Faith Briefs Saturday, Feb. 6

Published 12:00 am Saturday, February 6, 2016

How to submit a Faith Brief  — Free Faith Briefs are for special events (not the regular order of services), and run in the Faith Section every Saturday. Submit by email to: faith@salisburypost.com, subject line: Church News, deadline: 1 p.m.  Thursday. In order to make room for everyone, free Faith Briefs run once.

Appreciation service for Rev. John L. Krider

There will be an appreciation service for Rev John L. Krider this evening (Feb. 6) at 7:30 p.m. at the Ambassador Christian Church, 726 Lincolnton Road. Bishop Tony Carter from Mt. Airy will be the speaker. There will be various musical groups performing.

Birthday celebration for Elder  Stockton 

WOODLEAF — A birthday celebration for Elder Kevin Stockton is this evening (Feb. 6) at 7:30 p.m. at Freedom United Church of God Inc., 1555 Hart Road, off Needmore Road. All are invited. Host pastor is Bishop Willie J. Gray.

Soldiers Memorial events

— Soldiers WH&OMS of Soldiers Memorial AME Zion Church, 306 N. Church St., presents “An Afternoon Tea with Lite Jazz and Poetry” today, Feb. 6, at 3 p.m. Featured will be vocalist Rebecca Stinson and pianist Joe Ponds. The program will be in the sanctuary and light refreshments will be served in the Enrichment Center.

— Soldiers Memorial AME Zion Church, 306 N. Church St., is hosting “Lead Me to Calvary” series, Prophetic Voices in Preaching, during the Lenten season, to be held each Wednesday during Lent at noon. Free lunch is included. The first service is Ash Wednesday, Feb. 10 with guest preacher is the Rev. Dr. Grant Harrison Jr., presiding Elder of the Salisbury District, AME Zion Church.

— The Rev. Angela Headen Davis, pastor and author, is the guest speaker at the Soldiers Memorial Women’s Fellowship on Feb. 8 at 11 a.m. Rev. Davis is the author of “Overlooked By Man But Chosen By God – Walk in Your Purpose Despite the Odds.” She will do a book signing after the program.

Holy Cross Lutheran holds Souper Bowl

MOCKSVILLE — Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 1913 US Highway 601 South, will celebrate with a Souper Bowl Sunday collection of cans of soup, to be placed in boxes labeled for the Carolina Panthers or the Denver Broncos. The cans will be delivered to The Storehouse for Jesus to help those in need.

Also, Sunday begins the 40 Days of Prayer. This all-congregation Sunday school will be held after the 9 a.m. worship service during Lent, from Feb. 7 through March 20, Palm Sunday, featuring discussions on how we pray and why.

At 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 9, Shrove Tuesday, is the annual Mardi Gras-themed pancake supper, with donations going toward the Holy Cross Relay for Life team’s fund-raising goal.

On Wednesday, Feb. 10, Ash Wednesday, Holy Communion will be celebrated at the 7 p.m. service. The Rev. Carl Sachtleben will officiate. Imposition of ashes will be part of the service.

Souper Bowl  at Immanuel Lutheran 

ROCKWELL — Immanuel Lutheran will celebrate Souper Bowl Sunday by inviting the congregation to wear favorite team colors and to bring cans of soup to the 11 a.m. worship service on Sunday. Christy Trexler will be the featured soloist. Members of the Irene Beaver Circle will later deliver the donated cans to the Outreach Ministries Program at Organ Lutheran Church.

In addition, the outreach program can use socks and undergarments, which may be brought to the service. The Organ Lutheran community also provides healthy meals to children on weekends and holidays and there is a clothing center where families can get new or gently worn clothing and other supplies at no cost to them.

The Immanuel Youth will gather at 5:30 p.m. Sunday for a Big Game Party at the home of one of its members, with pizza and snacks.

Second Presbyterian’ Souper Bowl 

The Youth of Second Presbyterian Church, 732 Lincolnton Road, will host their annual Souper Bowl lunch on Sunday following the 11 a.m. service. The children of the church have decorated the tables in the fellowship hall with custom made placemats by cutting out pictures of football players from the newspaper (with apologies in advance to the Bronco fans as the pictures are heavy on the Panthers side.)

The Youth have prepared three hot soups: black bean, potato, and chicken noodle. The lunch is free and includes homemade desserts. An offering will be collected for the Souper Bowl of Caring and donations will go to fill the pantry of the Family Crisis Council of Rowan County.

Mardi Gras Sunday at Mount Zion UCC

CHINA GROVE — This Sunday is Mardi Gras Sunday at Mt. Zion United Church of Christ, 1415 South Main St. The 11 a.m. service will feature Dixieland Jazz music, thanks to Jay Meachum on trumpet, Dave Reid on clarinet and Wiley Porter on banjo. The Mt. Zion Children’s Choir will also be singing. An offering will be taken on behalf of SouperBowl Sunday with all donations going to Main Street Mission. Mardi Gras beads will be provided just in case those present left theirs at home.

