Calvary Baptist
Calvary Baptist Church will celebrate 137 years of ministry in Salisbury and Spencer this week during homecoming activities. Calvary Church was organized in 1871 and continues to be active in the communities surrounding the church.
Coinciding with homecoming, Calvary will sponsor a booth at the Rowan County Fair and will give away free audio CDs to those who stop by.
Calvary Baptist is also supporting the showing of the movie, “Fireproof Your Marriage” and the pastor will be bringing a series of messages titled, “Marriage 9-1-1.” Home Study Groups are planned around the “marriage” theme throughout the community.
Calvary celebrates homecoming Sunday, with Sunday school at 9:45 a.m. and morning worship at 10:45 a.m. with an extended musical concert by Valor III from Statesville.
Following the morning worship service, the church will have a meal together in the fellowship hall.
The public is invited to attend these activities and a nursery will be provided for the services
Calvary Baptist Church is located at 2255 East Ridge Road.
Gay’s Chapel
Gay’s Chapel United Methodist Church, 5545 Woodleaf Road, will celebrate its annual homecoming Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
After the service, a covered dish meal will be served under the picnic shelter. Please bring a covered dish and plan to stay for lunch.
The guest preacher for the day will be the Rev. Earl Cook. He served the church from 1970 to 1973. He is retired now and resides in Morganton.
On Jan. 5, 1836, Clancy Gay gave enough land for the first church and it became known as Gay’s Chapel Methodist Church, being established in 1839. In 1883, the old church was torn down and a new one was built on the same spot. This building burned in 1893.
For five years, Gay’s Chapel Methodist held services on the church grounds under the old brush arbor. In 1897, a new building was erected. This structure was removed in 1951 and the present church building was constructed at that time.
The Rev. Tony Jordan is Gay’s Chapel pastor.
Christ Episcopal
CLEVELAND ó The Rev. Kenneth H. Saunders III, rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Cleveland, will deliver the 10:30 a.m. homecoming service on Sunday. Saunders was called in July of 2007 to serve as Christ Church’s transitional deacon in charge.
On Dec. 21, 2007, the Rev. William O. Gregg, Ph. D., assistant bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, ordained Saunders to the Sacred Order of Priests in Christ’s One, Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. His first celebration of Holy Eucharist was Dec. 23.
Christ Church, the third-oldest church in the county, was admitted into union with the Diocesan Convention on April 28, 1821. The congregation was originated some years before, and the history of its beginning reaches back into the last half of the 18th century, before the Revolutionary War. The 181st anniversary was in April of this year.
A covered dish lunch will follow the service in the White Family Picnic Shelter.
On Saturday, Sept. 20, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. the church will hold its annual country fair, rain or shine, on the church grounds. There will be food, entertainment, auction, quilt raffle, big yard sale, homemade desserts for sale and more.
Christ Church is located at 3430 Old US Highway 70 in Cleveland.
World of Faith
The World of Faith Outreach Center, 220 E. Horah St. is holding three nights of revivals, Sept. 14-16.
The services will be 7 p.m. each evening. The speaker is Bishop Kevin Bost Sr.
For more information, call 704-642-1174.
For a ride contact 704-754-1240.
Mount Tabor UMC
Mount Tabor United Methodist Church celebrates its annual homecoming this Sunday.
Originally known as Lebanon Methodist Church, Mount Tabor has a historic background. Services were first held in a brush arbor located between Ellis Cross Roads and Franklin. This tract of land contained two acres and was bought for the sum of one dollar on Nov. 6, 1847. This property is now owned by the estate of Henry Shuping.
In 1874 the church was moved to the present location on Old Mocksville Road. This property was bought for the sum of $65 from Carolina Chunn and contained 4.9 acres. Sallie Chunn gave the church the name of Mount Tabor because of its location on a knoll. She also raised the necessary money for a Bible, communion set, and carpet by asking friends for donations.
According to Chunn, the first pastor was Reverend Stevenson. First members were George Koon, Richard Walker, Dr. M. L. Chunn, J. A. Hudson, Peter L. Monroe, D. Pennington and families. The first wedding performed was that of Sarah Monroe and Ashby Miller.
