Kaneisha Gaston (Davidson College photo)

This Sunday, May 19, is graduation day at Davidson College, and in a related event Sunday night, the Davidson community will take time to mark a little bit of history. Town officials will proclaim it as Kaneisha Gaston Day, in honor of the Davidson College senior who will be the first African American student with blood ties to the Davidson community to graduate from the college. Read the full story

Many churches and families last weekend celebrated Epiphany, which tells of the Three Kings visit to baby Jesus in the manger. For most, this signals the end of the Christmas season and the dismantling of the household decorations. It is always so much more fun to decorate for the holidays but a real bummer to have to take everything down!

Around Davidson today concentrates on giving to others during the holidays. We have news of Room in the Inn, stuffed animals for children and a visiting child from Latvia. Read the full story

Annual community Thanksgiving services are planned in the coming days in both Davidson and Cornelius, bringing together members of local congregations and other citizens. Davidson’s Interfaith Thanksgiving Service is Sunday at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, while Bethel Presbyterian Church will host a celebration in Cornelius on Monday night. Also coming up, the annual Lake Norman Hanukkah celebration Dec. 9 in Mooresville, and a meeting this Saturday of Davidson Aglow. Read the full story

The Davidson College Presbyterian Church Jubilee Class will host a series of programs beginning this Sunday on the relationship between church and state. Also below, information about Mt. Zion United Methodist Church’s series on “Mixing Politics and Religion: How Christian Values Affect Election Decisions.”

DCPC SERIES

The DCPC classes are Sundays at 9:45 a.m. in Room 116 at the Church, 100 N. Main St., at Concord Road, Davidson.

Residents and college students are invited. For more information, please contact Linda Steber at lsteber@dcpc.org. Here’s the schedule and topics:

• October 7: Origins of Church and State Issues — Jeff Gray, Attorney at Law and church member
• October 14: US Constitution—Wall or Swiss Cheese?—Jeff Gray
• October 21: Issues and Cases of Separation of Church and State—Dr. Anne Blue Wills, Associate Professor of Religion, Davidson College
• October 28: More Separation of Church and State
• November 4: Pluralism and Religious Alternatives—Dr. Gerardo Marti, Professor and Chair of Sociology, Davidson College
• November 11: Calvin and the Constitution—Dr. Sherrill Holland, retired Dean of New Brunswick Seminary
• November 18: What this means for us today—class discussion

MT. ZION LOOKS AT CHURCHES AND THE ELECTION

Mt. Zion United Methodist Church will begin a four-week study on Wednesday, Oct. 3, on “Mixing Politics and Religion: How Christian Values Affect Election Decisions.”

Led by Senior Pastor Mary John Dye, the sessions will run four Wednesdays (Oct. 3, 10, 17, 24) at 6:30 p.m., in the church sanctuary, 19600 Zion Avenue, Cornelius.

The course is open to the community and people of all churches. A fellowship meal is available prior to the course at the church’s Family Life Center. For meal signups, visit the church website: http://www.mtzionumc.net/bloom.

On Election Day, Tuesday, November 6, the sanctuary at Mt. Zion will be open for prayer all day. Communion will be served from 7 – 8 a.m., 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. and 5 – 6 p.m.

The Davidson College Presbyterian Church is holding a Special Needs Support Group for parents of special needs children, as well as other interested adults. The first meeting of the school year will be on September 26 at 9:30 am. All are invited. Please contact Linda Steber (lstebet@dcpc.org) for more information and for a meeting location.

Long-time Christian Educator at Mt. Zion UMC Sherry Washam will retire at the end of the year, the church announced this week. Also, Mt. Zion plans a “blessing of the bookbags” for children beginning a new school year, and Gethsemane Baptist plans a “Back 2 School” say Saturday with free school supplies for students. Meanwhile, Davidson College Presbyterian Church plans its fall picnic, and area churches gear up for a moveable feast and organ recital. Read below for details of these and other events. Read the full story

Rising sixth graders Kate Hoffman (right) and Julia Desroches fit a child with her new athletic shoes. (Christina Ritchie Rogers / DavidsonNews.net)

By CHRISTINA RITCHIE ROGERS
DavidsonNews.net

The line for back-to-school shoes formed early Saturday morning and soon wrapped around the building at the Ada Jenkins Center in Davidson. The nonprofit group Samaritan’s Feet, together with volunteers from four local churches, gathered at the center to provide new athletic shoes and socks to children and to wash their feet. Read the full story

Last Flight Out plays Tuesday at Davidson United Methodist Church, during Youth Week.

A new summer discussion course aimed at progressive Christians in the Lake Norman area will begin this Sunday, Aug. 5, at the Tapestry Retreat Center in Davidson. The Christian band Last Flight Out plays a Youth Week concert Tuesday night, Aug. 7, at Davidson United Methodist Church. Meanwhile, Davidson College Presbyterian Church will host a Trivia Night on Wednesday night, led by emcee Pat Millen. For those and other church events, read on. Read the full story