A blues concert and service in Huntersville with Mike Farris and a service in Davidson led by best-selling author Donald Miller this weekend will kick off a four-week message series called “Hope in a House of Blues” at the two campuses of Lake Forest Church.

Mike Farris and the Roseland Rhythm Revue will play a prelude concert Saturday night, Jan. 28, at 7:30 at the church’s Huntersville location to lead off the four-week Hope in a House of Blues series. The sermon series continues Sundays through Feb. 19, addressing hurt, hate, hope and healing with an inspiring, blues-based musical backdrop.

Mr. Farris won the Americana Music Association’s “New & Emerging Artist of the Year” award in 2008 and the Gospel Music Association’s Dove Award for “Best Traditional Gospel Album of the Year” in 2010. He also will be at the Huntersville church for services on Sunday, Jan. 29.

The 9:30 and 11 a.m. services Sunday at the church’s Davidson site, at Davidson Elementary School on South Street, will be led by Mr. Miller. His best seller “Blue Like Jazz” tells the story of his experience at Reed College, voted at that time as “the most godless campus in the country.” Since then, Miller has written other best sellers: “Searching for God Knows What” and “A Million Miles in a Thousand Years,” the story of his writing of the screenplay for “Blue Like Jazz” – the movie.

Rev. Mitch White, Lake Forest Church’s Pastor of Spiritual Growth, says, “Hope in a House of Blues 2012 has a very transformative feel. As a church, we have added another campus in Davidson, established a footing in an impoverished local neighborhood and are in the midst of an expansion at our Huntersville location. Though the actual series is only a month long, we are establishing ongoing counseling, leadership and spiritual growth opportunities which will allow us to extend the impact of Hope in a House of Blues well into the future through multiple venues.”

During the second week of the series in Huntersville (Feb. 5), Larry McCray will be the featured guest performer. McCray’s savage blues-rock guitar and warm, soulful vocals have drawn attention worldwide. In 2000, he was honored as the Orville Gibson Male Blues Guitarist of the Year and has opened shows for legends such as Eric Clapton, Peter Gabriel, and Buddy Guy. Billboard Magazine has hailed McCray as “a deep-voiced player with strong original tunes.”

WANT TO GO?

SATURDAY, JAN. 28, 7:30 p.m., Lake Forest Church, 8519 Gilead Road, Huntersville – Mike Farris and the Roseland Rhythm Revue, will be in concert. Don Miller will speak during the intermission. General admission tickets $12 in advance. No tickets at the door. Tickets can be purchased at http://mikefarris.eventbrite.com.

More information about Lake Forest Church is at http://lakeforest.org/