Returning to preach the 11 a.m. service will be the Rev. Don Newman who served Mount Tabor from 1994 to 1997. He is currently the pastor of Center United Methodist Church, Concord. His wife, Brenda, is also a United Methodist minister and they have two sons, Alex and Jacob.
Presently serving Mount Tabor since 2004 is the Rev. Dale Bost.
The public is invited to this worship at 4520 Old Mocksville Road and to dinner which immediately follows the service.
First Calvary Baptist
The Rev. Dr. James D. Ballard, evangelist and Baptist minister, began a quarterly revival series at First Calvary Baptist Church in March. He will continue the series of sermons at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17. The worship series will conclude Dec. 17. The public is invited to attend these services, which will be held in the sanctuary, located at 400 S. Long Street.
Ballard, a native of High Point, has a career as theologian, educator and civil rights advocate spanning more than 53 years. He currently serves as interim pastor at First Baptist Church in Fuquay-Varina and is former pastor at United Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church in Winston-Salem. He is a member of the general board of the General Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, the general board of the Lott Carey Foreign Missions Convention and the general board of the National Baptist Convention USA Inc.
The Rev. Leamon E. Brown is pastor of First Calvary.
For more information, call 704-633-2818.
Salem Lutheran
Salem Lutheran Church begins a new weekly worship schedule this Sunday.
Each Sunday now includes “Salem Spirit,” a praise worship experience at 8:30 a.m., and a traditional worship service at 10:45 a.m.. Sunday school now begins at 9:45 each week.
The Salem Spirit contemporary service has been meeting twice each month since June of 2006, and its reception has been so encouraging that it will now be offered weekly.
Music at Salem Spirit is provided by a band and singers, and the words are projected on screens at the front of the church. The music is constantly being updated as new songs make their way to the forefront of contemporary Christian music.
Salem member Don Coggins, Associate Pastor Doug Hefner and others provide leadership to the band.
Salem will continue to offer a worship service using the traditional liturgical forms that most people associate with Lutheran congregations. The 10:45 a.m. service each week will be dedicated to traditional hymns, liturgy and lessons.
The adjustments in time for Sunday school and the traditional service were made to give enough time to Sunday school and to encourage time for fellowship each week.
Sunday there will also be a recognition of those who are entering instruction for confirmation.
For more information, contact Pastors Don Phillips or Doug Hefner at 704-646-0352.
Coburn Methodist
Homecoming will be held at Coburn Memorial United Methodist Church, 901 S. Church St., Sunday.
A combined worship service of Coburn Memorial UMC and Park Avenue UMC will be held at 11 a.m. at Coburn. The Rev. Annalee Allen will be the speaker and the Coburn Memorial Handbell Choir will perform.
A covered dish lunch will follow at noon in the fellowship hall . All members and friends of Coburn Memorial and Park Avenue and are cordially invited.
Faith Baptist
FAITH ó Faith Baptist Church, 203 N. Main St., will celebrate its 110th anniversary Sunday with a service beginning at 10 a.m.
Special music will be provided by Blue Ridge, a Southern gospel group from Franklin. They have toured extensively throughout the United States and Canada and have 22 recordings and more than 220 songs of which nine have been released nationally in the U.S. to Christian radio and have charted in the national top 100.
After a short break, a service of worship will begin at 11 a.m. with the Rev. Joel Dover delivering the message. He is senior pastor of Central Baptist Church in Athens, Ga.
Dover is a doctor of ministry candidate at Luther Rice University in Litionia, Ga., and a graduate of Liberty Theological Seminary where he earned his master of divinity and M.A.R. degrees. He has been active in church work since 2000.
Dover is the son of Bill and Kay Dover of Salisbury. He and his wife, Kimberly, have one daughter.
During the service, a PowerPoint video will be shown of the history of Faith Baptist Church, and there will be books of the church history available. Special history display cases have been built and will be filled with artifacts from the past.
The service will be followed with a covered dish meal served in the fellowship hall.
The Rev. Joseph Smith is pastor of Faith Baptist.
New Hope AME Zion
SPENCER ó New Hope AME Zion Church, 1470 N. Long St. will celebrate homecoming Sunday.
The order of the day is as follows: 9:30 a.m. ó rededication service for the cemetery at 616 N. Salisbury Ave., Spencer. Pilgrimage to current church will follow the service.
10:30 a.m. ó signing New Hope’s Book of Life.
