Mark your calendars for these Christmas musicals and dramas

Testify Too Children’s Choir

STATESVILLE — 10 a.m. Nov. 29: 1st–6th graders use music, dance, drama, including the Christmas musical “Felix finds Christmas.” Horizon Church, 316 Signal Hill Drive, www.horizonchurch.net

FUMC FirstARTS series

Noon, Dec. 4: An Advent Series: My Spirit Be Joyful. Anita Cirba and Paul Neebe, trumpets with Matthew Michael Brown, organist. First United Methodist Church, 217 S. Church S., www.fumcsalisbury.org

Weaver and Lunsford Christmas concert

6:30 p.m. Dec. 4: Matthew Weaver and Clay Lunsford, love offering will be received and refreshments follow. Unity Presbyterian Church, 885 Woodleaf Barber Road, 704-278-4248.

Piedmont Choral Society

CONCORD — 7 p.m. Dec. 4 and 3 p.m. Dec. 6. Fifty-voice choir presents free Christmas concerts with orchestra, Forest Hill UMC, 265 Union St. N., Concord. Reception to follow. Contact kayy2000@gmail.com or 704-699-6053.

Concert Choir A Capella Christmas Concert

7:30 p.m. Dec. 4: St. John’s Lutheran Church sanctuary.  “Around the Manger” with familiar carols and carols from different cultures and languages. Free.

Live recreation of Bethlehem Marketplace

4-8 p.m. Dec. 5 and 6: Travel back 2,000 years to an interactive Middle Eastern bazaar. Travel back 2,000 years as a Roman centurion guides your experience. Children are welcome. Free. North Main Baptist Church, 1501 N. Main St., 704-637-2929, email northmain@fibrant.com

ROCOC Christmas Concert

6 p.m. Dec. 6: Southern Gospel and Christmas music by Raising Glory. Love offering to purchase beds for Rowan One Church One Child Ministry. Life Church, 708 Jake Alexander Blvd. West, www.rowancountync.gov/rococ

Walk Thru Bethlehem, Mooresville

MOORESVILLE — 6-9 p.m. Dec. 11 and 2-9 p.m. Dec. 12: Free, lively, interactive, biblical-era drama and marketplace. Camp Wesley, 3090 Deal Road, Mooresville, www.walkthrubethlehem.org/

‘Amahl and the Night Visitors’

KANNAPOLIS — Friday, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 13 at 2 p.m.: Amahl, a poor crippled shepherd boy, receives his Christmas miracle. First Presbyterian Church of Kannapolis, 201 Vance St. The adult and children’s choirs of First Presbyterian, community singers, actors and musicians. The character of Amahl will be sung by Fred Caskey and Banagher Hamilton. David Hamilton, director of music, will play King Kaspar. Free. Information: David Hamilton, 704-680-8399.

‘Christmas Across the Pond’

7:30 p.m., Dec. 11: The Salisbury Rowan Choral Society concert at First United Church of Christ, 207 W. Horah St. Free, donations requested. Also please bring a toy to be donated. www. facebook.com/Salisbury. Rowan.Choral.Society

‘The Light of the World’

CHINA GROVE — 6-9 p.m. Dec. 12: Live Nativity presentation on the front lawn of Mt. Moriah Lutheran Church, 750 Mt. Moriah Church Road. Visitors may drive thru or park and come to the manger for a closer look at the animals and costumed characters.  704-857-5034. Rain date: Sunday, Dec. 13.

‘Christmas Across the Pond’ encore

7:30 p.m., Dec. 13: Repeat performance at First United Methodist of China Grove, 110 W. Church St.

St. John’s Men’s Chorus Christmas Concert

4 p.m. Dec. 13: Christmas Concert by the 50+ member chorus to benefit Rowan Helping Ministries, The Inner Voices will also perform. A freewill offering will benefit Rowan Helping Ministries. St. John’s Lutheran Church, 200 W. Innes St., www.stjohns-salisbury.org

Joy of Christmas ecumenical concert

4 p.m. Dec 13 at Milford Hills United Methodist Church. Debbie Staley carries on the Glory of Christmas concert tradition begun by Phillip Burgess (with his blessing). This ecumenical choir continues the tradition of bringing singers together no matter their denomination to celebrate Christmas in a performance of songs, anthems and stories. Alden Wright will play 30 minutes of organ music before the concert.

Bible Missionary Baptist Church

ROCKWELL — 7 p.m. Dec. 18-19 plus 2:30 p.m. matinee Dec. 20: “The Ornament,” a musical drama specifically for area assisted living, retirement centers, nursing homes and group homes. Free, but tickets are required; see  www.eventbrite.com/e/ the-ornament-a-musical- drama-tickets- 17967902480 or www.biblemissionary baptist.com or 704-640-7127.

