“Lift Every Voice and Sing: Uniting All People of Faith through Singing” will be presented this Sunday at 4 p.m. at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.
The community choral event was organized by Kay Wright Norman and Phillip E. Burgess and features a massed choir from Downtown Salisbury and Rowan County churches.
Music for the concert will include two hymn medleys and arrangements of “Precious Lord,” “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” and “Down to the River to Pray,” as well as others.
The concert will also feature a performance of the Schubert Mass in G, sung in Latin by the massed choir. Soloists for the event include Rebecca Stinson, Joe Judge, Teresa Moore, and Quentin Woodward and Emil Foster.
The concert will be accompanied by a string ensemble, with Matthew Brown and Phyllis Partee, keyboards. This event is free and open to the public and a reception will follow in the church parish hall.
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church is located at the corner of Church and Council streets in downtown Salisbury.
For more information contact St. Luke’s at 704-633-3221.
South China Grove
CHINA GROVE ó South China Grove Church of God will celebrate 46 years of ministry at its homecoming this Sunday.
The celebration service will begin at 10:30 a.m. and include highlights from the history of the church interspersed with special singing from visiting singers such as “God’s Child,” which is the Mullis family trio from Kannapolis, and soloist Sandy Wise Howell from Highest Praise Family Worship Center.
The morning worship service will be followed by a traditional covered dish homecoming meal. There will be no Sunday school or evening service on this day.
Visitors and past members of the congregation are invited to attend. The church is located at 163 Third Ave. in China Grove.
For more information, contact the pastor, the Rev. Joyce Miles, at 704-467-4555.
Women’s forum
New Hope AME Zion Church is sponsoring a Women’s health and Wellness Fellowship Forum Friday at 6:30 p.m.
Facilitators will be Dr. Stacey Kennedy, M.D., rheumatoid arthritis specialist, and Sylvia Dickerson, family nurse practicioner.
On Oct. 25, the church will have a Women’s Day program, beginning at 3 p.m. Guest speaker will be the Rev. Margaret Roberson Anderson. The theme is “Women Identifying the Challenges for the Mission and the Ministry.”
The church is located at 1470 N. Long St., Ext. The Rev. Kirk A. Reid is pastor.
For more information, call 704-633-7548.
First Presbyterian
KANNAPOLIS ó During its centennial year, First Presbyterian Church in Kannapolis is highlighting its rich heritage of ministry and community service.
One avenue of ministry for which this church was so well known for many years was its weekly Wednesday Community Lunch and Worship Service. For 21 years, between 1980 and 2001, members of the church served a full lunch (at a very minimal charge) and provided a brief but meaningful worship service for those who would come nearly every week. The worship services included special music or messages by a wide array of local ministers and community leaders.
The attendance at these lunches remained surprisingly strong through those 21 years. There was a regular contingent of retirees, mill workers, and local office workers and professionals who came just about every week. There also were a number of senior citizen groups and church circles from throughout Cabarrus and Rowan Counties and beyond who attended occasionally.
First Presbyterian extends an open invitation to a Wednesday Community Lunch and Worship Reunion on Oct. 21. Lunch will be served from 11:45 a.m. until 12:15 p.m., and the worship service will begin around 12:30.
Special Music will be provided by Larry Phillips, retired chief of the Kannapolis Fire Department, and the message will be brought by the Rev. Don Davis, long-time pastor of Memorial Baptist Church and now the mission strategist for the Cabarrus Baptist Association. The church suggests a donation of $5 each for the lunch.
Reservations are requested and can be made by calling 704-938-4623 by Monday.
New Zion Baptist
The New Zion Baptist Church usher board will be celebrating its 77th anniversary Sunday at 3 p.m. The speaker for this occasion will be Pastor Anthony Woodruff of Chinquapin Grove Baptist Church of Mocksville. His choir and congregation will accompany him.
The host pastor is the Rev. Paul Jones Sr. and assistant pastor the Rev. Patrick Jones.