11 a.m. ó morning service, the Rev. M. Alexander Harden will deliver the message.
1:30 p.m. ó lunch will be served.
3 p.m. ó afternoon service, the Rev. Thomas Lee, pastor of Southern City Tabernacle AME Zion Church, his choir and congregation will be in charge of the service.
New Hope will host revival services 7 p.m. nightly, Monday through Thursday.
The revivalists are for Monday and Tuesday the Rev. Arthur L. Heggins, pastor of St. Luke Baptist Church in Salisbury, and Wednesday and Thursday the Rev. D’Andre W. James-Daniels, pastor of St. Matthews AME Zion Church in Kansas City, Mo.
The Rev. M. Alexander Harden is the pastor at New Hope.
For more information, call 704-633-7548.
Christiana Lutheran
Dr. Carl E. Braaten, one of the leading theologians of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, will speak at Christiana on Tuesday at 7 p.m. There will be a meet and greet with refreshments at 6:30 p.m.followed by Braaten’s presentation: “Theological Issues Troubling the ELCA.”
Braaten is author of more than a dozen books including his latest, “That All May Believe: A Theology of the Gospel and the Mission of the Church.”
He served for 25 years as professor of systematic theology at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and retired after 10 years as executive director of the Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology.
Braaten’s visit is sponsored by Lasting Word. All pastors and laypersons are invited and encouraged to attend.
Christiana Lutheran Church is located at 6190 U.S. 5, across from Erwin Middle School and East Rowan High School.
For directions, visit www.christianaelc.org or call the church office at 704-279-4655.
Blackwelder Park
KANNAPOLIS ó Blackwelder Park Baptist Church, 2204 Summit Ave., Kannapolis, will be celebrating with “Operation: Community” Sunday, 4-7 p.m..
This day is being set aside to welcome neighbors and let them know the church cares about them. There will be activities for all ages, with inflatables, a car cruise-in, food and music.
Midway through the event, there will be a drawing for an iPod shuffle, $50 gas card and other giveaways.
The church is located at 2299 N. Main St.
Call 704-932-4266 for more information.
Wittenberg Lutheran
GRANITE QUARRY ó The Rev. Dr. Bill Mims, former pastor of Wittenberg Lutheran Church in Granite Quarry, will speak at the church Sunday at 10 a.m. The Rev. Thomas Cogan, pastor of Wittenberg, will conduct the service.
A celebration covered dish lunch will follow the service. All visitors are invited to stay for lunch.
Pastor Mims is North Carolina Synod coordinator for the Book of Faith Initiative and teaches classes at Lenoir -Rhyne University in Hickory. He was chairman of Lutherock/Lutheridge and before retiring as a pastor, he was at Beth Eden Lutheran Church in Newton. He was pastor of Wittenberg from 1972-1974.
The service is a celebration of Holy Cross Sunday, one of the lesser festivals. The adult choir, under the direction of Robin Cogan, will sing, “Surely the Presence of the Lord is in this Place” and “The Old Irish Blessing.” Holy Communion will be celebrated.
Wittenberg is located at the corner of Bank and Oak streets in Granite Quarry.
Open Door
East Spencer ó Open Door Outreach Deliverance Ministries, located at 211 Correll St. in East Spencer, will be celebrating its seventh church anniversary Wednesday through Sunday at 7 p.m. nightly, and concluding on Sunday, Sept. 21 at 3:30 p.m.
The guest speakers will be Wednesday ó Minister Cuthrell, Salisbury; Thursday ó Apostle White, Kannapolis; Friday ó Overseer Roseboro, Mount Holly; and Saturday óPastor Brice,Gastonia.
At the 11 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 21 morning service, Minister Cuthrell will speak. Services will conclude that Sunday with Bishop Smith of Gastonia speaking at 3:30 p.m.
Karen Foxx, is church pastor and Carla Platt is co-pastor.
For information or transportation, call 704-433-3006.
Ardis Chapel
Ardis Chapel AME Zion Church will be holding its 2008 revival and homecoming services.
Revival services are 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Homecoming will be at 11 a.m. Sept. 21, with a dinner at 1:30 p.m., and concluding with an afternoon service at 3 p.m.
Elder Byron Washington, associate pastor of the Embassy Church, International, Greensboro, will conduct a revival service Monday.
