Ruth Messinger, CEO of the American Jewish World Service, and two local women, Susan Springer, outgoing president of the Durham Literacy Center, and Sharon Weber, longtime volunteer with Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill, will be honored with the "Woman of Valor/Spirit Award" on Sunday, Nov. 1.

Sponsored by the Women's Philanthropy Division of the Durham-Chapel Hill Jewish Federation, the first MOSAIC event will begin at noon at the Durham Hilton. Tickets are $25 per person and include brunch.

Messinger will also be the guest speaker at the event. As a New York City Council member from 1978 to 1989, she became known for her advocacy on behalf of public schools. She has been CEO of AJWS since 1998 and in 2005 was recognized for her contributions to the global community by "The Jewish Forward" that named her to the top of the "Forward 50," a listing of America's most influential Jews.

"Come celebrate with us as we honor three women who give selflessly and joyously. The MOSAIC Spirit Award honorees will make you proud of them and our community," said Sharon Halperin who with Cathy Stamler is chairing the event.

Register at www.shalomdch.org/mosaic. For more information, call Ellisha Caplan at 489-5335.

Author to speak at All Saints Day

Justin Catanoso, a Pulitzer Prize-nominated business journalist, a university lecturer and the author of a new book "My Cousin the Saint: A Search for Faith, Family and Miracles," will be at St. Thomas More Church in commemoration of All Saints Day. He will speak about his sainted cousin on Sunday, Nov. 1, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the church, 940 Carmichael St. His book charts the parallel history of two relatives, his grandfather Carmelo Catanoso and his sainted cousin, Padre Gaetano Catanoso, who died in 1957 and was canonized in 2005.

Holiday Boutique at Advent Lutheran

Advent Lutheran, 230 Erwin Road, is putting out the word early about its Holiday Boutique that is planned for Saturday, Nov. 7 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Unique handcrafted decorating and gift items will be available, including holiday centerpieces, wreaths and floral arrangements as well as handbags and totes, beaded serving pieces, handcrafted jewelry, holiday cards and note cars, Christmas napkins, aprons, potholders, homemade cookies, candies and other baked goods.

Visitors to the boutique are invited to have a cup of tea or coffee as they try samples of the bakery items. Also, to register for a chance to win the door prize gift basket.

Proceeds from the boutique will be used for Advent's Missions and Outreach programs.

Fall craft fair set for Saturday

Merritt's Chapel's annual Fall Craft and Vendor Fair will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Christian Life Center, 1090 Farrington Point Road.

The fee for a booth is $25. To reserve a booth or to pre-order quarts of stew, call Rebecca Ferguson at 387-1022 or 454-5124 of www.merrittschapel.org.

Biscuits for breakfast and Brunswick stew by the bowl and quart will be sold while supplies last. Stew is $8 per quart.

Merritt's Chapel is located near Jordan Lake. The pastor is Richard Farmer and the phone number at the church is 968-1184.

PFADP to hold awards ceremony

People of Faith Against the Death Penalty will hold its 15th anniversary awards banquet in Greensboro on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 6 p.m. at Temple Emanuel, 1129 Jefferson Road.

Jennifer Thompson-Cannino and Ronald Cotton will be keynote speakers. They are authors of "Picking Cotton," which tells the story of Thompson-Cannino misidentifying Cotton as the man who raped her when she was a student at Elon University. Cotton spent 11 years in prison before being exonerated. The two have traveled widely telling their story.

Greensboro resident Brian Goldberg will receive the Rev. Robert E. Seymour Award, the organization's highest honor. He has been chairman of the Guilford County Chapter of PFADP for five years.

The Raleigh-based Justice Theater Project will be honored with the Community Service Award. Its mission is "to use the dramatic arts as a way to call to the fore of public attention the needs of the poor, the marginalized and the oppressed."

Tickets available at www.pfadp.org or by calling 933-7567.