The dean of the graduate school at Bob Jones University will speak at the homecoming service Sunday at Trinity Baptist Church, 735 Klumac Road, Salisbury.
Dr. Steve Hankins, of Bob Jones University in Greenville, S.C., is the guest speaker for the church’s fourth anniversary homecoming.
The service begins at 11 a.m.
Hankins has served as professor in Bible, theology, apologetics and church ministry. While at the university, he also has held positions as senior and youth pastor in fundamental Baptist churches.
Hankins also has served in the mission field and currently serves on the board of Frontline Missions International. He is the author or coauthor of 15 books and study guides.
The Rev. Dr. Walter Kirk serves as pastor of Trinity Baptist.
Smith Chapel
CLEVELAND ó Homecoming will be held Oct. 12 at Smith Chapel Apostolic Holiness Church, 1735 Mt. Tabor Church Road, Cleveland.
The guest minister for the 11 a.m. service will be Brenda B. Lewis of Poughkeepsie, N.Y. She is a graduate of South Rowan High School, Livingstone College and Poughkeepsie Bible College, where she received her Masters degree in theology.
For the 3 p.m. service the guest speaker is Overseer Ivy Cowan of Emmanuel Pentecostal Churches of Candor and Woodleaf and Dr. John Parker and his congregation of True Temple Church, Statesville.
Bishop Author Wayne Brown is the senior pastor of Smith Chapel.
First Baptist Church
CHINA GROVE ó First Baptist Church of China Grove, located at 302 Patterson St., will be celebrating their homecoming on Sunday, Oct. 12. This is the 120th anniversary. The morning worship service begins at 10:45 a.m., preceded by Sunday school at 9:45 a.m.
The Rev. Brent Barker, the associational missionary of the Rowan Southern Baptist Association, will be the speaker.
Barker is a hometown fellow and graduate of North Rowan High School. He has received a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from North Carolina State University and a Master of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Presently, he is working on his Doctor of Ministry and expects to obtain it next year.
After serving as pastor of three churches in Louisiana and Mississippi, Barker, his wife Laura, and children Wesley and Laura Katherine worked alongside the 42 Southern Baptist churches making up the Rowan Southern Baptist Association in 2007.
The community is invited to join in the morning celebration. A meal will be served after the service. A nursery will be provided.
For more information, please call the church office at 704-857-5415.
Saint John’s Lutheran
Saint John’s Lutheran Church will hold a service at its retreat property Sunday, where members will celebrate a service of Holy Communion at 10:30 a.m. This retreat service will bring together worshippers who normally attend the Center Celebration and the 11 a.m. traditional services.
After the service there will be a covered dish luncheon, and outdoor games. Guests are asked to bring lawn chairs, blankets, and a picnic dish.
If it rains, the service will be conducted in the sanctuary at 10:30 a.m., and the other activities will be canceled.
The regular 8:30 a.m. service will still be held in the chapel.
Directions: Go north through Salisbury and Spencer on North Main Street, or North on I-85 to Exit 81. At Circle J Barbeque, turn right on Long Ferry Road and proceed across I-85. Go 2.8 miles to Leonard Road and turn left. Go 2.6 miles and turn left onto Mockingbird Lane. Then go 100 yards and turn left again, onto the property.
Blessing of animals
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 930 S. Main St., will once again host “The Blessing of the Animals” in honor of the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, today at 2 p.m.
All creatures, large and small, are welcome.
Pets must be kept on a leash at all times. Cats and other small animals will feel safest kept in a crate. Please muzzle or crate any potentially aggressive pets. Be prepared to scoop poop and bring a photo if bringing your pet is difficult.
Visit http://stpaulsepiscopalsalisburync.org/blessing2008.html for more information.
Bethel Life Center
KANNAPOLIS ó Bethel Life Center, on 1209 Opal St., Kannapolis, will be hosting an anniversary celebration for The Anointed Voices this Sunday. Doors will open at 3 p.m. and the program will start at 4 p.m.
The master of ceremonies is Roland Carter. The cost is $10 at the door.
The program will feature the Singing Disciples of Baltimore, Md., Fresh Anointed of Wingate, Little Roy and Revelations of Hopkins, S.C., Voices of Morning Star of Charlotte, The Anointed Vessels, of Charlotte, BB & The Spiritual Voices of Mooresville, New Brothers of Faith of Salisbury, and the Bethel’s Men Praise Team, of Kannapolis.
White Rock AME Zion
GRANITE QUARRY ó The deaconess board of White Rock AME Zion Church will celebrate Deaconess Day sunday at 4 p.m.
The theme is “Consecrated Servants of God Dedicated to Serve All Mankind.” The speaker for the occasion is the Rev. Clarence J. Shuford Jr., pastor of St. Phillips AME Zion Church, Greensboro. He will be accompanied by his choir, deaconess and members.
Shuford is a native of Granite Quarry. He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry Degree at Hood Theological Seminary. He received a Master of Divinity degree from the Chandler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, Ga., and a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from North Carolina Central University in Durham. He is also a graduate of East Rowan High School.
Prior to his appointment to St. Phillips he served as presiding elder of the Spartanburg district AME Zion churches, pastor at Rice Chapel AME Zion Church in Buffalo, S.C., and as resident chaplain at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center.
Presently, Shuford is a member of the Greensboro Pulpit Forum, religious affairs chairperson for the Greensboro chapter of NAACP, board member of Future Ladies and Men of Tomorrow, and a member of the Community Education Committee in Guilford County. He is an ordained elder in the AME ZIon Church.
He is the oldest child of Virginia Clarke Shuford and the late Clarence J. Shuford Sr. He grew up as a member of White Rock AME Zion Church.
