Religion

'Trunk or Treat' Children up to the fourth grade are invited to a Halloween event from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 28, at Galilee Lutheran Church, 4652 Mountain Road in Pasadena. Sponsored by the Education Ministry Team, church members and friends will be in costume in the parking lot, distributing candy from their decorated car trunks. There will also be games and refreshments. Children 5 and younger should be accompanied by an adult. Information: 410-255-8236. Worship services, workshop The Rev. James Bishop and members of Asbury Town Neck United Methodist Church present "Wednesday Night Live," a worship experience and empowerment workshop beginning at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24, at the church, 429 Asbury Drive in Severna Park.

'Basic Christianity' A seminar on the basics of the Christian faith will be offered from 9:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Sept. 22 at Galilee Lutheran Church, 4652 Mountain Road in Pasadena. "Connecting" seeks to explore how the Bible teaches that God interacts with humanity and will cover the Ten Commandments, Apostles Creed, the Lord's Prayer, baptism, Communion, faith, the Bible and the church. Participants will use Martin Luther's Small Catechism as a basic framework for studying. Pastor Hank Simon is the instructor.

I applaud Russian authorities for convicting "Pussy Riot" - the very name suggesting sex and violence - of committing a hate crime against religion. The all girl punk band willfully, maliciously and blasphemously desecrated a Russian Orthodox Church. Everyone has a right to freedom of expression. This includes those who were attending the religious service in question. These people's rights were obviously denied and violated by the surprise guerrilla invasion. Many of them - especially the older and religiously devout - may actually have been seriously traumatized for life by the devilish antics of these young, radical feminists.