The St. John’s Lutheran Church Men’s Chorus will present its annual spring concert, “How Sweet the Sound,” Sunday at 4 p.m. in the sanctuary of St. John’s Lutheran Church in downtown Salisbury.
Special guest performers will be the St. John’s Handbell Choir.
The concert will feature several different settings of “Amazing Grace,” each a unique treatment of the beloved hymn. Other selections will include “God of Our Fathers,” “Finlandia Hymn,” “This Little Light of Mine,” “Over the Rainbow,” “Aura Lee,” a medley of favorite hymns of faith, several traditional spirituals, and a rousing rendition of the familiar tune, “By the Light of the Silvery Moon.”
The St. John’s Men’s Chorus began in 1992 as a fellowship and outreach ministry of the church. Today it boasts a membership of 40 men, with members from St. John’s and many of the Rowan/Salisbury area churches.
Soloists for this performance include David Agner, Jim Bigger, Frank Goodnight, Ralph Hair, David Hall, Stan Jordan, Norman Sloop, Bob Tannehill, Dan Waggoner, Julius Waggoner, Mike Weddington and Sacha Witt.
The Men’s Chorus is directed by Rosemary C. Kinard, associate parish musician. Robert Durocher, director of Music Ministries, is accompanist for the ensemble, and also directs the St. John’s Handbell Ensemble.
This benefit performance is free and open to the public. A special offering will be received on behalf of Rowan Helping Ministries.
Leaders conference
Today is the final day of the 2008 Ministers and Leaders Conference at Outreach Christian Ministries, 722 W. Horah St.
The theme of the conference is “Embracing the Shift: Equipping Leadership for Effective Ministry in the 21st Century.”
Activities will begin with breakfast at 9:30 a.m., followed by prayer at 10 and worship service at 10:15.
At 10:30 a.m., Session I will be a general session led by Apostle R.E. Taylor of Outreach Christian Tabernacle.
Session II, “Characteristics of a Healthy Church” will be held 11:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m. with Pastor Hiawatha Hemphill of Servant’s Heart Ministries in High Point.
Following lunch, Session II will be held 1-1:50 p.m., “Change: Do I Really Have To?” with Pastor Ron Godbolt of Christ Gospel in Hope Mills.
Session IV, “Thinking Out of the Box” will be led by Pastor Dexter Feeley of Rhema Fellowship Ministries of Monroe.
A 7:30 p.m. worship service will feature Bishop Derek Kelly of New Faith in Lexington.
Registration is $20 and includes breakfast, lunch, all workshops conference materials and gifts. The night service is free and open to the public.
For information call 704-637-9955.
Solid Rock
The Solid Rock Church of God will celebrate its annual Women’s Day program Sunday. Minister Laura A. Washington, the first lady and associate of the church under the pastorate of her husband, the Rev. Samuel Alexander Washington, will deliver the 11 a.m. sermon. She chairs the Women of God Ministry and teaches Sunday School.
Dinner will follow the morning service.
There will also be a 3:30 p.m. service with Minister Kimberly Nash Alexander delivering the Word. She leads the Women’s Ministry of The Park Ministries in Charlotte where her husband, the Rev. Dr. Claude R. Alexander Jr. is the senior pastor.
Minister Alexander is a native of Charlotte and received her bachelor’s degree in speech and language pathology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and her master’s degree from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. She was licensed to preach in February 2002 at University Park Baptist Church.
Alexander is a successful business woman, leading a group of over 100 women to enrich the lives of others. She is also the mother of two young daughters, Camryn and Carsyn.
Woman’s Day
Rose of Sharon Holiness Church will observe Woman’s Day Sunday at 3 p.m. The morning speaker will be First Lady Tangela Booker.
The afternoon speaker will be Minister Shelia Mills of Progressive Out Reach Ministries of Salisbury. Dinner will be served at 1:30 p.m.
The Rev. Charles L. Booker is the host pastor.
Shady Grove
Shady Grove Baptist Church will observe its annual youth revival and women’s day services this month.
The youth revival will be held May 23 and 24 at 7 p.m. The Rev. Patrick Jones, assistant pastor of New Zion Baptist Church in Salisbury will be the guest Speaker.
The women’s day service will be held 3 p.m. May 25. The Rev. Shay Geter, pastor of Zoe Church of Deliverance in Salisbury will be the guest speaker.
Shady Grove is located at 220 Shady Grove Baptist Church Road, Mt. Ulla.
For more information call 704-278-9369.
New Zion Baptist
Teresa Wilson Jones will preach her initial sermon Sunday at 3 p.m. at New Zion Baptist Church, 2785 Dunn’s Mountain Road.
Jones’ parents are Sylvia Kelly Wilson and Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Wilson of Salisbury. She is the wife of New Zion’s assistant pastor, the Rev. V. Patrick Jones Sr., and the daughter-in-law of the church’s pastor, the Rev. Paul Jones Sr.
The public is invited.
Antioch Baptist
GRANITE QUARRY ó Antioch Missionary Baptist Church will observe its annual Usher’s Day Sunday at 3 p.m.
The guest speaker will be the Rev. Joseph Robinson of New Creation Baptist Church, Statesville, along with his choir and congregation.
The Rev. Rickey Johnson is pastor of Antioch, located at 602 S. Salisbury Ave., Granite Quarry.