On Tuesday, Feb. 9 is the annual Shrove Tuesday pancake dinner from 5:30 p.m. until.

On Wednesday, Feb. 10, there will be an Ash Wednesday service at 7 p.m.

For more information visit mtzionchinagrove.com or call 704-857-1169. The Rev. Mark L. Burns is host pastor.

Deacons Alliance celebrates 27th anniversary

SPENCER — The Rowan and Davie county Deacon Alliance is celebrating its 27th anniversary Sunday, Feb. 7 at 4 p.m. at Jerusalem Baptist Church, 1570 N. Long St. Dr. David Bracken is the speaker and will accompanied by his choir. All proceeds from the program will be donated to those in need. Deacon Reginald C. Weeks Sr. is chairperson; Deacon Clarence Craig is president.

Pancake supper at Christ Episcopal Church

CLEVELAND — Christ Episcopal Church, 3430 Old US Hwy 70, will host its annual pancake supper on Tuesday, Feb. 9, from 5-7 p.m. Cost: donations to support outreach in the Cleveland community. The Rev. Sarah Blaies is Vicar, 262-337-2008.

Mount Tabor hosts pancake supper

Mount Tabor United Methodist Church, just north of Ellis Park on Old Mocksville Road, will host the Ellis Community free pancake Supper on Tuesday Feb. 9,  from 5-7 p.m. On Wednesday at 7 p.m. is the Ash Wednesday service at 7 p.m. Call 704-633-7484 to learn more about the pancake supper and Ash Wednesday, or visit www.mounttaborumc.org or Facebook (mtumc) or Twitter (@MountTaborUMC).

Weaver and Lunsford at Neel Road Baptist

Neel Road Baptist Church, 135 Neel Road, will hold its Fun and Fellowship meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 9. Reservations are required for the 5 p.m. meal at 704 636-3975.

New pastor Tim McQueen will have devotions. At 6:15 p.m. local favorites Matthew Weaver and Clay Lunsford, multi-talented instrumentalists and vocalists, will perform in the multi- purpose room. A love offering will be taken.

Gloria Dei Lutheran holds Mardia Gras supper

Gloria Dei Lutheran Church on Statesville Boulevard will celebrate Mardi Gras on Tuesday, Feb. 9 beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the fellowship building. The menu is pancakes and sausage. Following the supper, palms from last year’s Palm Sunday will be burnt to use for ashes on Ash Wednesday. The evening will end with a brief worship service to bury the “Alleluias” until Easter Sunday to mark the somber season of Lent.

The season of Lent begins with the Ash Wednesday service on Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary. The service will include receiving ashes on the forehead to symbolize our sinfulness and mortality and conclude with Holy Communion.

Lenten events at First Presbyterian Church 

Lenten prayer breakfasts will continue each Wednesday morning at First Presbyterian Church of Salisbury at 7 a.m. in Lewis Hall through March 23, featuring eggs, sausage, bacon, biscuits, grits, and fruit for $3 per person. Reservations are requested no later than each Monday at noon by calling 704-636-1321.

Lenten preparation begins with the imposition of ashes on Feb. 10, with two opportunities to worship: 7 a.m. in Lewis Hall with breakfast ($3 per person) or at 6:30 p.m. in the sanctuary. 1st Kids will sing at the 6:30 p.m. service. The Rev. Brian Daoust will preach at both services.

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 Thursday, Feb. 11 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. The March meetings will be on the 3rd and the 10th. For more information, call 704-492-6086.

White to speak at Full Deliverance Outreach 

LEXINGTON — Pastor Kathy White, of Bethel Power of Faith Ministries, will be speaking at Full Deliverance Outreach Church on Friday, Feb. 12, at 7:30 p.m. for a singles Conference. Full Deliverance Outreach Church is located at 15th East 3rd Ave. in Lexington. Host pastor is Michael Marshall.

Annual Lewis Preaching Series coming to First Presbyterian

Dr. Ray Glenn Jones, associate director of evangelism for the Presbyterian Church USA, is the featured speaker Feb. 20-21 at the annual Lewis Preaching Series at First Presbyterian Church.

Jones attended Furman University and Columbia Theological Seminary. He served the church for 30 years pastoring to congregations in Mississippi, Georgia and Alabama. The past five years he has served through the Presbyterian Mission Agency. With his guidance, the agency is producing curriculum to encourage and equip churches to help people live into their stories of faith, grow as followers of Christ, and see themselves as missionaries to their communities.

The Lewis Preaching Series was created in 2003 to honor the 24 years of pastoral ministry of Dr. Robert M. Lewis to First Presbyterian Church. The event was established to invite well-known preachers to Salisbury each year. This year there will be a group session with Ray Jones on Saturday morning, from 9 to 11 a.m. in the fellowship hall, on “The Gospel and Evangelism.” Dr. Jones will then speak at all three services on Sunday morning and then again Sunday evening at a dinner program, starting at 5:30 p.m.

It is necessary to RSVP for the dinner program by Monday, Feb. 15; otherwise the program begins at 6p.m.