Hope for homeless

Southern gospel will accompany a barbecue cook-off today at a fundraiser for Garden City Rescue Mission.

Hope for the Homeless begins at 10 a.m. at Lazar's Trailer and Welding on Flowing Wells Road in Martinez. Charlotte Ritchie and The Anchormen will be featured. Call (706) 724-6960.

A service on the National Day of Prayer for mental illness recovery will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday at St. Augustine's Episcopal Church, 3321 Wheeler Road.

The interdenominational service is for all those whose lives have been affected by mental illness, including health care providers and caregivers. Call (706) 733-8838.

St. Mary on the Hill will team this morning with St. Francis Animal Hospital for a blessing of pets.

Pet owners and their animals are invited to the lawn in front of St. Francis at 2647 Perimeter Parkway at 11 a.m. Pets must be kept on a leash or contained. Call (706) 733-6627.

On Sunday, All Saints Episcopal Church, 1595 Williston Road in Beech Island, will bless animals at a 10:30 a.m. service. Call (803) 648-1461.

People opposed to abortions want to create a "life chain" on Sunday at Scott Nixon Memorial Drive, Davis and Pleasant Home roads.

Organizers hope to get people willing to stand silently along the intersection from 2 to 3 p.m., holding signs with messages such as "Lord, forgive us and our nation." Call (706) 793-8090.

Jewish literature is the topic of discussion series, Jewish Literature -- Identity and Imagination, at Augusta State University's library, 2500 Walton Way.

Monday's discussion at 6:30 p.m. will focus on Maus I & II . On Oct. 27, the group will discuss Julius Knipl Real Estate Photographer: Stories .

The Reese Library is one of more than 250 libraries nationwide to receive a grant to hold the series, which focuses on graphics in literature. Call (706) 737-1745.

Richmond County school Superintendent Dana Bedden will speak when members of the Baptist Ministers Conference of Augusta meet Tuesday. The conference will gather at 11 a.m. at Tabernacle Baptist Church, 1223 Laney-Walker Blvd. Call (706) 722-0553.

Terri Gibbs will perform at 7 p.m. Friday at Bethesda Baptist Church, 5793 Old Augusta Highway.

The Grammy-nominated artist is known for her country-pop song Somebody's Knockin .' After becoming a Christian, Ms. Gibbs, who has been blind since birth, has written songs such as I Can See Heaven With These Eyes and The First Thing I See Will Be Jesus . Call (706) 556-6818.