CONCORD ó Vertical Horizons Church kicks off Vertical Edge, a Saturday night event geared toward keeping teens off the street.
The first of the weekly events is tonight, July 16, and lasts from 7-11:15 p.m. There will be music, a message, drama, video, magic, free food, games, ping-pong, air-hockey and more.
The goal of the youth leaders at Vertical Horizons is to provide positive role models and show teens thereís a lot to life without crime, drugs and jail.
Vertical Horizons is at 17 American Ave. Pastor Ron Magnuson is a former reporter and anchor for WSOC.
Visit www.verticalhorizonschurch.com.
ëPraise Himí event
CHARLOTTE ó Missionaries of the Poor and Father Ho Lung and Friends present ěPraise Him!î at the McGlohon Theater at Spirit Square, 345 N. College St. today, July 16 at 2 p.m. and Sunday, July 17 at 4 p.m.
Admission for adults is $20, and children $10. There is free parking at the 7th Street Station parking deck.
Proceeds benefit the new Missionaries of the Poor Womenís Crisis Center in Jamaica and the Tree of Life Mission in Kenya.
For more information, call 704-999-6354 or 704-635-8831.
Maranatha Bible
The Rev. Bill Adams will present an exposition of the 100th Psalm at the 10 a.m. worship service this Sunday, July 17 at Maranatha Bible Church. Adams served for many years as pastor of North Hills Presbyterian Church.
Maranatha is located at 2320 Statesville Blvd. Call 704-637-1995 for details.
Pine Ridge Baptist
CHINA GROVE ó On Sunday, July 17, Pine Ridge Baptist Church will host Janice Roberts from Albemarle, who will be singing a variety of popular gospel songs from 10-11 a.m. Following the 11 a.m. service, lunch will be served in the fellowship hall.
There will be no Sunday school that morning; regular evening worship is at 6 p.m.
The church is located at 880 Old Linn Road between Pine Ridge and Daughtery, 704-279-0574.
World Hope Worship
Sunday, July 17 at World Hope Worship Center has something for everyone.
Experience Bernard Harrisí music ministry at 10:30 a.m. Being a lefty, Harris plays gospel, jazz, R&B and fusion on his piccolo bass ó upside down.
From 5-7 p.m. in the Family Life Center is ěFun in the Son Kids Night of Worshipî with music, games, pizza, prizes, dance and fun for elementary kids. Parents are welcome to stay.
World Hope is located at 2203 Mooresville Road, David Cowger, pastor. Call 704-363-9159.
First Presbyterian
KANNAPOLIS ó With the Gideons International convention in Charlotte this week, First Presbyterian Church will host one of the attendees this Sunday. Tim McCormick from Barnwell, S.C., will be present during the 10:55 a.m. service to give a report from the Gideons. Also during the service, the Vacation Bible School staff will be installed.
For more information, visit www.FirstPresb.org or call 704-938-4623.
Second Presbyterian
Second Presbyterian, Salisbury, welcomes a first time guest to the pulpit. Katherine Lamb, a senior at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Charlotte, will lead in worship Sunday, July 17. Lamb is a member at John Calvin Presbyterian Church and works at the VA in substance abuse rehabilitation as a clinical social worker. Worship begins at 10:55 a.m. The church is located at 732 Lincolnton Road.
Carmel Baptist concert
Southern Gospel singer Mark Bishop, author of The Bishopsí Top Ten songs, will perform at Carmel Baptist Church, Sunday, July 17 at 11 a.m.
A nursery will be provided. The church is located at 2100 Mooresville Road.
St. Luke Baptist
St. Luke Baptist Church, 410 Hawkinstown Road, will celebrate homecoming on Sunday, July 17. The Rev. Arthur L. Heggins, pastor of St. Luke Baptist Church, will deliver the 11 a.m. message. The Rev. Dr. Clary L. Phelps, pastor of Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church, will deliver the 3 p.m. homecoming message. Lunch will be served after the morning service.
Revival speaker for the week of Monday, July 18 through Friday, July 22 at 7 p.m., is the Rev. Dr. James L. Hunt II.
Ebenezer Lutheran
CHINA GROVE ó Ebenezer Lutheran Church, 4914 Old Betty Ford Road, will hold a homecoming covered dish lunch after Sundayís 11 a.m. service on July 17.
St. Markís Lutheran
Don Safrit will be the guest speaker Sunday, July 17 at the 10:30 a.m. service at St. Marksí Lutheran Church, 5202 Mooresville Road.
Presently serving as interim pastor at Messiah Lutheran in Salisbury, Safrit graduated from Lenoir-Rhyne College and Lutheran Seminary, serving parishes in Shenandoah Valley, Va.; Good Hope, Hickory; Christiana, Salisbury and a Mission Church at Ocean Isle Beach. He continues to be active in DWI legislation, POW/MIA awareness, disaster response, Hospice, domestic shelters and his community.
Victory Baptist
CHINA GROVE ó The Victory Baptist Church of China Grove, 111 Ross St., will observe homecoming on Sunday, July 17, celebrating its fifth anniversary. The Rev. Donald Cain will bring the morning message. Dr. Nelson Wright is pastor of Victory.
