KANNAPOLIS — The community Easter celebration at Central Baptist Church, 1810 Moose Road, is today at 10 a.m. Children ages preschool through 5th grade are invited to this event which will feature games, prizes, food, and an egg hunt, all free. Call 704-933-8006 for more information.
Dunn’s Mountain Baptist Church will host a family Easter egg hunt today from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Besides the hunt for all ages from toddler to teenager, there will be food, bounce houses, music, and giveaways. Dunn’s Mountain Baptist Church is located between Hwy. 52 and Stokes Ferry Road at 1350 Old Stone House Road. For more information call the church at 704-633-6588. This event is free to the public and is weather permitting.
ROCKWELL—The Immanuel Lutheran Youth (ILY) will sponsor an Easter egg hunt today at 1:30 p.m. for toddlers through fifth grade. Participants will divide into age groups and the youth will assist. After the hunt, children will gather back in the sanctuary for the awarding of prizes followed by refreshments. The Immanuel Youth have made special Easter treats for this event. Those attending this event may spy the Easter Bunny!
Landmark Church, 1910 Mooresville Highway, will hold their annual Easter egg hunt today from 2 until 4 p.m., for children up to age 12.
WOODLEAF — The Presbyterian Men of Mt. Vernon will host a dinner sale today beginning at 4 p.m. Dinners are $7 for chicken or chili, salad or cole slaw, green or baked beans, corn bread or roll, drink and dessert.
Afterward, the third annual Easter play will be presented at Mt. Vernon at 7 p.m., featuring members of Mt. Vernon as well as residents of the community in narrative roles. The play is directed by Satonya Smyre, Mt. Vernon’s youth group advisor. Pastor Emery Rann is pastor. The church is located on Carson Road.
Celebrate Easter at Cornerstone Church this evening at 7 p.m. and again Sunday at 9 and 11 a.m. There will be a special music and arts presentation and activities for children 5th grade and under. The church is located at 315 Webb Road, 704-855-1218, www.cornerstone-church.net
Rockwell—Immanuel Lutheran will host an Easter sunrise service beginning at 6:30 a.m. with Rev. Bruce Sheeks, pastor, delivering the message. Callie Trexler, Christy Trexler, Kayla Trexler, Wyatt Trexler, the adult choir and Jacob Tobin, trumpeter, will present special musical selections. “Memories of the Resurrection” will be acted out by Allen Cress, Bonnie Cress, Linda Goodman, Barbara Harwood, Dana Robertson, Charles Sheeks, Sonny Trexler. Order of St. John members participating in the service include Alex Freeman, Mack Freeman, Heather Holshouser, Michaela Karriker, Cortney Miller, Susie Trexler and Taylor Trexler.
Following the service is an Easter breakfast prepared by the men’s Sunday school.
EAST SPENCER — The Easter sunrise service at Love Christian Center, 102 N. Long St., is at 6:30 a.m. with speaker Elder R K Hash Jr. from Winston-Salem. Elder Hash is an associate minister at Saint Peter’s World Outreach Center, Winston Salem. Breakfast will be served. The pastor of Love Christian Center is Bishop Ronald and Lady Lotis Hash. For more information call 704-925-9423.
Lilly’s Chapel, Rose of Sharon and Potter’s House will share a sunrise service to be held at Lilly’s Chapel Church of God, 618 W. Thomas St., on Sunday at 6:30 a m. The speaker is Pastor Gina Long.
CHINA GROVE — South China Grove Baptist Church, will celebrate Christ’s resurrection on Sunday with the following events:
A sunrise service at 7 a.m. followed by breakfast at 8 a.m.; Sunday school at 9:45 a.m. and at 11 a.m., the church sanctuary choir will present a cantata created by Dennis and Nan Allen entitled, “Jesus, Messiah.” Also at 11 a.m., children’s church will be taking place with a learning and celebration time. There will be no evening service.
Nursery is provided. The church is located at 501 Haney St. between Hwy. 29 and 29A off of Thom St. The pastor is Rev. Tony Wagoner. Call 704-857-3611 for more information.
Sanctuary worship services will be held at 8:30 and 11 a.m. Sunday. Prelude music begins 15 minutes prior to service.
The Resurrection Brass and Sanctuary Choir will lead in song and praise and the choir will sing the Hallelujah Chorus by G.F. Handel. The 8:50 a.m. Life Center Worship will be held in Lewis Hall, led by the LCW Praise Team. Dr. Jim C. Dunkin will preach at all three worship services.
Sunday school is at 10 a.m. and at 10:15 a.m. all will gather in the courtyard for the One Great Hour of Sharing “Feed the Fish” finale. At 10:30 a.m. is the butterfly release, demonstrating how God has transformed the children’s small caterpillars into beautiful Painted Lady butterflies, ready to release.

