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Here are a selection of brief news items pertaining to area church activities:

Gospel Extravaganza planned for July 13

The Coulee Region Gospel Choir will present the fifth annual Summer Gospel Extravaganza on July 13 at 4 p.m. at Sand Lake Wesleyan Church in Holmen.

“Homecoming Praise” by Bill and Gloria Gaither is the music and the concert will feature many soloists, trios, duets and the 50-voice choir. The women’s chorus, three quartets and the Phat Cats — Paul Erickson, Paul Leithold and Terry Grosskopf — will also perform.

Vocal soloists include Marjean Christy, Pat Eveland, Travis, Deanne and Wilmer Holak, Mary Hoeft-Leithold, Ken and Nancy Lerum, Doug Mahlum and Becky and Katherine Weber.

The concert also will feature a piano and organ duet by Lorene Miller and Sylvia Groleau. Elda Stange and Pat Spencer will give a repeat performance of “Don’t Sit in My Pew.”

The Hearts of Gospel — Chuck Chihak, Dave Osley, Vilas Dahl, Terry Grosskopf, Paul Leithold, Paul Erickson, Bob Fullwood and Jerry Grosskopf — will present pre-concert music starting at 3:45 p.m. The free concert is about 90 minutes.

A free will offering is taken to help support the choir.

The choir is directed by Ruth Ann Granum, accompanied by Sylvia Groleau on piano, Paul Leithold on guitar and Terry Grosskopf on bass.

Crossfire to host three-band concert

The Hop, Rock & Scream Tour will stop at the Crossfire Youth Center on July 5 starting at 7 p.m. at 422 Main St. in downtown La Crosse The concert features Christian bands Amedeus, Tru-Serva and Hour of Hope. The cost is $3 and all are welcome. For more information, call Crossfire at 784-6565.

OUMC to host Teen Challenge session

Minnesota Teen Challenge, a faith-based residential drug and alcohol program for teens and adults, will offer music and testimonies at the 11 a.m. worship service at the Onalaska United Methodist church on Sunday, June 29.

Minnesota Teen Challenge is one of the largest faith-based residential drug and alcohol programs in Minnesota. The program is dedicated to helping people find freedom from the destructive habits of alcoholism and drug addiction. The program was started in New York City in 1958 and now has more than 350 centers.

Onalaska United Methodist Church is at 212 Fourth Ave. N. All are welcome.

Mindoro Cut centennial includes worship

Mindoro Lutheran Church will hold an outdoor service and other events Sunday, June 29, in celebration of the centennial of the Mindoro Cut.

Worship services will be held in Mindoro Park starting at 9:30 a.m., with coffee and rolls served before and after. A plant sale also is planned for after the service.

Other activities planned include re-enactment of the 1932 bank robbery at the bank at 1:30 p.m., local speakers sharing their stories and a historic walking tour. Food can be purchased at the Lions Shelter from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Group seeks help for weather victims

The Wisconsin Council of Churches, working with Wisconsin Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (WVOAD), is accepting monetary donations for victims of the flooding and tornadoes that struck across Wisconsin over the weekend.

Checks should be made payable to Wisconsin Council of Churches 2008 Flood Recovery and mailed to the Wisconsin Council of Churches, 750 Windsor St., Suite 300, Sun Prairie, WI 53590.

WVOAD is a group of private nonprofit agencies specializing in disaster recovery assistance.

Bridge of Life plans concert event June 29

Bridge of Life Lutheran Church will celebrate seven years of ministry with a free concert event called Bridgefest on Sunday, June 29, from 4 to 8 p.m.

The outdoor concert will be held at the church’s outdoor worship site and future building site on Highway 35, two miles north of Holmen across from Seven Bridges Bank. A variety of music will be provided by Peter Eliason, Doug Mahlum and Kris Risch.

The event also offers good food and a chance to check out the site’s hiking trail and prayer labyrinth.

In case of rain, the event will be held in the church’s worship space in Holmen Square mall.

St. Patrick’s sets VBS for Aug. 11-15

St Patrick’s Catholic Church is will hold a vacation Bible school from Aug. 11-15. This year’s program is called “POWER LAB - Discovering Jesus’ Miraculous Power.”

There is room for 75 children ages 4-10. Registration is $15 before July 1 or $20 after.

Teenagers might enjoy signing on as a “funologist crew leader.”

For more information or to register, contact Cathie Steinhoff at 783-5535, ext 8, or cathie@stpatz.com.

Onalaska woman starts weekly ministry

Pam Ellis, an Onalaska resident and author of “Real Torn ... Beneath the Veil” has started a new ministry that meets at the Onalaska OmniCenter.

The ministry, called PASSION — Power and Atonement for Suffering, Sin and Iniquities in Our Nation — meets from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Sunday. All are welcome to attend. For more information, contact Ellis at (608) 498-1591.

Volunteer Corps seeks participants

Participants are sought for Lutheran Volunteer Corps, a full-time program that offers people a one-year opportunity for spiritual and personal exploration while working for social justice, living in intentional community and simplifying their lifestyles.

Volunteers are matched with nonprofit organizations in Baltimore, Md.; Wilmington, Del.; Washington, D.C.; Chicago; Milwaukee; Minneapolis-St. Paul; Seattle and Tacoma, Wash.; and the San Francisco Bay Area in California.

Applications may be downloaded at http://www.LutheranVolunteerCorps.org/Volunteers.htm/. For more information, contact Kelly Shinn, recruitment coordinator, at (202) 387-3222 or Recruitment@LutheranVolunteerCorps.org.