Art, musical programs, gumbo, soup and prayer services will be offered during the Lenten season at two local Episcopal Churches. 

Beginning at 5:30 p.m. Friday, art by members of The Church of the Holy Trinity, Episcopal will be the center piece at a wine a cheese reception that will run until 7 in McInnis Parish Hall.

“We have so much talent in our congregation,” said the Rev. Beth Palmer rector at the church. “This is a way to showcase the members’ talent.”

Heavenly Banquet was chosen as the theme for the art show and those participating are to use their interpretations with a focus around food, Palmer said.

A photograph taken of Joe Graham that was later replicated in a painting by church member, Mary Elsa Hocker, inspired the theme, Palmer said.

“Joe Graham is a dear parishioner, who all by himself cooks all the gumbo for the Lenten series,” she said, and the image is one of Graham cooking the large quantities of gumbo.

Acrylic, photography, jewelry and fiber are art media that will be shown by artist including Hocker, David Rorick, Melody Golding, Ruth Wilkerson, Max and Tana Ford and Hilda Hands, Palmer said.

The Lenten Arts Series will continue on Fridays through March 27 and free concerts will be offered beginning at 12:05 p.m. The gumbo lunch will be served at 12:35 p.m. and tickets for the meal are $10 each.

The Vicksburg High School Madrigals will perform Feb. 27.

“This group performs quite often and they will be singing a variety of pieces,” said Tracy Smithey, the school’s choral director.

The performance will include gospel, sacred, contemporary and Renaissance style music, and Smithey added the choir would also be singing under the direction of Angela Chapin, the assistant choir director.

The Mississippi Brass & Percussion Ensemble, a quintet and percussion group from the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra will perform March 6, and on March 13 Dr. John Paul, who is a harpsichordist will perform.

The Women’s chorus of Bovina Baptist Church, One Voice, will perform March 20, and members from some of the Warren Central High School choirs will be the final performance on March 27.

“We will be singing a variety of styles of music,” said Nancy Robertson, the Warren Central High School choral director. For more information, call 601-636-0542.

St. Albans Episcopal Church will offer their Lenten programs beginning Feb. 21 and will continue on Wednesdays through March 25.

A healing service will be held at 6 p.m. followed by a soup dinner at 6:30 and performances are scheduled to begin at 7.

Thulani Mnisi, a tenor vocalist accompanied by Kipp Gill, organist will be the first to perform. Both men are Mississippi College music majors, said the Rev. Billie Abraham, the priest at St. Albans Episcopal Church.

On March 4 the Mississippi Girls choir High School chorus will perform. The choir is comprised of young women in central Mississippi who want to expand the scope of their musical opportunities. On March 11 violinist, Temperance Babcock-Steiskal, will offer Bluegrass and classical music, and on March 18 John Maxwell will perform a Saint Paul monologue.

Maxwell is a Southern actor and playwright and began touring in 1981 with “Oh, Mr. Faulkner, Do You Write?” Abraham said.

The final program is scheduled will feature Viola Dacus.

“She will sing a medley of Ave Marias and she is marvelous,” Abraham said.

Stations of the Cross, which is a prayer service, will be offered at 6 p.m. Feb. 20, 27, March 6, 20 and 27, and also during the season of Lent St. Alban’s adult Sunday school class will study the series Visiting the Episcopal Church, Revisiting the Episcopal Church, Abraham said. For more information, call 601-636-6687.