Tuesday’s service will be conducted by the Rev. Tony Henderson, pastor of Mount Lebanon AME Zion Church of Elizabeth City.
The Rev. Sharon Jenkins, pastor of Mount Ariat AME Zion Church of Richburg, S.C., will conduct the Wednesday service.
Thursday’s service will be led by the Rev. George E. McKain II, pastor of Victory Tabernacle AME Zion Church in Lancaster, S.C.
The Sunday morning service will be led by the Rev. Kathy F. Grace of Grace AME Zion Church in Raleigh. The Sunday afternoon service will be conducted by the Rev. Calvin Miller, presiding elder of Winston-Salem district of the Western North Carolina conference.
T.M. Kendall is pastor of Ardis Chapel.
Lebanon Lutheran
Lebanon Lutheran Church will celebrate homecoming on Sunday, Sept. 21.
The Rev. Clarence Sifford will be guest pastor. He served Lebanon congregation and community for several years as interim pastor. He and his wife, Faye, reside in Salisbury.
The Rev. John Tucker is presently serving Lebanon.
Sunday school will begin at 9:15 a.m. and the worship service at 10:30 a.m. A covered dish meal will be served in the fellowship hall after the service. All members, family and friends are invited.
Liberty AME Zion
COOLEEMEE ó Liberty AME Zion Church, 271 Gladstone Road, Cooleemee, will be holding a homecoming celebration Sept. 21 at 3 p.m.
The speaker will be the Rev. Louis Hunter Jr., pastor of New Hope AME Zion Church in Lewisville, accompanied by his choir and congregation.
The Rev. Dr. Bertha Pittman is pastor of Liberty.
The theme of the service will be “A New Beginning-Taking it to the Next Level.”
A picnic dinner, consisting of fried chicken, potato salad, cake and sweet potato pie will be served on the lawn at 1:30 p.m.
For more information, call 704-680-6659.
St. Hildegard Feast
WINSTON-SALEM ó St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 520 Summit St., Winston-Salem, will hold a service celebrating the feast day of Hildegard of Bingen at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 21.
Music will be provided by the women of St. Paul’s parish choir. A reception in the garden will follow.
Landis First UMC
LANDIS ó First United Methodist Church, 209 E. Mill St., Landis, will celebrate homecoming on Sunday, Sept. 21 at 11:45 a. m. The speaker will be the Rev. Kay Gottula.
All former members and families are invited. A basket lunch will be held in the fellowship hall after the worship service.
First UMC will hold a community blood drive from noon-3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28 in the fellowship hall. Walk-ins are welcome.
St. Paul’s Lutheran
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church will observe its annual homecoming celebration Sunday.
The speaker will be the Rev. Donald Safrit, currently serving as interim pastor at Messiah Lutheran Church in Salisbury. A covered dish meal in the picnic shelter will follow the worship service.
St. Paul’s celebrated its 178th anniversary in March this year.
The public is invited to this Sunday’s service of homecoming and remembrance.
Northside Baptist
CHARLOTTE ó Joe Smith, team manager for USA Olympic Boxing will speak at at Northside Baptist Church, 333 Jeremiah Blvd. in Charlotte at 10:30 a.m. Sunday as part of the church’s 54th anniversary celebration.
Smith has just completed his work with the 2008 Olympic boxing team in Beijing, China. He has been involved with boxing for approximately 20 years, first as a father, then a coach and referee. Because of his work with youth, Smith was selected as a torchbearer for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, running a leg of the journey in Knoxville, Tenn. He works with the Chattanooga area Y-CAP program, a program for at-risk youth ages 10-14. This outreach includes after-school mentoring, tutoring, group counseling and learning the discipline of sports, particularly boxing.
Prayer Circle
The Indian-Native American Yadkin Valley Eastern Council, centered at Salisbury, will gather at the Longhouse, 312 Henderson St., Tuesday. The grandson of an Indian chief and holy man will be the honored guest. The potluck supper will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a spiritual prayer circle to follow. Local leaders, chiefs and clan mothers include “Silver Willow” Jo Smith, Jerry Nail “Silent Wolf,” George and Ann Waller, David and Barbara Waller and the Rev. Dr. Fleming Otey “Holy Eagle.” For information call 704-640-022 or 704-633-2409.