St. Paul AME Church, 101 N. Merritt Mill Road, is serving as the host for the 2nd Episcopal District Planning Meeting this week.

The 2nd district includes North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C., and comprises some 400 congregations and 300,000 members, said the Rev. Thomas O. Nixon, pastor at St. Paul AME. The meeting, expected to draw some 1,500 members, will be held at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Research Triangle Park from Thursday through Saturday,

The meeting is the final district meeting before the national AME conference, scheduled for July in St. Louis. This week's gathering will give the district an opportunity to make plans and establish priorities to take to the general conference.

The meeting coincides with St. Paul AME's celebration of its 144th anniversary. The congregation will mark the occasion at its 11 a.m. service on Sunday. The Rev. Larry S. Hinton will be the guest speaker.

Contact St. Paul AME at 967-3961.

St. Matthews marks Men's Day

St. Matthews AME Zion Church, 4015 N.C. 902, Pittsboro, will observe its annual Men's Day on Sunday during the worship service. The Rev. Ronnie Brooks will preach. All are welcome.

Amity offers Bible study

Amity United Methodist Church, 825 N. Estes Drive, offers Bible study classes for children and adults. Children are studying the Way of the Child curriculum on Sundays at 9:45 a.m.

Two Sunday classes are offered for adults: "God, the People and the Covenant, Chronicles, Daniel, Nehemiah, Ezra, & Haggai" and "Images of Christ."

Bible study also is offered on Thursdays from 9:30 to 11 a.m. in a private home. The current class is "Changes that Heal: How to Understand Your Past to Ensure a Healthier Future." Call for directions.

For information, call 967-7546 or see amityumc.org.

Services, events at Chapel of the Cross

Services of Holy Eucharist at the Chapel of the Cross, 304 E. Franklin St., will be held at 8 and 10 a.m. and 5:15 p.m.

A special worship with people with developmental disabilities will be held Monday at 7 p.m.

Brief services of Evening Prayer will be held in the chapel Monday and Tuesday at 5:15 p.m.

A devotional program including prayers, a short reflection on scripture and singing folk hymns with guitar accompaniment will be held for residents of Stratford Assisted Living Center on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. For information or to volunteer, contact the Rev. Victoria Jamieson-Drake at vjd@thechapelofthecross.org.

The Centering Prayer Group meets on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. in the parish house.

A series of lectures recorded by UNC professor Bart Erhman centered on Saint Paul and his interpretation of Jesus' ministry will be viewed and discussed during potluck dinners today, June 18 and 25 and July 2 at 6:30 p.m. For information, contact Linda Everhart at leverhart@hotmail.com.

Vacation Church School will be held June 23-27 from 9 a.m. to noon for children from age 4 through fifth grade. Registration is open to the public. Volunteer teachers and helpers are always welcome. Contact Boykin Bell at bbell@thechapelofthecross.org or 929-2193, ext. 37.

The Young Adults Group, including graduate and professional students and other young adults, meets for lunch most Sundays following the 10 a.m. service.

A Social Hour follows the conclusion of the 10 a.m. service each Sunday.

For information on church services and events, call 929-2193 or see www.thechapelofthecross.org

Services, events at the Advocate

The Episcopal Church of the Advocate celebrates Holy Eucharist each Sunday at 5 p.m. at the Chapel Hill Kehillah, 1200 Mason Farm Road. A fellowship hour follows the service.

Other activities include a moms-and-tots get-together on Wednesdays; Theology on Deck, a series of lively theological discussions; and Alternative, an inclusive Christian fellowship group for graduate students and young adults (ages 22-35) in the Chapel Hill area.

See www.ouradvocate.org.

Chorus concert to benefit IFC

The Benzie Community Chorus will perform a benefit concert for the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service on June 22 at Olin T. Binkley Memorial Baptist Church, 1712 Willow Drive. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $15.

The Benzie Community Chorus is celebrating its 27th year. The summer tour features Broadway and gospel music. Among the members of the chorus are former Chapel Hill residents Steve and Jeannine Chapman, who were members of the choir at United Church of Chapel Hill.

The Benzie Chorus selects a worthy charitable organization in each community as the recipient of the performance revenues. For this concert, the IFC has been selected. The tour is privately funded with no fees, allowing 100 percent of the proceeds to benefit the IFC.

For information, e-mail rsvp@ifcmailbox.org or call 929-6380, ext. 15.

Tickets can be purchased online or checks can be mailed to: IFC, 110 W. Main St., Carrboro, NC 27510, Atten: Benzie Concert.

Binkley will hold a Souper Summer Supper intergenerational meal and fellowship June 18 at 5:45 p.m Cost is $5. Call 942-4964 to register.

Meals on Wheels, an outreach ministry that has been housed at Binkley for more than 30 years, is seeking volunteers to deliver lunchtime meals to homebound older adults and persons with disabilities. Call Carol Nobles at 942-2948.

Binkley holds summer worship services at 10 a.m. each Sunday through Aug. 3.

Yogi to lead meditation sessions

Sri Swamiji will lead a meditation session at the Ganesh Place Ashram, 4724 Ganesh Place, Durham, today at 7 p.m.

The session will include one hour of silent mediation, followed by kirtan, the singing of devotional songs, and an opportunity to speak with Sri Swamiji individually and receive his blessings and guidance.

A homa -- sacred fire ceremony and chanting -- will be held at Ganesh Place Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Both events are free and open to all. For information, call (919) 402-8445 or see www.shivabalayogiguru.org.

Advent Lutheran holds Bible classes, services

Advent Lutheran Church, 230 Erwin Road in Chapel Hill, is on its summer schedule. Worship service will be at 10 a.m.

All are welcome.

For information, call 968-7690 or go to www.adventlutheranch.org.

Buddhist center offers teaching, meditation

The Kosala Buddhist Center in Carrboro offers Buddhist teachings, discussion and meditation with resident teacher Gen Tilopa every Wednesday from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

The June series will focus on the subject of "The Kadampa Buddhist way of Life."

Cost is $10. First class is free for newcomers.

Kosala Center is at 711 West Rosemary Street in Carrboro, above the Carrburritos restaurant.

For information call 967-1861 or see www.meditationinchapelhill.org.

Worship services at United Church

Sunday worship services at the United Church of Chapel Hill, 1321 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., are at 8:45 and 11 a.m.

Iglesia Unida, Spanish language worship, will meet Sunday at 11 a.m. in the new Assembly Hall in the west wing of the building.

Sermon Shaping meetings are held on Wednesdays at 7 a.m. in the library. One of the pastors leads a small group in looking at the lectionary texts for the next Sunday.

For information call 942-3540 or see www.unitedchurch.org.

Services, events at Unity Center Sunday services at the Unity Center of Peace Church, 8800 Seawell School Road, are from 11 a.m. to noon. The Adult Forum precedes the service each Sunday from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m.

Mark Malachi facilitates Jewish Erev Shabbat services on the last Friday of each month. The service begins at 7:30 p.m. and includes chanting, Hebrew prayers and music.

A healing circle meets weekly on Mondays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

The Course in Miracles continues on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. and on Sundays at 7:30 p.m. Call 968-1854 or see www.unitychapelhill.org.