Unplugged/ acoustic Christmas benefit concert

ROCKWELL — 7:30 p.m. Dec. 19: Four-time Grammy Award-winning artist Kevin Max. Net proceeds and canned goods benefit RHM and The Hands & Feet Project. Grace Bible Church, www.facebook.com/ events/ 487257908117981/

‘Breath of Heaven’

11 a.m. Dec. 20: Christmas musical at Mount Tabor UMC, north of Ellis Park on Old Mocksville Road, www.mounttaborumc.org

Submit your church’s special Christmas events or other special services to faith@salisburypost.com

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Tonight: Rian Free and Assurance

COOLEEMEE — Rian Free and Assurance will be singing at First Baptist Church in Cooleemee at 6 p.m. This will be a Love Offering gathering.

ADVENT SERVICES

First Presbyterian Salisbury

Tomorrow is the first Sunday of Advent, a time of preparation and anticipation for the coming of Jesus Christ. First Presbyterian Church of Salisbury invites everyone in the community to join us for a celebration of God’s love and blessing. Holy Communion will be served at all three worship services. Worship takes place in the Sanctuary at 8:30 and 11 a.m. and a contemporary style worship takes place in Lewis Hall in the Family Life Center at 8:50 a.m. Sunday School for adults and youth is held at 10 a.m. Also at 10 a.m. in Lewis Hall will be a special event, a Countdown to Christmas, for children and their families and others to make Christmas ornaments, Advent wreaths and an edible star.

Mt. Zion UCC

CHINA GROVE – During the 11 a.m. service, the Mt. Zion UCC church family will celebrate the First Sunday of Advent with the lighting of a candle. Jason and Chrissy Harwood, and their sons, Levi and Davis, will light the candle of Hope. Mt. Zion UCC is continuing to collect an offering on behalf of the flood victims in South Carolina.

Mount Zion UCC is located at 1415 South Main Street, China Grove.

For more information, go to www.mtzionchinagrove.com or call 704-857-1169.

The Rev. Mark L. Burns serves as Pastor of Mount Zion UCC.

First UCC

Pastor Carol Hallman will lead the 11 a.m. worship service on Sunday. The 2015 Advent Sermon Series is titled “Voices from the Edge,” and the sermon this Sunday is “Prophets Cry Out.” Matthew Newton is director of the chancel choir and Susan Trivette is organist. The first Advent Candle of HOPE will be lit with special litany led by the Jay Laurens family. First United Church of Christ is located at 207 West Horah Street in Salisbury. For more information, call the church office at 704-633-2723. The Reverend Carol Hallman is pastor.

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Hanging of the Greens at Salem Lutheran

Salem Lutheran Church Chancel Choir will present “Hanging of the Greens” on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. Salem is located at 5080 Sherrills Ford Road.

Benefit concert for teens battling cancer

Local artists will perform a benefit concert for two local teens fighting cancer, Robert Stephan Gilmore and Jalisa Gladden. The concert will be held Sunday at 5 p.m. at Haven Lutheran Church, 207 W. Harrison Street, Salisbury. The concert is free and open to the public. There will be a free-will offering to assist the honorees with their medical bills.

The two children, Robert Stephen Gilmore and Jalisa Gladden will receive the entire offering. Artists planning to perform include Rebecca Stinson, Virginia Rush, Teresa Moore-Mitchell and Will McCray. All performing artists are donating their time and talent for this performance.

Pastor Ed Harper and the members of Haven Lutheran Church opened their church to support Robert Gilmore, who is fighting cancer for the third time at the age of 19, and Jalisa Gladden, who was diagnosed of stage 4 cancer this year at the age of nine. For questions about the concert, call the church at 704-636-4881. If you are unable to attend the concert, you may forward your donation to Soldier’s Memorial AME Zion Church,  P.O. Box 4232 Salisbury, N.C. 28145.

Fifth Sunday at Guiding Light Missionary Baptist

The Guiding Light Missionary Baptist Association will have Fifth Sunday fellowship on Sunday at the Guiding Light Convention Center, located at 308 Boundary St, East Spencer. The guest speaker for the 11 a.m. service will be Minister Phyllis Jones of Lewis Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Fayetteville. Lunch will follow. The host pastor is the Rev. John E. Jones.

Fire on the 5th
at A.T.C. Ministries

Fire on 5th family and friends service will be held on Sunday. Service begins at 10 a.m. with music by Power In Praise (PIPs) music ministry. A Thanksgiving meal will be served after service. All are invited to attend. Debra Ellison is the pastor. For more information on A.T.C., call 704-782-0072 weekdays.

New series begins
at Mt. Tabor

Wear purple and join Mount Tabor United Methodist Church Sunday  at 11 a.m. for the new series called “A Season for the Reason.” On Monday nights at 7 p.m. is a Coffeehouse Christmas, a laid-back opportunity for discussion about the meaning of Christmas.

Mt. Tabor United Methodist Church is located just north of Ellis Park on Old Mocksville Road. Call 704-633-7484 to learn more or visit www.mounttaborumc.org or on Facebook (mtumc) or Twitter (@MountTaborUMC).

In My Father’s House Outreach Ministries

In My Father’s House Outreach Ministries, led by the Rev. Roosevelt Jenkins, continues its series on The Purpose Driven Life, on Thursdays, Dec. 3 and 10 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the Hurley Room at Rowan Public Library, 201 W. Innes St. The ministry meets the first two Thursdays of each month. Upcoming meetings are Sept. 3 and 10. For more information, call 704-492-6086.