St. John’s Lutheran Church and Soldier’s Memorial AME Zion Church will host a Family Music Extravaganza today from 4-5:30 p.m. in the St. John’s sanctuary.
Talented members, young and old, will join voices in a Zion-Lutheran connection.
Afterwards, the public is invited to join singers and others for hot dogs and hamburgers in the St. John’s fellowship hall. Music will be provided during the meal by the teen band Black Lavender.
There is no admission fee. Those attending are invited to make a special offering of canned foods for Rowan Helping Ministries.
Erwin Temple CME
COOLEEMEE ó The Pastor and members of Erwin Temple CME Church will observe the 82nd church anniversary Sunday with special services.
Morning worship will begin at 11 a.m. with devotions and praise led by praise leaders. The pastor, the Rev. Ervin Hannah Jr., will give the sermon. Music will be provided by all the choirs combined. The Praise Dancers will also perform. There will be a special presentation during the morning worship.
Lunch will be served at 2 p.m.
Afternoon worship will begin at 3 p.m. Guest speaker will be the Rev. Dr. Moses Caldwell, pastor of St. John CME Church of Winston-Salem. He will be accompanied by his congregation. Music will be rendered by the St. John choir.
The Erwin Temple CME Church was organized in December 1926, under the leadership of the Rev. J. S. Miller of Asheville who was assigned as pastor. There were 29 charter members.
Worship was held in the original church until 1997 when the current church was built under the leadership of the Rev. Calvin Smith.
The Rev. Ervin Hannah Jr. is the current pastor.
Luncheon fundraiser
Bethel Lutheran Church is holding a fundraiser luncheon Sunday at noon, in the church fellowship hall for Derrick Hagerman and Andy Caudill.
Hagerman was paralyzed from the chest down in a three-wheeler accident, and Caudill is recovering from surgery to remove cancer from his throat and tongue.
The church is accepting free-will donations. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is subsidizing this event.
The menu consists of baked potatoes and sweet potatoes, various salads, desserts and beverages.
Bethel is located at 355 E. Ridge Road in the Franklin area, off Hwy. 601.
St. George’s Episcopal
WOODLEAF ó St. George’s Episcopal Church, Woodleaf, is holding a special service at 3 p.m. Sunday.
St. George’s was designated a historic church in 2007 by the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina.
From 1893 through 1906, St. George’s was a chapel of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Woodleaf, established in 1840. The church was built in 1893 and remodeled in 1928. St. George’s was named for the Rev. George Badger Wetmore, who served as a priest in North Carolina from 1855 to 1888, including serving as priest-in-charge at St. Andrew’s.
The celebrant will be the Rev. Whayne M. Hougland Jr., of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Salisbury.
Hougland is in his fourth year as the 27th rector of St. Luke’s. Prior to his arrival in Salisbury, Hougland served as the canon evangelist at Christ Church Cathedral in Lexington, Ky.
St. George’s is located on Cool Springs Road in Woodleaf.
For information, call Norma Goodson 704-278-2423.
Organ recital
Concert organist Susan Bates will present a recital of organ music 3 p.m. Sunday in the main church of St. John’s Lutheran Church, 200 W. Innes St.
Featured will be the music of J. S. Bach, Buxtehude, Distler, Widor, Dan Locklair and James M. Bates.
Susan Bates serves as organist at West Market Street United Methodist Church in Greensboro. She was educated at Salem College and Yale University and serves as adjunct music faculty at Wake Forest University, and as organ instructor with the Salem College Community Music School. She also plays harpsichord with Carolina Baroque.
She has been heard in recital throughout the Southeast and in southern New England in addition to St. Thomas Church in New York City and St. John’s Episcopal (Lafayette Square) in Washington, D.C. In June 1999, she was honored to participate in morning Mass at the Vatican.
Bates recently released a CD, “Postludes,” recorded on the West Market organ as a legacy of the music ministry and a benefit for the music fund.
The concert is free and open to the public.
This is the first of a series of organ recitals to be presented at St. John’s. The next will feature organist Michael Rowland, on Sept. 28.
For more information, call 704-636-3431.
Frick retires
Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church will honor retiring Pastor Woodrow Frick on Sunday during the morning service.
The anthems and special music will be given to the glory of God and in honor of Pastor Frick and wife, Zelia, for their love of music. They have been very active in the church’s music programs.
Pastor Frick has been Grace’s pastor for more than seven years. His last day at the church is April 30.
Sunday evening, there will be a catered dinner to honor the Fricks .
For more information call 704-857-8641.
Third Creek AME Zion
CLEVELAND ó The public is invited to help Third Creek AME Zion Church celebrate the 10th anniversary of The Grayson Singers at 3 p.m. Sunday.
Guest speaker will be the Rev. Robert Fulwood, pastor of Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church in Cleveland, along with his choir and congregation.
Dinner will be served in the Glenn G. Grayson Fellowship Hall at 1:30 p.m.
The church is located at 415 E. Main St. in Cleveland.
For more information call 704-278-2289.
First Calvary Baptist
The adult choir of First Calvary Baptist Church will observe its anniversary with two events this weekend.
