Gethsemane Missionary Baptist 

Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church will host the North Rowan Connection Friends and Family Mass Choir/Rainbow Tea Concert today at 5 p.m. Proceeds f will go toward the North Rowan Connection “Hope Scholarship.” This years theme is Things are going to get Better. Soloists include Eugene Nunn, Mary Sturdivant, Derek Carter, Mary Steltz, Janet Shuford, Felicia Gay, Angela Ford, Roland Carter and Shanita Davis. Milton Griffith is founder and coordinator. Roland Carter will be master of ceremony. There will be dinner served after the program. This is free to the public.

Today at Mt Zion UCC

CHINA GROVE — Today at 9 a.m. at Mount Zion UCC, 1415 South Main St., the Mt. Zion Women are hosting Breakfast With Santa. Along with pancakes, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be handing out Christmas goodies.

During the 10:30 a.m. Sunday service, Don and Sandee Carrigan and friends will light the third Advent Candle of Love. The Rev. Mark Burns is host pastor, 704-857-1169.

Ordination today at Ambassador Christian

Overseer Ivey L. Cowan will be the speaker for the ordination service today at 4 p.m. at Ambassador Christian Church, at 726 Lincolnton Road.

Hall’s Chapel Christmas banquet

Coming Home for Christmas banquet is at 4 p.m. today at Hall’s Chapel Primitive Baptist Church, 611 E. Monroe St. with speaker Elder Dwight Bore, founder of Disciples for Christ Ministries of Charlotte.

‘Here We Come A-Caroling’

This evening members of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 1908 Statesville Blvd., will continue their traditional Christmas caroling to the homebound, presenting them a poinsettia.

Advent worship services are on Wednesdays Dec. 14 and 21 at 7 p.m. The Rev. John Tucker is host pastor, 704-636-8354.

Lessons and Carols at First UCC

A worship Service of Lessons and Carols in both song and scripture will be presented by the chancel choir of First United Church of Christ, 207 W. Horah St., at 11 a.m. on Sunday. Matthew Newton is director and Susan Trivette is organist.

The candle of Peace will be lit by the Raydell Lockhart and Leslie Dent family.

At 6 p.m. the children and young adults of the church will will present their Christmas Pageant.

The Rev. Carol Hallman is host pastor, 704-633-2723.

Special services at Immanuel Lutheran

ROCKWELL — “Dr. Rob” (Dwayne Robertson) will present “Christmas Around the World” on Sunday during the 11 a.m. service at Immanuel Lutheran Church. He will perform a suite of musical vignettes on the Korg X-3 digital synthesizer, and instrument capable of 536 sounds. Listeners will be transported to 30 different places around the world to hear the sounds of Christmas—a blind saxophonist on a New Orleans street corner, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, a string quartet in France, bagpipes in Scotland, steel drums in Jamaica.

Anyone who would like to go Christmas caroling at residences, nursing homes and retirement facilities should gather at the fellowship building at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. Afterward, there will be food and fellowship.

Children perform at St. Paul’s Lutheran 

On Sunday, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 205 St. Paul’s Church Road, will host The Treble Kidz as they present “The Noel Critter Motel” written by Mark Cabaniss and Ruth Elaine Schram, a delightful adaptation of the Christmas story. Call 704-633-0922 to learn more.

Ardis Chapel Rainbow Tea 

The usher board of Ardis Chapel AME Zion Church,1940 Old Mocksville Road, will be having a Rainbow Tea on Sunday at 3 p.m. The Rev. Jerry R. Miller of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church is the guest preacher.

United Baptist’s choir anniversary

KANNAPOLIS — United Baptist Church, 3001 Clermont Ave., will celebrate its gospel choir’s 43rd choir anniversary on Sunday starting at 3 p.m.

The Rev. John E. Jones is host pastor.

Blessing of the children service

The monthly F.A.C.T. (Families and Communities Together) Blessing of the Children Worship Service will be Sunday at 3 p.m. at Moore’s Chapel AME Zion Church, 500 Partee St.

A skit titled “The Birth of Jesus” will be presented by the children and youth of Moore’s Chapel.

Carols included in the skit will be sung by children and youth of the following churches: Soldiers Memorial AME Zion Church, First Calvary Baptist Church, Lilly’s Chapel Church of God, Mt. Calvary Holy Church and Trinity Presbyterian Church.

A liturgical dance will be presented by Crown In Glory Lutheran Church and the Object Lesson will be given by Dr. Mary Love of Hood Theological Seminary.

