Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints names new leaders [Religion Digest]

Jonathan Stapley has been chosen as the new president of the Reading PA Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which covers the Berks, Lehigh, Luzerne, Schuylkill, Montgomery, Bucks, Carbon and Northampton counties in Pennsylvania and Warren County in New Jersey.

Stapley is joined by his new counselors, Dr. Phillip Brinton and Bladimir Garcia.

The new leaders replace Keith B Wills, Jason R. Christiansen, and Brian R. Daems.

Created in 1982, The Reading PA Stake, which is similar to a diocese in other churches, has 5,100 church members and 12 congregations. There are 12 Latter-Day Saint stakes in Pennsylvania with a total of over 53,000 members state-wide.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints operates under a lay ministry that allows its local leaders to continue in their current employment.

Stapley, 50, and his wife, Sarah, have raised four children and live in Birdsboro. He is employed as the head of product management for B. Braun’s active devices business unit in Allentown.

Brinton, 49, and his wife, Malesa, have four children and live in Allentown. He is a private practice pediatric dentist in Allentown.

Garcia, 50, and his wife, Betania, have four daughters and live in East Greenville, Montgomery County. He is employed as the World Languages Department Head at Perkiomen School in Pennsburg.

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• “Pedals, Pipes, and Pizza, Introducing Young People to the Pipe Organ” will be held next Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, 130 S. Walnut Street, Wernersville. The OrgelKids Program will teach children about the pipe organ, play the pipe organ and build a miniature pipe organ. There is no fee to register, donations will be accepted. To RSVP, email tlcworship@aol.com.

• Soprano Donna Danielski and organist/pianist Phyllis Sands will present a concert entitled “Traveling to the Resurrection” on Sunday at 3 p.m. at Peace United Church of Christ, 37 E. Swartzville Road, East Cocalico Township, Lancaster County.

• Reformation Lutheran Church, 3670 Perkiomen Ave., Exeter Township, will host a jazz worship service in conjunction with the Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Guest musicians include Al Rochlin, trumpet; Mandy Veloz, bass; Paul Colombo, guitar; Pete Souders, woodwinds; and Rob Benton, percussion, accompanying the Reformation Choir and under the direction of Dr. Heidi Rochlin, director of music.

• Christ Lutheran Church, 222 Niantic Road, Douglass Township, Montgomery County, will have Coffee and Conversation at 8:30 and 10 a.m. on Sunday in the Welcome Center.

• St. John’s Gernant’s Church (A Federated Congregation,) 13 Gernant’s Church Road, Ontelanuee Township, will have a special service called Holy Humor Sunday at 9:30 a.m. with fun music by the choir and the congregation, and Holy Communion. Fellowship will follow the service with unusual refreshments. Bible study will be held on Tuesday at 1 p.m.

• United Church of Christ of Robesonia, 301 W. Penn Ave., will celebrate Holy Humor Sunday at 10:15 a.m. Bible study will be held  on Tuesday at 9 a.m. by Zoom and on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. by Zoom or in person. The Walking Group will meet today at 8:30 a.m. at the walking trails on the Wernersville State Hospital campus. The Women’s Lunch will take place on Thursday at 11:30 a.m., at Country Fare Restaurant, 498 E. Lincoln Ave., Myerstown, Lebanon County. The Men’s Fellowship will meet next Saturday at 8:30 a.m. at the Heidelberg Restaurant, 910 W. Penn Ave., Robesonia. A Spring Fling will be held at P&J’s Pizza, 133 W. High St., Womelsdorf, next Saturday at 4:30 p.m. To make reservations and for information including the Zoom link, email maryettamest@gmail.com.

• St. Andrew’s United Church of Christ, 1320 Spruce St., Reading, will be holding a food sale next Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Homemade beef vegetable soup, homemade ham and bean soup, hamburger barbecue, macaroni salad, hotdogs, shoo-fly pies, beverages and assorted baked goods will be available for purchase to eat in and/or take out.

• Calvary United Church of Christ, at 640 Centre Ave., Reading, welcomes guest clarinetist Erin Sonon to the 10:30 a.m. worship service on Sunday.

• The Rev. Kenneth Gould will be the guest pastor at the 9:30 a.m. worship service on Sunday at Salem Lutheran Church, 8410 Lancaster Ave., Bethel Township.

• Good Shepherd United Church of Christ, 170 Tuckerton Road, Muhlenberg Township, will hold prize bingo next Saturday at 1 p.m. Proceeds will benefit its Good Samaritan program an other mission projects.

In order to have an event listed in the religion digest, it must be something that is not just a regular worship service. This includes things such as guest musicians or vocalists who are not members of the church choir; guest speakers; flea markets and other sales; meals, etc. Send information to life@readingeagle.com.