
     
      West Valley Assembly, 8100 Westcliff Drive, offers two support groups at 7 p.m. Mondays: Co-dependency and Chemical Dependency (242-2273).
     
      Meadows Fellowship Foursquare Church offers a basic Christianity class at 7 p.m. Tuesdays at Cimarron-Memorial High School, Portable No. 5, 2301 N. Tenaya Way (254-1725).
     
      Mustard Seed Ministries offers a 12-step class for codependents and adult children of people with addictions from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays in Saturn of Henderson's community room, 310 N. Gibson Road (565-4690).
     
      St. Joseph Husband of Mary Roman Catholic Church, 7260 W. Sahara Ave., offers an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting at 1 p.m. Wednesdays (363-1902).
     
      Unity Church of the Desert, 1125 S. Maryland Parkway, presents How to Let God Help You at 7 p.m. Tuesdays, Four Ts to Prosperity at 7 p.m. Wednesday and Friday, and Life of Prayer at 7 p.m. Friday (382-8688).
     
      Shadow Hills Baptist Church, 4400 W. Oakey Blvd., offers a divorce recovery group at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, and Life Support Groups, a recovery ministry, at 7 p.m. Thursdays (878-6991).
     
      Temple Beth Am, 9001 Hillpointe Road, sponsors a bereavement and loss group at 7 p.m. Wednesdays (254-5110).
     
      Congregation Ner Tamid, 2761 Emerson Ave., offers a bereavement group from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Thursdays. Group size is limited (733-6292).
     
      West Valley Counseling Services, 8102 Westcliff Drive, offers Addiction Recovery: A Christian Approach to Wholeness from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursdays. Advance registration is requested (242-1496).
     
      Meadows Fellowship Foursquare Church, 5825 W. Eldora St., hosts open sessions on marriage and relationships for singles, marrieds or engaged couples at 7 p.m. Thursdays (254-1725).
     
      Women to Women, a support group, is offered at 7 p.m. the first Thursday of the month at the Religious Science Church of Las Vegas, 4820 Alpine Place (435-6372).
     
      Calvary Chapel East, 3430 E. Tropicana Ave., No. 52, sponsors The Most Excellent Way, a ministry for those wanting to be freed from drugs and alcohol, at 7 p.m. Thursdays (435-1777).
     
      The Religious Science Church of Las Vegas, 4820 Alpine Place, sponsors a bereavement support group at 7 p.m. Thursdays in individual residences. Call for location (566-4696).
     
      Agape Women's Support Group meets at 8:30 a.m. the fourth Saturday of the month at Reformation Lutheran Church, 580 E. St. Louis Ave. (732-2052).
     
      Victorious Relationships, an independent interdenominational marriage ministry, offers marriage empowerment, premarriage and marriage-in-crisis workshops weekly. Registration is required (451-2128).
     
     Singles groups
      The singles group of West Valley Assembly, 8100 Westcliff Drive, meets every first and third Sunday evening for fellowship, teaching and discussion (242-2273).
     
      Christian Singles Connection is a nondenominational organization for single Christians of all ages. Meetings are held on a regular basis (393-4939).
     
      Our Lady of Las Vegas Singles, for those ages 35 and above, meets on a regular basis (870-2767).
     
      Single Purpose meets at 7 p.m. Fridays at Calvary Community Assembly of God, 2900 N. Torrey Pines Drive (656-2900).
     
      Congregation Ner Tamid, 2761 Emerson Ave., offers two singles groups. Members of the groups range in age from 21 to 45. Activities are planned once a month (733-6292).
     
      The Jewish Community Center of Southern Nevada's 40+ Singles Social Group meets on a regular basis (794-0090).
     
      The singles group of New Life Christian Church, 1229 E. Carson St., meets twice a month for fellowship, teaching and discussion (387-5433).
     
      First Presbyterian Church, 1515 W. Charleston Blvd., offers two singles groups that meet on a regular basis (384-4554).
     
      Summerlin Jewish Singles, sponsored by Temple Beth Am, is open to any Jewish single between the ages of 21 and 50 (254-5110).
     
      Trinity Life Center, 1000 E. St. Louis Ave., presents Living Proof Ministries for all single adults at 7 p.m. Wednesdays (734-2223).
     
      Spirit of Prophecy Christian Fellowship, 3297 Las Vegas Blvd. North, conducts a Christian Singles Night at 7 p.m. Thursdays. Reservations are required (643-1994).
     
      West Valley Assembly, 8100 Westcliff Drive, will be holding singles meetings at 7 p.m. Fridays (242-2273).
     
      Central Christian Church, 3375 S. Mojave Road, holds its "Fabulous Final Friday Show" on the last Friday of each month. The show features celebrity guests and a live band and centers on a monthly theme. The cost is $3 per person and child care is provided at the rate of $1 per child (735-4004).