By Amanda Raymond
amanda.raymond@salisburypost.com

SPENCER — Get in the Christmas spirit with good music and a chance to give back to local children at a concert on Dec. 4.

Oakdale Baptist Church will be hosting a Christmas Concert featuring the band Raising Glory to benefit the Rowan One Church One Child Ministry at 6 p.m.

The church is located at 200 Charles St.

Rowan One Church One Child is a partnership between the Rowan County Department of Social Services and Rowan County churches to “to ensure healthy, safe and protective outcomes for Rowan County children and teenagers who are victimized and traumatized by sexual, physical and emotional abuse, neglect or dependency who are currently receiving Child Protective, In-Home Case Management, Foster Care or Adoption services from the RCDSS Children Services Division,” according to Rowan County Social Services.

There are currently nine children who need to be adopted and 139 children in foster care in the county, according to figures from the beginning of November 2016. There are 431 children in 220 families who are getting in-home or case management services from the Children’s Services Division as of Nov. 1.

Also as of Nov. 1, 638 children were receiving child protective, in-home or case management, foster care or adoption services from the Children’s Services Division.

The ministry also helps children and birth parents and relatives who care for children who are actively receiving child protective services and in home or case management services.

At the concert, attendees can help the ministry’s mission in three ways: bring a toy to give a child for Christmas, give a love offering to help purchase a bed for a child or become a foster or adoptive parent to a Rowan County child.

For more information about the ministry, visit www.rowancountync.gov/rococ.

Contact reporter Amanda Raymond at 704-797-4222.