Religious Offerings: 8/18

Rabbi Yossi Shemtov

Chabad House debuts facility

Chabad House of Greater Toledo unveils its new facility on Thursday. The public is welcome to a a ribbon-cutting and Mezuzah Ceremony at 5:30 p.m. Tours will follow.

Chabad House broke ground last year on the synagogue and gathering space, which also will house the Friendship Circle, an organization that engages Jewish children and young adults with special needs in a variety of programs and experiences. The new facility is outfitted with specialty sensory rooms to accommodate all needs and abilities.

“This is the beginning of a new era for Chabad and the Friendship Circle in Toledo,” Rabbi Yossi Shemtov, director of Chabad House, said in a statement. “Our new state-of-the-art facilities will allow us to better serve the ever evolving needs of the entire community, from children to senior citizens and everyone in between. After 30 years of beautiful growth and connections, we look forward to the next chapter and sharing it with all.”

Chabad House is at 2728 King Rd. For more information, go to bit.ly/2P5qBKV.

MultiFaith Family Picnic

The MultiFaith Family Picnic, hosted by the MultiFaith Council of Northwest Ohio, is set for Sunday at the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo. Families are invited to bring a potluck dish to share and to partake in outdoor games, crafts, and board games between 3 and 7 p.m.

Optional tours of the Islamic Center begin at 4 p.m.; the potluck meal begins about 5 p.m. Organizers are providing tableware, lemonade, water, veggie burgers, and kosher and halal hot dogs. In addition to a dish, attendees are invited to bring lawn chairs, games, and balls.

There is no cost to attend. The Islamic Center is at 25877 Scheider Rd., Perrysburg Township. For more information, go to bit.ly/2KTCjFd.

Franciscan invitations

The Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania welcome the community to their motherhouse for two upcoming gatherings.

“Minipilgrimages” return on Thursday, inviting participants to visit sites on the campus that pay tribute to Saint Francis and Saint Clare. Additional pilgrimages are set for Sept. 20 and Oct. 11, each between 10 a.m. and noon; the cost, $20, includes lunch.

“A Walk for Families” is set for Aug. 25. It invites nature lovers to learn about and praise God’s creation by touring the motherhouse grounds between 10:30 a.m. and noon. The cost is $5, and participants should meet at the steps of Our Lady Queen of Peace Chapel.

Contact Sister Joan Jurski at 419-824-3528 or jjurski@sistersosf.org to make reservations for each. The grounds are at 6832 Convent Blvd., Sylvania.

Lunch and learn

Sisters Pat Schnapp, RSM, returns to Our Lady of the Pines Retreat Center in Fremont on Tuesday for a “lunch and learn” presentation. Sister Pat, an author and former associate professor at Siena Heights University, is set to discuss “What Your Favorite Parables Say About You.”

The presentation runs noon to 2 p.m. Registration, $15, can be completed by calling 419-332-6522 or going to pinesretreat.org/programs. The retreat center is at 1250 Tiffin St., Fremont.