Area Unitarian Universalists will hold a study group meeting about world peace next week in Davidson, and they also plan to discuss forming a Unitarian Universalist fellowship in the Lake Norman area. If you’re interested, end drop us a line at uulakenorman@gmail.com or visit our web site at http://uulakenorman.wordpress.com/

The meeting will be Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 7:30 p.m. in the community room at the Davidson Public Library, on the Village Green.

Lake Norman Jewish Congregation announcement

The Lake Norman Jewish Congregation has begun offering monthly Junior Congregation Services, at Calvary Presbyterian Church, 605 South St.

Led by Rabbi Michael Shields, Junior Congregation is a lively and joyful way to welcome and celebrate Shabbat. The services are held alternatively each month on either Friday night or Saturday morning, to include as many families as possible. The next services are Friday, March 6, and Saturday, April 4. Read the full story

John Evans

The Rev. John B. Evans, a longtime Presbyterian minister and Davidson resident, died Thursday, Jan. 29, 2009. A memorial service is planned Monday, Feb. 2, 11 a.m. at Davidson College Presbyterian Church. A reception will follow in the Congregation House. See below for the full obituary.  Arrangements are by the Raymer Funeral Home in Huntersville. Read the full story

George Winston, the 1963-64 Chastain Junior High championship basketball team, and George Winston (left) with David Buck.

Pianist George Winston, who has been a brand name since his first albums with Windham Hill Records in the early 1980s, will be in Davidson March 11 for a concert to benefit Habitat for Humanity. It’s at 7:30 p.m. at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church. (Ticket info on the church website.)

We wondered how Davidson scored a music legend like Mr. Winston. The answer lies with St. Alban’s rector David Buck. It turns out the two are old schoolmates.  Father Buck, Mr. Winston and DavidsonNews.net’s David Boraks talked about the upcoming concert in a telephone interview on Thursday. Listen to an edited version of the chat by clicking the play button below.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

(MP3 format, 4 min. 45 sec., plus music)

Can’t hear the interview? Click here>

The Davidson College Presbyterian Church Weekday Preschool will begin accepting registrations for the 2009-10 school year next week, Monday, Feb. 2. The preschool will add a new option next year, for children who have completed a 4-year-old program, but who need an extra year before kindergarten. An open house is planned Feb. 10. Read the full story

Jane Cain

Organ at Davidson continues its third season with a concert Tuesday, Jan. 27,  at 7:30 p.m. in the sanctuary of Davidson College Presbyterian Church featuring Jane Dimmock Cain. The concert comes as Ms. Cain celebrates three decades as music director and organist.

A reception in the church parlor by Friends of the Organ follows the program.

Her program includes music by the French/Italian/German Baroque composer Georg Muffat; Dietrich Buxtehude, an important mentor of Bach; chorale-preludes of Bach; and sonatas by Mendelssohn and the American composer Vincent Persichetti. Also the famous “Litanies” of Jehan Alain, French composer killed in WWII, will be featured. Read the full story

Rev. Jody Seymour

The Rev. Jody Seymour, senior pastor of Davidson United Methodist Church, offers this prayer for today’s inauguration of Barack Obama as president. Rev. Seymour will join other local pastors in a prayer service at 8:30 a.m. at Davidson College Presbyterian Church.

O God, we are probably expecting too much; but at this time in our nation and our world, we need to be people of hope. Help us learn from our past. Teach us again that because we “can” have something does not mean that we “must” have it. Read the full story

Farallon Recorder Quartet performs in the Music at St. Alban's series Sunday.

Today’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the Presidential Inauguration Tuesday put the focus on the national scene this week, but local events will help us all reflect and celebrate. On Wednesday, the Design Review Board meets to take a look at the latest designs for the proposed Davidson IB Middle School renovation and town community center project, as well as the site plan for the Hopewell Baptist Church family life center, off Davidson-Concord Road. On Friday, the Gabriel Alegria Afro-Peruvian Sextet gives an afternoon master class and an evening concert at the college.

On the sports calendar, Davidson’s women’s basketball team is on the road tonight at against Samford, in Birmingham, Ala. The men’s team returns home Wednesday for a 7 p.m. game against Furman. And next Saturday, the college hosts its annual Hall of Fame induction and celebration, with ceremonies plus men’s and women’s home basketball games. On Sunday, Davidson alum and athlete Sterling Martin lectures at a Davidson Historical Society meeting about “The History of Sports at Davidson College.” Read the full story