Love Christian Center
EAST SPENCER ó Maxx Promotions presents “Gospel Expo: Songs in Praise Ministry” at Love Christian Center on Oct. 17 at 4 p.m. Love Christian Center is located at 102 N. Long St. in East Spencer.
For more information, or if your group wants to sing, contact Harold Moore Sr. at 704-754-1768.
White Rock AME Zion
GRANITE QUARRY óWhite Rock AME Zion Church will celebrate its 48th annual Women’s Day on Sunday. The theme this year is “Powerful Christian Women of God Plus Prayer Equals Change.”
The Rev. Shirley Mercer, associate pastor of Columbus Chapel AME Zion Church of Davidson, will deliver the 11 a.m. message. The 3 p.m. speaker will be the Rev. Lejeune Gray, associate pastor of Freedom United Church of God of Woodleaf.
As part of the afternoon program, there will be a talent presentation, “The Pew with More Than Enough.”
Dinner will be served immediately after morning worship service.
White Rock will also present a special tribute to Annie Bell Baker, Tryphenia Beatty, Geneva Davis, Narnie Davis, Muriel Lowe, Lilly Mae Mutz, Wilma Shuford, Juanita Sheck, Loraine Strawder and Ollie Wrice. They will be honored for their years of service to the church.
White and purple are the Women’s Day colors this year. Everyone is invited to attend. Brenda Alston is the Women’s Day chairperson. The Rev. Morgan Glenn is the pastor.
Evangelists featured
CHINA GROVE ó Bud and Barbara Lee will be giving testimony through song at South China Grove Baptist Church this Sunday at the 11 a.m. service. The church is located at 501 Haney St. (one block off West Thom Street) in China Grove.
The Lees are full-time traveling evangelists from Kansas City, Mo. Along with revivals and concerts in local churches, they have been featured at the Southern Baptist Convention and many state and regional conventions and conferences.
Bud Lee, baritone soloist and evangelistic worship leader, is an ordained minister. He has served as music director for the Fellowship of Missouri Baptist Evangelists and the Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists.
Barbara Lee, pianist and seminar speaker, is a former music instructor at Arkansas AM&N College (UAPB), Western Baptist Bible College in Kansas City and the University of Missouri at Kansas City Conservatory of Music.
The public is invited to attend this Sunday. There is no charge to attend, but a love offering will be taken.
The Rev. Shane Utley is pastor, and the Rev. Ryan Bennett is youth pastor of South China Grove Baptist.
For information about the church, go to www.scgbc.com. For further information about the Lees, go to www.bblee.org.
Pine Ridge
CHINA GROVE ó Pine Ridge Baptist Church, 880 Old Linn Road, China Grove will begin its new Sunday Adventures class at the 9:30 a.m. Sunday school and worship.
Special music in the morning worship service will be presented by Shellem Cine, from Statesville. He is a Pfeiffer University student.
The morning message will be brought by Pastor George Bradshaw.
There will be prayer rooms at 5:45 p.m. and 6 p.m. worship.
Mt. Calvary Holy
Mt. Calvary Holy Church, 1400 Standish St., will be celebrating First Lady Sadie Victoria Rice at 5 p.m. on Oct. 18.
The speaker will be Pastor Renae McClain of Poplar Springs AME Zion Church in Lincolnton.
Bishop Harvey L. Rice is pastor.
Power Team
Young people ages 12-18 are invited to come join Cornerstone Church at City Parks Recreation Center shelter #1 today at 5-7 p.m. where Ray “Boom Boom” and Jannet Clark of the Famous Power Team will be there for a meet-and-greet session.
The couple will also be special guests for “All Nations Sunday,” 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday at Cornerstone Church. There will be a children’s presentation 8:45-9 a.m. in the All-Star Studio room in the education building, with free autographs.
At 9 a.m., the church will celebrate the different ethnic groups of Rowan county with praise and service, followed by a lunch consisting of cuisine from various ethnicities. (Please bring a dish that represent your culture.) The public is invited.
