Fasting church

Pleasant Valley Assembly of God has announced a churchwide fast that began on Sunday. It will end on Jan. 25.

The church suggests a Daniel fast as per (https://ultimatedanielfast.com/ultimate-daniel-fast-food-guidelines/).

Thrift store open

The Kunkletown Thrift Shop at the old Eldred Elementary School reopened Wednesday. Hours are from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Donations are accepted from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., according to a posting on Facebook.

The phone number is 610-895-4444.

TOPS meeting

TOPS will meet at 5:30 p.m. today at Salem-St. Paul Lutheran Church, Kresgeville. The group meets every Wednesdays at 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Legion Sons to meet

The Sons of the American Legion are scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. today at American Legion Post 927 in Gilbert for the group’s monthly meeting.

Donation collection

Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, Brodheadsville, is holding its after-Christmas collection of donations for the 2026 Christmas sale. Collection is set for 2-7 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday.

Being sought and accepted are vintage items, antiques, blow molds, yard décor, tableware, linens, jewelry, villages and houses (Department 56), books, Christmas music and records and DVDs; just about anything Christmas-related is appreciated. Drop-offs are welcome at the chapel entrance.

Grief Support

The February meeting of the Brodheadsville Area Grief Support Group is from 1-2:30 p.m. Feb. 4 at the Western Pocono Community Library.

WE Missions

Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, Brodheadsville, will hold its West End Missions dinner at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

Eldred meeting change

The meeting of the Eldred Township auditors has been changed to 6 p.m. Thursday at the municipal building, 490 Kunkletown Road, Kunkletown.

Working session

The Pleasant Valley School District board is slated to have a working session meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday at the District Administration Building.

LIHEAP open

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is now open and will remain open until April 10. LIHEAP “helps income-eligible families pay their heating bills by issuing a grant that does not need to be repaid. The onetime payment is sent directly to the utility company or fuel provider, and it is credited on the bill (though, in some cases, the check may be mailed to the applicant directly.”

For more details, visit www.compass.dhs.pa.gov, or request an application by calling the LIHEAP hotline at 1-866-857-7095. Applications are also available from the Monroe County Area Agency on Aging office at 724 Phillips St., Suite 102, Stroudsburg; call 570-420-3735 or email monroeaging@monroecountypa.gov.

Museum opening

The Eldred Township Museum was closed in December. The reopening has been scheduled for Saturday.

Open Bingo Night

American Legion Post 927 in Gilbert is hosting Open Bingo Night on Monday, with card sales beginning at 6:30 p.m. Games begin at 7 p.m.

There will be game specials, and food and beverages will be available for purchase.

Farm Show

The Pennsylvania Farm Show will begin Saturday and run through Jan. 17, opening at 8 a.m. and closing at 9 p.m., with two exceptions: Sunday, when it is open from 8 a.m.-8 p.m.; and Jan. 17, when it is open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Admission is free, but there is a parking fee if using the Farm Show Complex.

Shuttle service is slated to be provided.

Information for and from many entities will be available, including about how to become a Pennsylvania game warden. That will be possible from 5-7 p.m. Jan. 14 and 10 a.m.-noon Jan. 17.

Worship, more

St. Peter’s UMC, Saylorsburg, has announced its worship services begin at 9 a.m.

On the second and fourth Sunday of the month, including this coming Sunday, there is a time of fellowship at 10:15 a.m.

The Sunday worship services can be watched live or later on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/petersumc.saylorsburg.

The church’s collection of United Methodist Committee on Relief buckets begins again. Items to be collected this month will be 50 to 100 feet of clothesline and 36 to 50 clothespins.

In February, the church is requesting donations of spray air freshener (4 to 8 ounces) and two pairs of household kitchen gloves.

KC for Kids

Monroe County Conservation District’s Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center offers Kettle Creek for Kids, beginning anew Tuesday.

The program, geared for ages 3-6 (adult must stay with child during program) will be held on Jan. 13, 20 and 27. Classes are at 10 a.m. or 1 p.m. and are one hour long.

For more information, call 570-629-3061.

Butterflies art

Youths under the age of 18 are invited to enter the Butterflies of Hope art contest being hosted by AltruVision, a Lions Eye Bank.

Submission is now open and will continue through Feb. 6, for those under 18 years old in the Delaware Valley.

The work of the winner “will be turned into 2026 AltruVision merchandise.” The winner will receive complimentary merchandise with their design be featured in a story on AltruVision platforms.

For more information, visit AltruVision on Facebook or contact AltruVision at 401 N. Third St., Suite 305, Philadelphia, PA 19123-4101.

Glaucoma focus

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month, as per information shared by the Monroe County Area Agency Aging on Aging.

Using information obtained from the Glaucoma Research Foundation and the National Eye Institute, the office encourages all older adults “to get a comprehensive dilated eye exam; this is how the disease is detected and diagnosed.”

Yearlong help

St. Peter’s UMC, Saylorsburg, reminds folks everyone that “it’s time to start thinking about collecting items for our next shipment of Christmas boxes for 2026.”

January is the month when the church collects personal care items — including combs and brushes, toothbrushes, nail clippers, non-medicated band aids and lip balm, dental floss, cotton swabs and hair accessories — and any Christmas “leftovers” like hats, gloves and socks that are on deep discount. “As always, place your donations in the basket in the hallway.”

This past Christmas, church members filled and shipped 85 boxes. Some of those boxes have already been delivered to Colombia. It is hoped the church can surpass that number by 10 filled boxes.

Joint service set

This year’s annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity will be observed from Jan. 19-23. A service, which will be joined by other denominations, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 22 at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, Brodheadsville.

It will celebrate this year’s theme: “There is one body and one spirit, just as you are called to the one hope of your calling.” (Ephesians 4:4)

The prayer service will be followed with a light lunch in McCawley Hall at 11:30 a.m.