Edrena Beatty is the Deaconess president. The Rev. William Gullick is host pastor.
United House of Prayer for All People
The congregation of the United House of Prayer for All People will be attending services in Charlotte Oct. 3-5, celebrating the 82nd annual Holy Convocation at 2321Beatties Ford Road-the United House of Prayer for All People Mother House.
Bishop C.M. Bailey, national leader, will be present at the8 p.m. Friday and Saturday services.
There will be a band competition Saturday afternoon on the sanctuary grounds.
Baptismal services will be held on Sunday at 11 a.m.
Apostle A.M. Oakley Sr. is the pastor of the local sanctuary.
Solid Rock Church
Solid Rock Church of God is holding revival Tuesday, Oct. 7 through Thursday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. nightly.
The guest preachers will be: Tuesday-the Rev. John Bankhead, associate minister, Rosehill Baptist Church, Kannapolis; Wednesday-the Rev. Michael Flowers, pastor, Liberty Hill Baptist Church, Waxhaw; Thursday: the Rev. David Lockhart, pastor, First Church of God, Concord.
The Rev. Samuel A. Washington is host pastor.
Safe Harbor Baptist
The Victorious Valley Home for boys and girls will be featured in services at Safe Harbor Baptist Church on Oct. 10-11.
Brother Johnny McGill from Sunset, S.C., will speak. Special singing will be provided by Susan McGill and the girls home each night. Services will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Friday night and at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
Pizza will be served after the service on Saturday night. Everyone is invited to attend.
Safe Harbor Baptist Church is located at 270 Dunns Mountain Church Road., just inside the Granite Quarry city limits off of Highway 52. Turn between Fred’s and the Dollar General Store.
The church pastor is Rick Perry.
World of Faith
World of Faith Outreach Ministries Inc., 220 E. Horah St., announces their 7th annual appreciation service, honoring Bishop Kevin Bost Sr., 7 p.m. nightly Monday through Saturday and 5 p.m. Sundays, Oct. 1 through 12.
The public is invited to come help the church celebrate this special occasion.
For more information, call 704-642-1174.
Word of Life
The Word of Life Family Worship Center Pastor’s Aid and congregation will have Clergy Appreciation services for Dr. Martha Seigle Starks, pastor.
The services will be held Friday, Oct. 10 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 12 during the 11 a.m. service.
Bishop Ronald Hash, pastor of Love Christian Center in East Spencer, will be the speaker on Friday.
On Sunday, the Rev. Dr. Calvin Miller of Salisbury, the presiding elder over the Winston-Salem district of the AME Zion Church will be the speaker.
Starks is married to Elder Clinton Sparks and they reside in Granite Quarry. They have three children.
The church is located at 726 E. Liberty St. in Salisbury. For additional information or transportation, call the church at 704-633-2431.
Kannapolis First BaptistKANNAPOLIS ó First Baptist Church in Kannapolis is preparing to celebrate their 100th anniversary.
On Oct. 11, 1908, a small group of Baptists gathered in Kannapolis to form a Missionary Baptist Church. One hundred years later, First Baptist, 101 N. Main St., is making preparations for a centennial weekend, beginning Friday, Oct. 10, culminating with a special worship service Sunday, Oct. 12 to mark their 100th anniversary.
Kyle Matthews, songwriter, recording artist, and theologian, will lead five sessions of renewal events entitled “Flying Lessons” beginning Friday evening, Oct. 10, at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday sessions continue at 9 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. and the Sunday session will be 9:15-10:25 a.m..
At 10:45 a.m., a centennial worship service will celebrate 100 years of Christian service with special music and guests.
Immediately following the service, the congregation will enjoy a luncheon in the A.L. Brown High School cafeteria. Tickets are available in the church office, 704-938-4697.
Tabernacle of Joy
MOORESVILLE ó Tabernacle of Joy in Mooresville invites the public to fellowship during their Prophetic and Prayer Warrior Conference, Tuesday, Oct. 14 through Saturday, Oct. 18.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 14-15 at 7 p.m., a mass choir workshop will be held. The choir from this workshop will minister nightly during the conference. The Registration fee for this workshop is $5. Anyone interested in singing in the mass choir should attend. You must be present for the rehearsal if you plan to sing in the mass choir.
Thursday, Oct. 16, at 7:30 p.m., Evangelist Laura Parks of Christ Cathedral, Statesville, will bring the Word.
On Friday, Oct. 17, at 7:30 p.m., Overseer Pastor Lucky of Christ Deliverance Temple, Charlotte, will bring the Word.
Saturday morning, Oct. 18 10 a.m.-noon, Pastor S.L. Gillespie of Tabernacle of Joy Ministries will be teaching on the subject of Prayer Warriors. Brunch will be served, registration fee is $10.
To conclude the conference, Oct. 18, at 6 pm, Pastor Montel McClannahan of Lumberton, will bring the Word of God and freely operate in his prophetic gift.
Participants are asked to RSVP by Friday, Oct. 10 so that an accurate count can be given for welcome packets and food.
For more information, please contact the church administrator, Sis. Gloria Gray, at 704-326-7163 or call the church at 704-799-0774.
God’s Tabernacle
ROCKWELL ó God’s Tabernacle for Believers will host their second annual Sunday School Board program on Sunday October 12 beginning at 3:30 p.m.
The guest speaker will be the Rev. Bobby J. Milton, pastor of Boxwood Baptist Church in Mocksville.
God’s Tabernacle for Believers is located at 304 W. Main Street, Rockwell. Reginald McConneaughey is the pastor.
The public is invited to attend.