Saturday, November 29, 1997

Outfront

CHRISTMAS AT POTOSI

An early Christmas Celebration for everyone will be held at the historic Potosi Methodist church Saturday, Dec. 6, from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

The annual event will feature a play by the youth of the Methodist church, singing by the Baptist youth, group singing, instrumental music and congregational singing of Christmas carols.

A reception will follow in Fellowship Hall. Anyone who sings or plays an instrument is invited to be a part of the program.

LIGHT UP YOUR LIFE

The public is invited to the McMurry University campus at 6:30 p.m. Monday for Christmas Lighting ceremonies.

Lights have been strung in the trees in the campus quad and will be turned on for the first time this season. Refreshments and Christmas music will accompany the festivities.

HSU CHILDREN'S PARTY

The Children's Missions Ministry of the Hardin-Simmons University Baptist Student Ministry will sponsor its annual Adopt-A-Child program Tuesday.

Fifty children from Johnston and Ortiz elementary schools will be "adopted" by pairs of HSU students.

The children will begin arriving at HSU at 3:30 p.m. for a Christmas party in Room 108 of the Moody Center. They will be treated to dinner and a puppet show.

BRIGADA

People interested in international missions will want to check out "Brigada: Your Gateway to Mission Networking."

The site includes dozens of e-mail conferences and forums which allow you to network with other mission-minded people worldwide.

Two newsletters also are offered on-line or via e-mail. If you have enough time, you can link to more than 60 other missions websites through Brigada.

http://www.brigada.org/

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Religion News Service

"My own experience interviewing hundreds of baby boomers over the past decade is that the people most excited about telling you about ... their spiritual lives - and often the most articulate - are those with hyphenated labels: charismatic Catholics, nondenominational Christians, vegetarian Unitarians, recovering Presbyterians, eco-spiritualists, and yes, one or two Lake Wobegon Lutherans."

- Wade Clark Roof, outgoing president of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, giving his presidential address in San Diego at his organization's annual meeting.

IN REVIEW

PFR, "The late, great PFR" - * * * *

Label: Vireo

Description: A lot of bands would need more than four albums to have a compilation release this good. PFR formed in 1991 and broke up this year, but it had a lot of success with its electric guitar-driven pop music. This album captures the best of it. PFR had a knack for writing catchy ballads and bouncy, energized melodies that were fun without being sappy. And the vocals are as strong and clear as their gospel message. It's a cheer-you-up kind of album and even their good-bye song, "Fare Thee Well," leaves you feeling upbeat.

Artist bio: Joel Hanson, Patrick Andrew and Mark Nash made up PFR. They were together just over seven years, had four albums and three name changes. PFR originally stood for "Pray for Rain" until there was a dispute over the name with another band who already had it. So they settled for the acronym.

What's good about it: The music is well-written and the lyrics clever.

- Brent Castillo, Knight-Ridder Newspapers