Landmark Church, 1910 Mooresville Highway, will have a 6:45 a.m. sunrise service outside, weather permitting. At 7:15 a.m. is the sunrise breakfast in the fellowship hall, followed by Sunday school at 9:45 a.m.
At 11 a.m., the Easter cantata “Behold the Lamb” will be performed by the adult choir under the direction of Mary Williams, with a theatrical performance by the church youth under the direction of Sheila Tipton.
For details call 704-633-8200.
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, located at 3070 Hwy. 152 East, will be having Easter morning services at 9:30 a.m. this week instead of 11 a.m.
CHINA GROVE — Pine Grove Baptist Church, 880 Old Linn Road, will follow a different schedule on Easter Sunday. There will be no Sunday school and the worship time has been changed from 10:45 to 10 a.m. There will be no evening service.
The Wednesday Bible study is on “Protecting Your Church,” at 7 p.m..
Third Creek AME Zion Church will host the joint Easter sunrise service at 6:30 a.m. for Cedar Grove AME Zion, Liberty AME Zion and Mt. Vernon Presbyterian. The Rev. Emery Rann will speak and breakfast will be served afterward. The Rev. Harold Jordan is host pastor. The regular morning worship service will start at 10 a.m. instead of 11 a.m.
Franklin Baptist Church will hold its annual community Easter morning memorial service at Rowan Memorial Park, on Sunday at 7 a.m., beside the tower. In case of inclement weather the sanctuary will be open. Breakfast will be served afterward.
Providence United Methodist Church will host an Easter sunrise service at Dan Nicholas Park Amphitheater starting at 7 a.m., weather permitting. This is an outdoors service so dress accordingly and bring a blanket, seat cushions, etc.
If weather is not permitting the service will be held in the sanctuary at Providence.
Music will be led by Providence’s First Light Praise Team and the Rev. Fred Jordan will deliver the message. Prior to his retirement, Rev. Jordan served as a pastor in the Western North Carolina Conference of the UM Church, as district superintendent of the North Wilkesboro District and the coordinator of Camping Ministries for the Western NC Conference of the UM Church.
Breakfast will follow at the fellowship hall (The Hut) at 8 a.m.
Providence will also have a combined First Light and Traditional service at 10:30 a.m. in their sanctuary at 6450 Bringle Ferry Road.
China Grove — Easter celebrations at Mt. Moriah Lutheran Church, 750 Mt. Moriah Church Road, begin with prayers in the cemetery at 6:45 a.m. followed by the sunrise service at 7 a.m. in the sanctuary. The choir will perform the mini-musical “It Would Take a Cross.”
The Lutheran Men will host breakfast following the service. A Holy Communion service will be at 10 a.m. For more details, call 704-857-5034.
Miller’s Chapel AME Zion Church will have their morning worship service at 7 a.m. The church is located at 920 Miller’s Chapel Road . Rev. Hezekiah Lawson is the pastor.

Ardis Chapel AME Zion Church will have their morning worship service at 10 a.m. The church is located at 1940 Old Mocksville Road. The Rev. R. Nathan Bratton is the pastor.
Organ Lutheran Church, 1515 Organ Church Road, is having Easter sunrise service at 7 a.m. in the old historic church. A breakfast will follow at 8 a.m. in the fellowship hall to raise funds for the Campfirmation kids. Sunday school is at 9:30 a.m. and Easter worship is at 10:30 am.
A multi-church Easter sunrise service will be held at Henderson Grove Missionary Baptist Church at 6 a.m. The Rev. Perry Dye will officiate. The guest speaker will be the Rev. Patrick Jones, pastor of New Zion Baptist Church. Breakfast will be provided immediately following the service.
St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church and Ardis Chapel AME Zion Church will be holding a joint Easter sunrise service, to be held at St. Luke, 410 Hawkinstown Road, beginning at 6:30 a.m. The Rev. Nathan Bratton of Ardis Chapel will be the guest speaker. Breakfast will be served following the service by the men of St. Luke. Sunday service for St. Luke will begin at 10 a.m. The Rev. Arthur Heggins is the host pastor.
The women of Hall’s Chapel Primitive Baptist Church, 611 E. Monroe St., will observe their annual Women’s Day on Sunday at 4 p.m. The Unity and Praise Singers will be in concert. Elder Richard Johnson serves as pastor.
St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church will begin Easter sunrise celebration at 6:30 a.m. beginning in the sanctuary and concluding in the cemetery.
Immediately afterward, the men’s group will host a breakfast in the Family Life Center and any freewill offering will go to two supported charities. After Sunday school, the 10:30 a.m. worship service will include Holy Communion.
Rev. Gary Coble is pastor of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church located at 9275 Bringle Ferry Road.
First United Methodist Church will celebrate Easter with identical worship services at 8:30 and 11 a.m. Music of William H. Harris, Healey Willan, and Howard Helvey for Choir, Organ, Brass, and Timpani will be offered.
Other worship opportunities for the day include a sunrise service at 6:30 a.m. in the Parker Courtyard, the 9 a.m. journey@first service in the chapel, and a 10 a.m. Butterfly Release also in the Parker Courtyard.
Services will be led by the Rev. Stephen D. Haines and the Rev. Rhonda Hermann, with music under the direction of Matthew M. Brown. The church is located at 217 S. Church St. For more information, call 704-636-3121.
Gold Hill — Liberty United Methodist Church, 3885 Liberty Road, will celebrate Confirmation Sunday on Easter Sunday at the 9 a.m. service. New church confirmees are Alex McDonald, Maddie McDonald, Bradley Hill, Amber Hill and Dalton Lambe.
Special music will be provided by the Men’s Choir and Marti Lakey. The confirmation class has spent the last eight weeks learning about God, salvation and the structure and function of the United Methodist Church. They went to Lake Juneluska over the weekend of March 23 for Confirmation Conference where they met new confirmees from all over the southeastern United States. They will join the church and receive a Bible during the Confirmation Ceremony. The host pastor is the Rev. Charlie Curtis.
Kannapolis — Central Baptist Church, 1810 Moose Road, will celebrate Easter Sunday with fellowship, preaching and a dynamic musical by the choir entitled “He’s Alive.”
Service begins at 10:30 a.m. Call 704-933-8006 for more information.
China Grove — The Sunrise service is at 7 a.m. at Highest Praise Family Worship Center, 1700 Bostian Road, and the Easter Service is at 10 a.m., which will include a special ceremony to celebrate the property being paid off. Former Pastor Bruce Rabon will be a special guest. Pastor Wayne Miller will deliver the Easter message.
Richfield — Mt. Zion Lutheran Church will celebrate Easter with two services: The annual Richfield community sunrise service will begin at 6:45 a.m. in the Richfield Cemetery and a festival service of worship including Holy Communion begins at 10:30 a.m. in the church sanctuary. Call the 704-463-7280 or visit www.mtzionrichfield.org for more information.