For more information, call 704-855-1218 x102 or visit www.cornerstone-church.net.
Evening of Joy
CONCORD ó Community Impact Productions presents “An Evening of Joy” 6-8 p.m., Oct. 24.
This is a fundraiser and social gathering with food and a top-notch, 90-minute musical variety show featuring regional talent and entertainers.
Tickets are $10 per person and for groups of six or more, $9 each.
For information on tickets and more, visit www.cip-inc.org.
Sandy Ridge
LANDIS ó Sandy Ridge AME Zion Church, Landis, will be celebrating its 39th annual homecoming and revival services Sunday through Wednesday.
The pastor, the Rev. Anthony Freeman, will deliver the message for the 11 a.m. Sunday service. Music will be provided by the Victory Choir under the direction of Janet Murdock and C. Eugene Caldwell.
The guest speaker for the afternoon service will be the Rev. Dr. Sheldon R. Shipman, pastor of Greenville memorial AME Zion Church in Charlotte. The service will begin at 3:30 p.m.
Revival services will run for three nights. On Monday night, the Rev. Dr. J. Elvin Sadler, pastor of Clinton Chapel AME Zion Church in Charlotte, will bring the message.
The Tuesday speaker will be Elder Bryan J. Pierce Sr., pastor of Bethel Baptist Church Ministries, Kannapolis.
Wednesday will feature Dr. Henry C. McNeill, pastor of East First Baptist Church, Kannapolis.
Choirs and congregations from these churches will join their pastors for the services of praise.
Movie night
CHINA GROVE ó China Grove’s First Baptist Church will be having October Movie Night tonight at 7 p.m., showing Tim Hawkins’ “I’m No Rockstar.” The event is sponsored by the youth of the church.
After the movie, the youth will have game night, including pingpong, foosball and other games.
For more information, visit www.chinagrovefbc.com.
Mount Zion Missionary Baptist
The 17th Pastoral Appreciation Service in honor of the Rev. Dr. Nilous M. Avery II, pastor of Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 1920 Shirley Ave., will be held Sunday.
Associate ministers, the Reverends Linda Dupree, Debra Ellison-Simmon, Sarah Leach, Jerry Miller, Lovetta Miller, Tiffany Miller, Angela Sifford and Donald Simpson will bring “Words of Encouragement” during the 11 a.m. worship service. Music will be provided by the Kingdom Builders Mass Choir.
Beginning at 1:30 p.m., a fellowship dinner and program will follow with various ministries making presentations honoring Avery, who assumed leadership of Mount Zion in October of 1992.
Trinity UMC
KANNAPOLIS ó Trinity United Methodist Church is hosting its 5th annual Fall Festival on Oct. 25 on the front lawn of the church located at 416 E. First St., Kannapolis (across from A. L. Brown High School).
The Festival will be from 3 to 5:30 p.m. There will be game booths, relay games, inflated slide, face painting, pumpkin painting, hayrides and “Trunk or Treat.”
Children are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes if they wish to enter a costume fashion show. There will be hot dogs, popcorn and lemonade.
Everyone is invited to come and join in the fun. Every 15 minutes there will be a drawing to win a prize.
For more information, call 704-933-1127.
New Shepherd
COOLEEMEE ó New Shepherd Baptist Church, 108 Wall St., Cooleemee, will be celebrating its annual homecoming this Sunday at 3 p.m.
Lunch will be served at 1:30 p.m. Bishop Willie Joe Gray, of Freedom United Church of God of Woodleaf and his congregation will be in charge of the services for this occasion.
Revival services will be held Monday through Wednesday at 7 p.m. Rev. Marlin of Fairview Heights Baptist Church of Salisbury will be the speaker for Monday night, Rev. Speas of Moore’s Chapel AME Zion Church of Cleveland will be the speaker for Tuesday night and Rev. Baker of Friendship Baptist Church of Cooleemee will be the speaker for Wednesday night.
