Concert by AGAPE and Joe Davis at First Lutheran

First Lutheran (100 Church Street) is hosting a concert at 7 p.m. Wednesday Oct. 4. AGAPE is a hip hop artist who combines dancing, rap, and storytelling to spread the message of God’s love through Christ. He has been touring full time for over 15 years performing for hundreds of thousands of youth across the U.S., and in eight different countries. AGAPE likes “Spreading God’s love through hip hop.” He has a passion for young people and helping them realize their worth and see themselves through Jesus’ eyes.

Joe Davis is a Minneapolis-based nationally-touring artist, educator, and speaker that employs poetry, music, theater and dance to shape culture. Together, AGAPE and Davis share a dialogue that explores issues of faith and race featuring music, storytelling, and poetry.

Pet blessing Oct. 8

The Little Portion Secular Franciscans of the Marshall area are sponsoring a “Blessing of the Animals” at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8, in the parking lot of Holy Redeemer Church in Marshall. All animals and their favorite people are welcome. The Secular Franciscan Order is an order for lay persons that was started by St. Francis some 800 years ago. If you are interested in more information about the Secular Franciscan Order, contact Sandy Tuszynski at 507-829-0989.

Revised report on Md. church sex abuse leaves 5 church leaders’ names still redacted

BALTIMORE (AP) — Maryland’s attorney general released some previously redacted names in its staggering report on child sex abuse in the Archdiocese of Baltimore on Tuesday, but the names of five Catholic Church leaders remained redacted amid ongoing appeals, prompting criticism of the church by victims’ advocates.

While the names of the high-ranking church leaders already have been reported by local media, the Maryland director of Survivors of those Abused by Priests said he was disappointed, but not surprised that resistance continues against transparency and accountability.

“Once again, it just shows that the church is not doing what they say they’re doing,” said David Lorenz. “They’re just not. They’re not being open and transparent, and they should be, and they claim to be.”

Lorenz said he questioned whether the names in the report would ever be made public.

“I don’t have a ton of confidence, because the church is extremely powerful and extremely wealthy and they are paying for the lawyers for these officials,” Lorenz said.