'PLASTIC OCEAN' LAUNCHING AT F&M
Capt. Charles Moore, founder of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation and the first person to identify the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, will launch his new book, "Plastic Ocean," with a lecture and signing at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, in Room 142 of the Life Sciences and Philosophy Building at Franklin & Marshall College.

Moore, captain of a oceanographic research vessel, found a huge "plastic soup ... lightly seasoned with plastic flakes, bulked out here and there with 'dumplings': buoys, net clumps, floats, crates and other 'macro debris' " floating between Hawaii and California in 1997. The environmentalist became a scientist-activist focusing on the effects of plastic being ingested by ocean creatures and working its way up the food chain to poison humans.

'CHRISTIAN AMERICA' AUTHOR SPEAKS
Is America a nation founded on peace, reconciliation and justice for the poor — or wealth, power and empire?

That's a question Messiah College religion professor Richard Hughes raised in his 2009 book, "Christian America and the Kingdom of God." The book analyzed Scripture and reviewed U.S. history, contrasting the biblical view of the "kingdom of God" with the idea of U.S. as a "Christian nation."

Hughes, the first speaker in the church's 2011-2012 Guest Speakers & Musicians Series, will discuss his book and his views on peacemaking and economic justice at 11:45 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 30, at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Lancaster, 538 W. Chestnut St.

His talk is free to the public. For more information, call the church office at 393-1733.

Upcoming series speakers include authors Galen Guengerich (March 18, 2012) and Kate Braestrup (April 29, 2012).

LITERARY JOURNAL ON SALE
The Fall 2011 issue of Rapportage, journal of the Lancaster Literary Guild, is now on sale to nonmembers at Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 1700-H Fruitville Pike. It is priced at $10.

The full-color 104-page publication, with Sufi poet Bulleh Shah on its cover, has articles on this season's lecturers, including Robin Robertson, Mark Doty, Jeff Deck and Donald Davis.

The late editor of Baer's Almanac,Gerald Lestz; local playwrights Sandy Asher and Barry Kornhauser; and the county's current poet laureate Daina Savage are also featured, along with articles on Emily Dickinson's gardens, Anne Frank's chestnut tree, New York City literary sites and other topics .

MINISTER RELEASES FIRST NOVEL
The Rev. Dudley E. Danielson, of Manheim Township, says his new novel, "though fiction ... is as true as I dare to write it."

"The Congregation," just released through Publish America," tells of a widowed pastor in upstate New York whose sermons reveal what goes on behind the pulpit and reflect God's presence in his life and the lives of the congregants. Readers may not be members of this particular parish, but they will recognize "The Congregation's" characters' loves, losses, temptations, despair and triumphs nonetheless, the author says.

Danielson will sign his book from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, at Aaron's Books, 43 S. Broad St., Lititz. The 340-page paperback, priced at $15.95, is also available at publishamerica.com.

POET FEATURED AT E-TOWN
For the past 30 years, David Clewell has contributed to the definition of modern American poetics. He'll lead a craft workshop concerning those poetics and what makes a poem distinctly American at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, and read from his work, which includes "Jack Ruby's America," at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28.

Both free, public events take place at Bowers Writers House, Elizabethtown College. For more information, contact Jesse Waters at writershouse@etown.edu or 689-3945.

TEEN, SENIOR WRITING WORKSHOPS
Students from Franklin & Marshall College's Writers House are offering two free creative writing workshops at Lancaster Public Library: one for teens and another for seniors.

• Teens are invited to participate from 6-7:30 p.m. on four Wednesdays, Oct. 26 through Nov. 16. To register, call 394-2651, ext.124, or email youthservices@lancaster.lib.pa.us.

• Seniors are invited to participate from 1:30-3 p.m. on four Fridays, Oct. 28-Nov. 18. To register call 394-2651, ext. 105, or email askus@lancaster.lib.pa.us.

Registration deadline for both workshops is Monday, Oct. 24.

THIS LIBRARY FUNDRAISER ROCKS
Manheim Township Public Library will host Rockin' the Stacks fundraiser 7-11 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, at the library. It features a chance auction, live entertainment from Meta4 and the Roof Rockers, dancing, drinks and gourmet cuisine. A red carpet preface will kick off the evening; a candy, cookie and coffee bar will conclude the event.

Tickets start at $75 each and must be ordered in advance by visiting nightatthelibrary.com" target="_blank">nightatthelibrary.com or calling Lori Dietrich at 560-6441, ext. 304.