New Beginning
KANNAPOLIS ó New Beginning Church, 1124 Thomas Ave., Kannapolis, will hold a Men’s Day program on Oct. 25 at 3 p.m.
The speaker will be the Rev. Fred Thomas, pastor of St. Mary’s in Charlotte, along with his gospel group, Fred Thomas and The Voices of Faith.
For more information call 704 938-2088.
Mighty Miracle
The public is invited Sunday to the 3 p.m. fellowship service at Mighty Miracle Temple Church.
The guest speaker for the hour will be Assistant Pastor Rachel Chambers of Holy Vision Church, Statesville. The senior pastor is Michael Turner.
Mighty Miracle is located at 117 Long Ferry Road in Spencer.
For more information contact Bishop E. Hacket, 704-267-2830 or 704-637-0345.
Soldiers Memorial
Soldiers Memorial AME Zion Church, 306 N. Church St., will celebrate homecoming on Sunday. The theme is “Home is Where the Heart Is.”
Morning Worship is at 11 a.m. with the pastor, the Rev. Dr. Grant Harrison Jr., preaching. The afternoon service will begin at 3 p.m. with the Rev. Amy Ciceron and her church members from Shiloh AME Zion Church of Statesville as special guests.
Revival services will begin on Monday and go through Wednesday at 7 p.m. The Rev. Gwendolyn Hampton of St. John AME Church of Mocksville will be the evangelist for the week. Hampton is a native of Jackson, Miss. and an ordained minister of the AME Zion Church, and she served churches in the South Mississippi Conference before transferring to the Western North Carolina Conference to study at Livingstone College. She earned a B.A. degree in Religious Studies there in 2007 and is currently enrolled in the Master of Divinity program at Hood Theological Seminary.
Ciceron worked as a social worker for 13 years, with 11 of those years in Mecklenburg County. She graduated with her Master of Divinity degree from Hood Theological Seminary in May 2005 and was appointed Pastor of Shiloh AME Zion Church in June 2008.
Health screenings
CHARLOTTE ó The 100 Black Men of Greater Charlotte and the Brotherhood of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church will sponsor health workshops and screenings for men on Oct. 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Serious health challenges for African-American men will be discussed. The primary topics include prostate cancer, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, glaucoma and diabetes. Attendees will be educated on the importance of knowing their health-related numbers, such as PSA, cholesterol and glucose levels, and what’s healthy and what’s not. Numerous health care experts will also speak.
There will be valuable handouts distributed as well as give-away items. All men are encouraged to attend this event and to tell other men about it. All male organizations are invited to share this information with their members.
The event begins promptly at 8:30 a.m. with registration and will end at 1 p.m.
This potentially life-saving event will be held at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, located at 3400 Beatties Ford Road. All men are invited to attend this free event. For more information call 704-598-6242.
Health care talks
Following are free health care talks by “Hip for God:”
– Livingstone College, Talk on Diabetes, 6:15-6:45 p.m., Oct. 26. Stephen Ballard Hall. “Praise the Lord” Slender Now class 7-8 p.m., $20 material cost for home and class manual.
– Travel Lodge, Salisbury, Talk on Arthritis, 9:15-9:45 a.m., Oct. 28. “Praise the Lord” Slender Now class 10-11 a.m., $20 material cost.
– China Grove YMCA, Talk on Diabetes, 6:15-6:45 p.m., Oct. 24. “Praise the Lord” Slender Now class 7-8 p.m., $20 material cost.
– Kannapolis Central Baptist, Talk on the Heart, 6:45-7:15 p.m., Oct. 25. “Praise the Lord” Slender Now class 7:15 -8:15 p.m., $20 material cost.
– Gold Hill Wesleyan Church, “Praise the Lord” Slender Now class 7-8 p.m., Oct. 23. $20 material cost.
To register for class, contact 704-603-4125 or HipforGod@carolina.rr.com.