By Karen Vance
Enquirer contributor

A group of downtown faithful spend their lunch hour every Wednesday in a unique place - church.

They come in business suits and casual clothes from all over the city and across denominations.

About 50 regulars come to Covenant First Presbyterian Church at Eighth and Elm streets, downtown, each week, sharing prayer, music, scripture and sermon, and then sharing lunch.

"We're trained for everything but Godliness," Rev. Ted Kalsbeek said from the pulpit during a recent noon service. "How much attention do we give to the feeding of our soul and the deepening of our faith?"

That's just what many hope to do at the "Inspiration at Noon" services. The church used to have 450 to 500 people coming to the services, but attendance dropped and the services stopped. Then in the late 1990s, Associate Pastor Kalsbeek resurrected the services, said Phil Cameron, 57, of East Walnut Hills, an elder at the church.

Cameron works downtown and finds the services are an important part of his week. He also enjoys eating lunch with other attendees, like fellow lawyer Cedric Vogel, 57 of Hyde Park.

"I really enjoy the themes and the message," Vogel said. "And I enjoy the fellowship at lunch. These are my friends."

He usually attends Crossroads Community Church on the weekends.

William Helton Jr., 60, who regularly attends Christ Episcopal Church, attends every week and brings his son, W. Curry Helton, 15, when he can. Curry finds the short service beneficial.

"The messages are shorter and to the point," he said. "I really enjoy coming."

The church serves lunch for $4 a half-hour before and after the service.

For information, call 621-4144.

Divorce support group

DivorceCare, a recovery and support group, will meet Mondays from Sept. 8 to Nov. 24 from 7-8:45 p.m. at Cornerstone United Methodist Church, 7600 Princeton-Glendale Road, West Chester.

To register, call the church at 874-0910.

International bible study

The International Bible Study Fellowship, an organization founded in 1952 with now nearly 1,000 classes worldwide, will begin an evening women's group at King of Kings Lutheran Church in Mason from 6:55 to 8:45 p.m. Mondays.

Day women's groups meet at Lakeside Christian Church in Lakeside Park, Ky., 9-11 a.m. Tuesdays and at Kenwood Baptist Church on 9:10-11:10 a.m. Wednesdays. An evening men's group meets Mondays at Montgomery Community Baptist Church from 6:55 to 8:45 p.m.

To submit religion news, e-mail kvance@fuse.net or send a fax to 755-4150.