Offering Lenten services to the local community has become a tradition for the Church of the Holy Trinity, Episcopal.

This year, the 16th annual Lenten Fine Arts series will kick off with a wine and cheese reception in McInnis Parish Hall.

“The idea to offer a Lenten program was David Elliot’s,” said Dorothy Brasfied, the coordinator for the event.

Elliot, who was a former rector for Holy Trinity, got the idea after visiting a similar program in Jackson, she said.

“St. Andrews in Jackson would offer a noonday Lenten service for working people,” Brasfield said, “and when David came here he wanted to do something similar and so we decided to offer programs at noon on Fridays during the season.”

Since its inception, Brasfield said all the church’s priests have followed in Elliot’s footsteps by offering the community the Lenten series.

The first of the six art programs will be held Friday and will run from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Those attending will also be able to enjoy artwork from the church’s Conservatory of Fine Arts students, who took classes from Ann Biedenharn Jones, and the photography students of David Rorick, Brasfield said.

The remaining five musical programs will begin at 12:05 p.m. and are free. A gumbo lunch will be served at 12:35 p.m. and the cost is $10.

The series will include David Goldblatt on March 14. “I think he will be a delight,” said Brasfield.

Goldblatt is the professor of music at Alcorn State University and will play the piano and the viola, she said.

The Warren Central Madrigals are scheduled for March 21 and Shawn Leopard, harpsichordist, will perform March 28. Leopard received a master of arts degree in musicology from Indiana University with special emphasis in early music performance.

The final two musical programs will consist of the Szlubowski Family Duo on April 4 and the Alcorn State University Men’s Chorale on April 11.

“This is always a perennial favorite,” said Brasfield.

“The father daughter duo of Janusz and Marta Szlubowski will entertain the group with Polish music, and I told Janusz he would have to play his accordion,” said Brasfield.

For more information, call 601-636-0542 or visit www.churchoftheholytrinity.org.

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St. Alban’s Church is also offering a free Lenten Fine Arts Series that will begin at 7 p.m. Wednesdays beginning March 12. The programs will continue through April 9 and are proceeded by a healing service offered at 6 p.m. and at soup dinner at 6:30.

St. Alban’s is at 5930 Warriors Trail. For more information, call 601-594-0066.

The schedule:

• March 12 — Sandra Melshimer & The Dirty Rice Burners

• March 19 — Sam Puckett and The HIM Singers

• March 26 — Amanda Morato & Marcelo Vieira

• April 2 — The Lewis Family and The Champion Hill Missionary Baptist Church Gospel Choir

• April 9 — John Maxwell, Judas monologue