A pre-anniversary program will be held 6 p.m. today featuring several music groups, including The Mighty Pilgrimaires, Messengers for Christ, Fairview Heights Baptist Church Choir, Echoes for Christ and others.
A 4 p.m. program on Sunday will feature the adult choir under the direction of Winnell B. Short.
The public is invited to attend both programs which will be held in the church sanctuary, 400 S. Long St.
The Rev. Leamon E. Brown is pastor.
For more information, call 704-633-2818.
Antioch BaptistGRANITE QUARRY ó The deacons and deaconesses of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, 602 S. Salisbury Ave., Granite Quarry, will observe their annual day Sunday at 3 p.m.
The Rev. John Leazer Jr. of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Concord will be the speaker for the occasion along with his chair and congregation.
The Rev. Rickey Johnson is pastor of Antioch.
National Day of Prayer
CHINA GROVE ó The National Day of Prayer will be observed in China Grove by the South Rowan Ministerial Association at noon Thursday, May 1, at the Gazebo on Main Street.
Ministers and laymen from various churches in the area will be responsible for different parts of the prayer service.
The theme this year is “Prayer! America’s Strength and Shield.” The public is encouraged to join in prayer for the nation, uniting with other prayer services across the country.
For more information, call the Rev. James Byers, president of the South Rowan Ministerial Association, 704-857-3211.
LAMP service
FAITH ó Lutheran Area Musicians and Pastors (LAMP) of Rowan County will sponsor its annual Ascension Worship Service at Faith Lutheran Church Thursday, May 1, at 7 p.m. Guest speaker for the service will be the Rev. Floyd Bost of Salisbury.
Bost has served four parishes during his career and served as interim at many locations. His first call was at Emmanuel in Rockwell, followed by Christ Lutheran in Fairfax, Va. He served 18 years at St. Paul’s in Salisbury and retired from Zion Lutheran in Hickory.
The Rev. Loyd Ginn, pastor of Faith Lutheran, will serve as the celebrant for the joint Ascension Service. Ginn will also read the lesson for the evening.
Holy Communion will be celebrated with both pastors administering the elements. The mode of administration will be by intinction.
Faith Lutheran’s chancel choir will provide special music for the worship service. The choir, under the direction of Don Deming, will sing “Jerusalem” by Stefanovich, accompanied by church organist Daisy Bost.
The service order will follow setting 1 of Evangelical Lutheran Worship and include congregational hymns.
One half of the offering collected at the service will go toward providing a scholarship to Music Week at Lutheridge 2009. The scholarship will be provided for a youth from grades 3-12 and an adult choir director or organist who has never attended Music Week. Applications will be available at the church.
The other half of the offering will go to the Agape Camp Ministries. Checks should be made to LAMP of Rowan County.
Following the Ascension Service, refreshments will be served in the family life center of Faith Lutheran. The church is located at 205 S. Main St. in Faith.
The next LAMP service will be the Reformation Service to be held Oct. 26 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Salisbury.
Singles’ conference
The Word of Life Family Worship Center invites all singles to attend their 2008 Single’s Conference.
The conference will be held on May 2- 4. The theme is “Single, But Not Alone.”Speakers at the conference are the Rev. Glen Usry, pastor and founder of Christian Outreach of the Piedmont, and Dr. Martha Starks who will also be the host pastor for the conference.
The service on Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 11 a.m. will be open to everyone.
On Saturday, there will be two sessions held at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., open to singles who have payed the $10 registration fee.
There will be drawings for door prizes, and other special events for singles.
To register early, or for additional information call 704-633-2431.
Fashion show
CONCORD ó One Heart Women’s Ministry of Crossroads Church invites women, teens and pre-teens to the “Girlfriend’s Guide to Fashion Show” complete with runway and lights at 7 p.m., May 2 .
On hand will be Shari Braendel (of Proverbs 31 Ministry), a nationally known speaker and professional image and fashion consultant.
Girls will learn the best colors and styles to suite body type, discover natural assets , and how dressing modestly can be very fashionable.
Tickets are $8 in advance or $12 at the door, and can be purchased on line at www.xroadschruch.us.
For more information contact rimer@ctc.net.
St. Joseph Catholic
KANNAPOLIS ó St. Joseph Catholic Church will host a Sacred Heart Mission on May 4-7.
The “Blessing of the Children” will be the beginning of four powerful evenings at St. Joseph, located at 108 St. Joseph St., Kannapolis.
The Mission will begin each evening at 7 p.m. and will last until 9 p.m. with refreshments afterwards. There will be books, tapes and icons for sale. Purchases must be made with cash.
Themes for each night include:
– Sunday: “Jesus is Alive.” Bring pictures of friends and family that need healing and blessings.
– Monday: “Jesus Forgives and Forgets.”
– Tuesday: “Opening Our Hearts and Homes to Jesus.”
– Wednesday: “Building a Civilization of Love.”
Children will be an important part of the mission. Each night they will have a different activity, and the “Blessing of the Children” will take place Sunday evening.
For more information, contact the church office at 704-932-4607.