SALISBURY — The Arbor Church in Woodleaf knows if you offer delicious food and live music, people will show up en masse.

On April 13, the church had both at its Community Day and Music Jam where more than 150 people stopped by to eat “a poor man’s supper” of pintos, cornbread, potatoes and desserts while hearing live music from an enclave of local musicians. 

“One of the things is we like to feed people, but Jesus said, ‘You can’t live off bread alone.’ So, we do this to reach out to the community and bless the community. We try to reach as many people as we can,” Senior Pastor Dewayne Lambeth said. 

A large circle of musicians plucked an assortment of instruments including guitars, violins, upright basses, mandolins and banjos that touched upon bluegrass, gospel and country genres. 

The church held the first “Community Day and Music Jam” last November and 130 people came for the festivities, with even more crammed into their fellowship hall on Saturday. 

“It’s growing, so I don’t know where we would put them if it kept growing like this. Might have to move it outside or something,” Lambeth said. 

Lambeth explained that many of those in attendance do not belong to their church, but it doesn’t matter because to them, it’s all about solidarity regardless of someone’s religious background.  

“When the people who wander in who don’t have a church, we’re trying to get them to come to church. To come, enjoy themselves, find out that we won’t cook and eat people, we don’t bite. To come and check out the church, and hear about the Lord Jesus Christ. That’s the whole idea of it,” Lambeth said. 

Diane Howard was at the jam on Saturday afternoon to see her husband, Robert, play his guitar after they went to the first one in the fall. Though they go to Calvary Baptist Church, Howard values the Arbor Church’s friendly atmosphere and plans to be at the next “Community Day and Music Jam.”

“It was great. Wonderful crowd, it’s more than last time,” Howard said.

Church member Robin Mowery, whose grandfather was a minister at the church for 16 years, said they didn’t organize the musical celebration to raise money, but simply to have a good time with good people. 

“It’s not a fundraiser, we’re not taking donations. Our church has come together and we’ve done this as a church. People have donated food and brought food in. We’re just trying to do an outreach in the community,” Mowery said. 

Lynne Powell and her husband John performed at the music jam after having met 26 years ago when he taught her how to play the upright bass. They mostly stick to bluegrass and gospel music, but they love the camaraderie that manifests itself when creating new sounds with other musicians. 

“We got to pick with friends and family and those we’ve known a long time and folks we’ve just met in the last two years. When we start a song, it’s like we’ve been playing forever together,” Powell said.