The Durham/Chapel Hill Jewish Community will break ground on the new $7 million Charlotte and Dick Levin Jewish Community Center on Sunday, Oct. 18 from 2 to 4 p.m. at 1935 W. Cornwallis Road in Durham.

The Levin JCC is the second phase of the $10 million development of the Cornwallis Road property, a joint project of the Durham-Chapel Hill Jewish Federation and the Lerner Jewish Community Day School.

Rep. David Price of the 4th Congressional District will address the gathering. In addition, Dick Levin, for whom the building is named, will speak to thank the project's organizers.

Guests will be entertained by local Klezmer band Freylach Time! and by "Sababa," a Jewish a cappella group of UNC students. All attending will have an opportunity to participate in a "living scrapbook" that will document the continuing transformation of the property and community.

The Levin JCC will serve the entire Durham-Chapel Hill community, regardless of religion. The completed center will include a community gymnasium, an outdoor pool, gallery space for exhibits as well as communal rooms for art, music after-school programs and a teen center.

There will also be dedicated space for seniors to gather for weekly programs and socializing. The center will be fully accessible with programs specifically designed for people of all ages, including those with special needs.

At the celebration on Oct. 18, visitors may view floor plans and artist renderings and learn more about what the new center will offer.

Blessing of the Animals service set

Binkley Baptist, 1712 Willow Drive, will hold a Blessing of the Animals Service on Sunday, Oct. 18, at 3 p.m. The Rev. Peter Carman, minister, will conduct the service.

The event, sponsored by the Earth Ministry Committee at the church, is open to the community and will be held on the lawn outside the lounge. Pets should be on a leash or in a kennel.

The Blessing of the Animals is conducted in Christian churches in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi's love for all creatures. Francis, whose feast day fell this year on a Sunday, Oct. 4, wrote a Canticle of the Creatures, an ode to all living things: "All praise to you, Oh Lord, for all these brother and sister creatures."

In some churches, the clergy lay hands on the animals and pray a prayer of blessing, and then gently anoint them with oil and/or sprinkle them with holy water. Most animals don't mind the few drops of water, with the exception of cats, of course, who may flatten their ears if a few drops pelt their pelts to register disapproval.

Was Noah's Ark like this?

Talk focuses on Good News Bible

Bob Bratcher, a popular speaker at his church, Binkley Baptist, will share the story of the development of the Good News Bible and his role as a translator in the Palmer-Coble Sunday School Class on Sunday, Oct. 18. His daughter, Priscilla Bratcher, who is the moderator-elect at the church, will lead the class, which meets from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. in the fellowship hall. The public is invited.

Thai dance troupe will perform

A dance troupe from Thailand will perform a traditional Thai drama (likay) with English translation at New Hope Presbyterian Church on Friday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. The church is located on N.C. 86.

The 90-minute program will feature a brief history of Thailand brought to life through dance, followed by a traditional Thai melodrama. The drama relates the true story of a notorious Thai gangster who came to know Christ.

The performance will provide an opportunity for Triangle residents to enjoy the beauty of Thai classical performing arts. The team of dancers and actors from the Christian Communications Institute (CCI) of Payap University in Chaing Mai, Thailand, is touring the eastern United State through Nov. 2.

CCI was founded more than 30 years ago. It has a staff of 15 professional artists as well as audio-visual technicians and administrative staff. CCI's purpose is to communicate the Christian message through Thai music, dance and drama. Using traditional as well as modern art forms, CCI leads spiritual renewal programs in schools and communities throughout this Asian country.

The performance is free, but any contributions to the troupe's expenses will be appreciated.

Workshop will explore Buddhist principles

Dairyu Wenger will lead a workshop on the "Path of Practice: The Ten Ox-herding Pictures" on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 16-17. He will also give the Dharma Talk on Sunday, Oct. 18, at 10:30 a.m. at the Chapel Hill Zen Center, 5322 N.C. 86.

Dairyu began practicing Zen at the San Francisco Zen Center in 1972 where he trained for many years before becoming an ordained priest and teacher.

He believes that Buddhism, at its root, is about manifesting kindness and compassion, and the Ten Ox-Herding pictures give an image of the path to liberation. The workshop will investigate the teachings suggested by the pictures as a way to develop liberation and compassion.

The workshop will begin on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. and continue on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Lunch is included on Saturday.

For more information, contact Josho at 967-0861 or Carla at canton@duke.edu.

Harvest Festival to be held Saturday

Following a tradition that stretches back some 40 years, Orange United Methodist will celebrate its Annual Harvest Festival on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Among featured events is a silent and live auction that will offer everything from oil changes for the car to piano tuning, catered dinner parties, handmade quilts and even beach houses for vacation. The silent auction begins at 8 a.m.

New this year will be a free community shredding event at 9 a.m. in which folks can bring anything they want shredded and disposed of to the ProShred Community Shredder.

Breakfast begins at 7 a.m. A backyard cookout lunch with hamburgers, hot dogs and all the trimmings will be served beginning at 11 a.m. The live auction will begin at noon.

Arts and crafts vendors will be on the grounds and a Sweet Shoppe will be selling homemade pies, cakes, jams and pickles.

Games and inflatables will be available for children during the festival.

The Harvest Festival supports the church's mission programs locally and around the world, including the following ministries.

Orange UMC has sent multiple teams to Africa staffed with doctors, nurses, teachers and laypeople to support ZOE, the Zimbabwe Orphans Endeavor based in Cary. The church has recently partnered with First United Methodist in Cary to send another medical team to Zimbabwe in January to serve orphans affected by years of famine, political unrest and disease.

The church also hosts One Day with God every August, in which inmates from the Orange Correctional Facility come to the church to be reunited with their children in an atmosphere of love, tolerance, support and forgiveness.

The church provides dinners every Friday night to women and children at the Homestart shelter, and once a month church members staff and feed everyone at the Inter-Faith Council shelter for the homeless.

The church is located at 1220 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.