The resurrection celebration service at Dunn’s Mountain Baptist Church begins with breakfast at 9 a.m., then at 10:30 a.m. will be the worship service. Pastor Jody Almond will be starting an exciting new series entitled “God’s Not Dead!”
This event is free of charge, but to guarantee a seat, call the church office at 704-633-6588 for a ticket.
The Easter sunrise service at Calvary Baptist Church will be held at 7 a.m. with a message, special music and congregational singing. This service will be held under the church arbor beside the fellowship hall. Following the service, a country style breakfast will be served in the fellowship hall.
The regular morning worship service of the church will be held an hour earlier than usual. Sunday school/Bible study will be at 8:45 a.m. and the morning worship will begin at 10 a.m.
The adult choir, under the direction of David Hutchins, minister of music will present the musical, “Finished.” Accompanying the choir will be the drama and creative ministries as well as the Banner Ministry.
Breakfast will be served. afterward. Calvary Baptist is located on East Ridge Road, just beyond Ellis crossroads, Rick Cockerham, pastor.
Progressive Outreach Ministry, 600 N. Long St., will host a spring revival April 23 through 25.
On Wednesday the speaker will be Rev. Timothy Bridges, pastor of Shady Grove Baptist Church of East Spencer; on Thursday the speaker will be Rev. Bradley Taylor, pastor of Outreach Christian Ministry of Salisbury; and on Friday the Rev. Reginald McConneaughey of God’s Tabernacle for Believers in Rockwell will bring the message.
Services start at 7 p.m. nightly. Host pastor is the Rev. Nasby J. Mills Jr.

Rockwell — Dinner and an egg hunt will be held at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The church is located at 10200 Beatty Ford Road.

KANNAPOLIS — The Women’s Ministry of Rose Hill Baptist Church, 216 Rice St., will hold their annual community service project next Saturday with free clothing and household items to be given away, and a spaghetti luncheon from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. For more information, call Ruthie Norman at 704-273-8318.
Rockwell — The Christian singing group Southland will be performing at Phaniels Baptist Church next Saturday at 6:30 p.m. They will be singing their new song “I Believe.”
This is a free event with a love offering that will go toward the cure for cystic fibrosis. More information is available at www.scottssing.com or 704-239-6134.

First Calvary Baptist Church will sponsor a Gospel Explosion at 5 p.m. on April 26. The program is held annually in memory of its founder, the late Deacon Charles McGee. Deacon McGee was well known as a church leader, mentor for youth and as a lead singer in several local groups.
Featured groups include Echoes for Christ, Truthful Praise, Keith Holland and Friends-N-Christ, Messengers for Christ and more.
The Rev. Leamon E. Brown is pastor of First Calvary, located at 400 S. Long St.
Marrow donors are needed to save the lives of patients with diseases like leukemia, lymphoma or sickle cell anemia. St. Paul’s’ Lutheran Church, 205 St. Paul’s Church Road, is hosting a bone marrow registry drive next Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m.
Anyone age 18 to 45 is eligible. The procedure involves a painless swab inside of the cheek, and is free to the first 40 applicants, thanks to generous donations.
Contact Jill Earnhardt at 704-633-0922 or jearnhardtrn@gmail.com