The First Presbyterian Church of Astoria will host a two-part program on the recently released movie, “Amazing Grace.” The public is welcome to attend any or all parts of the program.

“Amazing Grace” is a true story about William Wilberforce, a member of the British Parliament who worked to abolish the slave-trade in Great Britain. He was influenced by his friend, John Newton, the captain of a slave trading ship, who later became a Christian and was inspired to write the words to the hymn, “Amazing Grace.”

Part 1 of the series, “Friday Night at the Movies: Amazing Grace,” will be presented at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 22 at the First Presbyterian Church, located at 1103 Grand Ave. Participants will view the movie, “Amazing Grace,” which lasts approximately two hours. Snacks and beverages will be provided.

Part 2 of the series, “Dr. Lon Fendall: Lessons in Transformation and Courage,” will be presented at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 24 in the church sanctuary. Lunch will be provided in the Fellowship Hall following the service. After lunch, Fendall will facilitate a discussion on “Wilberforce, the Man and the Movie.”

Fendall is the director of the Center for Peace and Justice and the Center for Global Studies at George Fox University. He is the author of “To Live Free – William Wilberforce: Experiencing the Man, The Mission, The Legacy.”

Trained as a historian, Fendall was a staff member for U.S. Sen. Mark Hatfield for 10 years. He returned to academia as a faculty member with an interest in peace studies. He has led or participated in peace education in Northern Ireland, Haiti, the Philippines, Kenya and Burundi.