The Blessing of the Children and Youth will be given by Rev. Carolyn D. Bratton, pastor.

Hall’s Temple fellowship porgram

Hall’s Temple will be having a fellowship program on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. New Faith Worship Center (ZOE) is in charge of the service. Pastor T. Shay Geter will be the speaker, with Bishop Derek Kelly Sr., and sponsor minister Barbara Allison. Host pastor is the Rev. E. Bruce.

Trinity Presbyterian presents cantata

The senior choir of Trinity Presbyterain Church, 300 S. Caldwell St., will present its annual Christmas Cantata on Sunday at 4 p.m, titled “A Joyful Anticipation.” The guest accompanist is Michael Brooks. The minister of music is Tanya Dixon Neely and Cassandra Brown is senior choir moderator. Monica Green is a soloist. Host pastor is the Rev. Olen V. Bruner, who will be narrating along with Betty Wilson.

Deacon’s Alliance Rainbow Tea

The members of the Rowan & Davie County Deacons Alliance are hosting a Rainbow Tea on Sunday at 5 p.m. This is a fundraiser to help those in need. It will be held at the Salisbury Civic Center, 315 S. MLK Jr. Drive. Program chair is Deacon Reginald Weeks Sr.; president of RDCA is Deacon Clarence Craig.

Raising Glory in concert

LANDIS — The gospel group Raising Glory will be in concert at First United Methodist Church, 209 E. Mill St., on Sunday at 5 p.m., followed by a light meal. Adam Love is host pastor.

North Kannapolis musical program

KANNAPOLIS — The Christmas musical “All About That Baby” will be presented by the children and youth of North Kannapolis Baptist Church, 312 Locust St., on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. in McMurray Hall.

Call 704-933-2125 for additional information.

‘Breath of Heaven’

COOLEEMEE — First Baptist Church of Cooleemee will present the Christmas cantata “Breath of Heaven” on Sunday at 6 p.m.

Bethel UMC Mocksville service

MOCKSVILLE — Bethel United Methodist Church/Mocksville, 353 Bethel Church Road, will hold a candlelight service on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served in the fellowship hall after the service.

First Presbyterian performs cantata  

MOCKSVILLE — The chancel choir of First Presbyterian Church Mocksville, 261 S. Main St., accompanied by an orchestra, will be presenting its Christmas Cantata “Invitation to a Miracle” on Sunday at 7 p.m.

Through carols, narration, and scripture, the timeless story of the birth of Jesus Christ is told. “This is a season of miracles and wonders; a time to celebrate the glorious impossible of God’s magnificent gift of grace.”

Poplar Tent Presbyterian cantata

CONCORD — Poplar Tent Presbyterian Church, 6841 Poplar Tent Church Road, presents “Jesus, the Advent of the Messiah” at 7 p.m. Sunday. By Mary McDonald and Rose Aspinall, orchestrated by Ed Hogan, accompanied by 10 members of the Charlotte Symphony. Call 704-786-1603 for details or visit www.poplartentchurch.org

Blue Christmas services

While Christmas is a time of festivity and joy for most people within the Christian community, Christmas can be a difficult time for people who may be grieving a loss, for those who are living alone, for those living with sickness, or those who have painful associations with this time of year.

MOCKSVILLE — 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14 at First Presbyterian Church of Mocksville, 261 S. Main St.

MT. ULLA — 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15 at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, 11020 Hwy 801. Call 704-278-2710 or visit www.stlukesmtulla.org to learn more.

ERHS Honors Chorus at Transformation

Transformation Church, 1350 Old Stone House Road, will be hosting Dean Orbison and the East Rowan High School Honors Chorus for a Christmas celebration on Monday, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. There will be a special offering collected to go toward the East Rowan Honors Chorus. For more information call the church at 704-633-6588.

St. John’s annual simulcast

For the fourth year, St. John’s Lutheran Church, 200 W. Innes St., is hosting a simulcast of the joint prayer service between Christmas Lutheran Church, Bethlehem, and the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.

The service is set for 10 a.m. next Saturday, Dec. 17, in St. John’s Faith Center. Coffee will be served at 9:30 a.m., followed by introductory remarks before the service begins.

This is the 10th year for this special service. Mike Connor, who heads St. John’s ministry partnership with Christmas Lutheran, will visit the Middle East for three months in 2017 as part of a program through the World Council of Churches. There, as here, there is intense interest in the recent election and on the president-elect and the incoming administration, Connor says.

The Rev. Rhodes Woolly is senior pastor of St. John’s.