Lancaster Church of the Brethren (COB), 1601 Sunset Ave., Lancaster, has announced an International Fun Day as well as the 2023-24 Starlight Tea Concert Series.

Lancaster COB will host its third annual International Fun Day on Saturday, Aug. 26, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the church grounds. Activities will move indoors if it rains.

The event will include displays representing various countries and regions, with each one providing an activity, craft, or food. The church will serve a free hot dog lunch throughout the day, and donations will be accepted.

Children may get their "passports" stamped at each booth they visit, and every child who completes a passport will receive a prize.

Countries and regions that will be featured include Australia, the Bahamas, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Eastern Europe, England, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Germany, Ireland, Nigeria, Russia, Scotland, Sweden, Venezuela, and West Africa. Additional countries still may be added.

Dancers from the Paloma School of Irish Dance will kick off the event at 10 a.m. Local musician Stu Huggens will represent the United States with two sets of country music from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. A barbershop quartet will perform from 11:15 to 11:30 a.m.

Children may enjoy a bounce house with an Eastern Europe and Asia theme.

In addition, church member Marie Bachman will display her "Our World" quilt with information about each country represented on it. Bob Wintsch will serve as ambassador from the Lancaster congregation to all the nations represented.

Adults will receive a door prize ticket when they arrive. Prizes will be drawn at 12:45 p.m.

Also on Saturday, Aug. 26, the Starlight Tea Concert Series will kick off with a concert by the 44-voice chamber chorus Musical Associates at 7 p.m. Since 2003, Musical Associates has performed choral programs ranging from medieval music to the present day. Founder and artistic director Emery DeWitt noted that not only does the chorus perform its usual classical repertoire, but it has also added some vocal jazz to its performances.

The auditioned chorus rehearses and performs only in the summer months, allowing area music professionals to enjoy challenging repertoire without the pressures of the fall and spring academic seasons. The group is accompanied by Mary Ellen DeWitt.

Emery served as director of music at Lancaster COB from 2004 to 2021, during which time he initiated the Starlight Tea Series.

The Aug. 26 program will open with a recent choral arrangement by Ben Bram of the jazz standard "Smile" and proceed with a collection of well-known jazz and classical pieces, mostly from the modern era. Of special interest, noted Emery, is the set by Church of the Brethren composer Shawn Kirchner, titled "Heavenly Home: Three American Songs."

Additional Starlight Tea concerts for the 2023-2024 season will take place on select Saturdays, unless otherwise noted. These concerts will feature the Gabriel Chamber Ensemble (formerly Pennsylvania Chamber Players) on Sept. 16; Temple Avenue on Oct. 21; Elan Ensemble on Nov. 25; Lancaster COB choirs presenting Epiphany concerts on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 6 and 7, 2024; the F&M Chamber Singers on March 2; and Mennonite Children's Choir on April 13. All concerts will take place at 7 p.m. except the Jan. 7 concert, which will begin at 3 p.m.

Admission is free, and freewill offerings will be received. Tea and cookies will be served following each concert. For more information about the series, contact planning committee chair Giny Mackey at 717-201-8450 or Emery at 717-468-3558.