Mt. Zion Baptist
MT. ULLA ó Mt. Zion Baptist Church Boyden Quarters youth choir will celebrate its 14th anniversary Sunday, July 17, at 2:30 p.m. All choirs and praise dancers are invited to come. The speaker for the afternoon service will be Pastor Vincent Tillman, Life Giving Church of God, Concord.
Mt. Zion is located at 1765 White Road.
ëGospel Explosioní
MOORESVILLE ó The House of David hosts ěGospel Explosionî on Sunday, July 17, from 3 p.m. until.
The event features J.D. Caldwell and the Gospel Ambassadors of Wilmington, Del., Salisburyís The Mighty Pilgrimaires, the Heavenly Voices of Kannapolis, Davidsonís the Beatty Spirituals and the Gethsemane Gospel Singers and the Voices of Morning Star from Charlotte.
The event will be held at the Agape Recreation Center, 781 Agape Drive (at the corner of Plaza Drive) in Mooresville.
Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door and half price for children ages 6-12. For tickets call 704-875-1800 or 704-405-7491.
Cleveland 1st Baptist
CLEVELAND ó The 5 p.m. service on Sunday, July 17 will be held in the fellowship hall with home-made ice cream and a report on a recent mission trip to Spain, presented by Deborah Seagroves Robson. She along with 17 others from Parkwood Baptist Church in Kannapolis worked with the churchís Southern Baptist Mission in Spain for several days.
From July 24 through Labor Day weekend, Sunday School will be at 9:30 a.m. and worship at 10:30 a.m. The evening service will be at 6 p.m beginning Aug. 7.
South China Grove
CHINA GROVE ó The Rev. Mac Berry, retired minister, will be the featured speaker at South China Grove Church of God Sunday evening at 6:30 p.m. Joining him in the service will be the South China Grove Church of God senior choir led by his daughter, Gloria Ross.
The church is located at 163 Third Ave. For more information, call Pastor Joyce Miles at 704-467-4555.
First Presbyterian VBS
KANNAPOLIS ó First Presbyterian Church in Kannapolis will conduct its Vacation Bible School Monday through Thursday, July 18-21, from 5:45 to 8:15 p.m. and will include classes for children age 3 through fifth grade and adults.
This yearís theme is ěSail through Godís Word.î Each evening will begin with supper at 5:45; childrenís classes will begin at 6:15, and adult class at 6:30p.m.
The teens and adults will be led by Dr. Don Fortson, associate professor of Church History at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte who will lead a class on ěFrom Christ to Constantine: the History of the Early Church.î
For information or to register, visit www.FirstPresb.org or call 704-938-4623.
Calvary Lutheran VBS
SPENCER ó Calvary Lutheran Church hosts ěCelebration Stationî with Spencer Presbyterian and Central United Methodist churches. There will be castle painting, stories by the Circus Train Puppets, Anointing David, riding donkeys and more.
Celebration Station is July 18-20 from 5-8 p.m. and is open to children preschool to 6th grade. VBS starts with a light dinner and then all jump on the train and move from Station to Station with storytelling, arts and crafts, music, drama and cooking. Contact Pastor Carrie at 704-636-2152.
Open Door VBS
RICHFIELD ó Open Door Baptist Church will be having its Vacation Bible School, ěLife in the Fast Lane,î Monday, July 18 through Thursday July 21 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. nightly.
The church is located at 24639 Hwy 49. For more information visit the church website at www.opendoorbaptistrichfield.org.
VBS at Immanuel
ROCKWELL ó Immanuel Lutheran Church will hold VBS on July 18-21 with the theme of ěShake It Up Cafe, Where Kids Carry Out Godís Recipe.î Classes for all ages start at 6 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, with the closing program and family gathering on Thursday. Participating ěchefsî will cook up their own snacks and sandwiches each evening.
Immanuel is located two miles east of Rockwell on Immanuel Church Road. Call 704-279-3737 to register. Kim Sheeks is VBS coordinator.
Files Chapel jazz social
LEXINGTONó The 2011 Jazz Social sponsored by the hospitality ministry of Files Chapel Baptist Church will be held on Saturday, July 23 at the Lexington Municipal Club from 7-11 p.m.
Files Chapel is located at 900 Dixie St. For more information, call 336-250-1750 or 336-357-5311.
Child Evangelism Fellowship
CEF (Child Evangelism Fellowship) International provides materials for home-led Bible clubs with lessons, songs, games and memory verses. Michelle Allen of Darrell Whitley Lane has been holding CEF clubs for 12 years, complete with food and prizes.
On the last day of club, if the support goal is reached for the designated missionary family, the big red fire truck from Locke Fire Department comes to wet down the kids after club.
Parents with children interested in participating in this summerís group are invited to call 704 603-4572 for more information.
Health ministry training
CONCORD ó Laypersons wishing to start a health ministry at their church are invited to register for a 10-hour training session to become a Faith Community Health Promoter. A health promoter serves as a health advocate in a church setting by sharing information about healthy lifestyle choices and the relationship between faith, attitudes, habits and well-being.
The next class will be held July 29-30. The cost of $50 covers all materials and instruction and includes one meal.
Deadline to register is July 22. For more information call the Health Ministry Department of CMC-NorthEast at 704-403-4775.