For more information, call 704-279-5459.
Community Baptist
Mountain Creek Harmony will appear in concert 10:30 a.m. Sunday at Community Baptist Church, 18 Carolina St.
A homecoming meal of chicken and dumplings will follow. Donations for the meal will go to the church’s building fund.
Ardis Chapel
The women of Ardis Chapel AME Zion Church is celebrating Women’s Day. The theme is “Gracious Women of Honor” based on Proverbs 11:16a, “a gracious woman retains honor.”
At Sunday’s 11 a.m. morning worship, Evangelist Tina Wyatt will be the speaker. She is a member of Dorsett Chapel UCC in Spencer, and wife of the pastor, the Rev. R. Thomas Wyatt.
There will be a Sunday afternoon tea at 3 p.m. Jean Kennedy will be the speaker. She is a member of Southern City AME Zion Church in East Spencer. She also serves on the Rowan-Salisbury School Board.
Ardis Chapel is located at 1940 Old Mocksville Road. The Rev. David T. Miller is pastor.
Pine Ridge Baptist
CHINA GROVE ó Pine Ridge Baptist Church, 880 Old Linn Road, is holding its 59th annual homecoming Sunday.
The service will begin at 10 a.m. with special music provided by church groups. Following the music, the morning message will be delivered by Pastor Don Burleson from Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church of Kannapolis.
Burleson served as chairman of deacons at Lake View Baptist Church, Albemarle, under the ministry of Pastor George Bradshaw.
Former members, neighbors and friends are invited to come worship and enjoy lunch in the fellowship hall after the worship service.
There will be no Sunday school and no 6 p.m. service.
For more information, contact Pastor Bradshaw, 704-279-0574.
First Calvary Baptist
First Calvary Baptist Church will observe Missionary Day Sunday at 4 p.m. The annual program is sponsored by the General Missionary Society and will feature more than 100 Women in White from churches throughout the county.
Minister Gay Clark of Greensboro will be the speaker. Special music will be provided by soloists from the adult choir and Minister of Music Winnell B. Short.
Clark entered the ministry in 1983. She is currently a member of Calvary Christian Center. Under the leadership of Pastor Vince Hairston, Clark is involved in the orientation process of new members and the Deacons ministry.
She is assistant director of Frontline International Women’s Ministry and also works with TCT Broadcast Prayer Line.
The program is open to the public and all missionaries are encouraged to wear white.
First Calvary is located at 400 South Long St. The Rev. Leamon E. Brown is pastor.
Gethsemane Baptist
Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church is observing George B. Stowe and GMBC Scholarship Sunday.
Guest speaker at the 10:45 a.m. service will be the Rev. Eric E. Baldwin, pastor of Manasseh Baptist Church, Greensboro.
He became the pastor of Manasseh at the young age of 28. He prepared himself for success by receiving his undergraduate degree at N.C. Central University and has seminary training from Shaw University. He is currently enrolled in Gordon-Cromwell Theological Seminary (Boston University).
He is married to Davishia Jones of Durham, and the father of two daughters, Erica and Elisha.
Scholarship Day continues at 4 p.m. with a musical program including singing, praise dancers and others.
Those attending are invited to wear their favorite college T-shirt.
The Rev. Dr. C. L. Phelps is the pastor and the Rev. J. L. Stowe is pastor emeritus.
Mount Moriah
CHINA GROVE ó Mount Moriah Evangelical Lutheran Church invites the public to their annual congregational picnic and Service in the Park.
The service will be held in the amphitheater at Sloan Park, off N.C. 150 West, just past Millbridge, at 10 a.m. Michael Kotish will be giving the sermon for this informal, lay-led contemporary service.
There will be no Sunday school this week.
Following the service, there will be a pot luck picnic in the adjacent shelter. Visitors are welcome.
For more information, call 704-857-5034.
Sandy Ridge
LANDIS ó Sandy Ridge AME Zion Church will celebrate its 142nd church anniversary Sunday.
Founded in 1866 by a group of former slaves of Rowan County, the church has a continuous line of descendants that is still evident in the majority of the families of the current membership.
The pastor, the Rev. Anthony J. Freeman, will be the speaker for the 11 a.m. morning service. The Sandy Ridge Victory Choir will render the music for the service.
The afternoon service will begin at 3:30 p.m. and will feature the Rev. Bobby L. Smith as guest speaker. He pastored Sandy Ridge from 1992-2005. He has an extensive ministerial tenure in the Western North Carolina Conference of the AME Zion Church. He is currently pastor of Moores Chapel AME Zion Church in Salisbury.
A major component of the afternoon service will be the climax of phase II of a capital campaign building fund initiated in January 2007.
The annual Hall of Fame induction will be including the following members: Lila Partee, Ruth Johnson, Roosevelt Martin, Imogean Martin, James Hinton, William Allison, Josie Blackwell and Shirley Taylor. This honor is bestowed upon members reaching their 70th birthday.
City-wide crusade
SPENCER ó Jerusalem Baptist Church in Spencer is hosting this year’s Interdenominational City-Wide Crusade to be held May 26-30.
The event will include a mass choir consisting of members from many Salisbury and Rowan area churches.
The choir is rehearsing Mondays at 7 p.m. at Jerusalem. Milton Griffith is in charge of music.