Four neighbor churches on East Church Street will gather for a second shared worship service at 11 a.m. April 29 at Calvary Baptist, 490 East Church Street, Kilmarnock.
The churches are Abiding Faith Baptist, Living Water Lutheran and St. Andrews Presbyterian complete the “Church Street Four.”
The service will blend worship elements and styles from the different churches’ traditions.
The four churches came together following the 2015 shooting deaths of nine members of Mother Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, S.C., while they were engaged in a Bible study. Leaders of the four churches wanted to do something to help build relationships among their members and to make a statement about racial unity, reported Living Water assistant pastor, Rev. Dr. Judy Thomson.
The name Church Street Four, which was humorously used at an early planning meeting, stuck and is the way in which the congregants refer to their shared activities.
A combined worship service was held at Living Water Lutheran in January 2016, and a Harvest Fair was held in October 2016. A steering committee is working on a second Harvest Fair, planned for September 2018.
The church pastors all will have parts in the April 29 worship service. The pastors are the Rev. Dr. Barbara Cain, Abiding Faith; the Rev. Travis Copeland, Calvary; the Rev. Bob Maier and Rev. Thomson, Living Water; and the Rev. Nancy Summerlin, St. Andrews.
Each church’s music directors are preparing an anthem or musical selection from their tradition, which a choir made up of singers from all four churches will present. The music directors are Thomasyne Acree, Abiding Faith; Valarie Turner and Lavelle Conaway, Calvary; Alice Cooper, Living Water; and Lynne Saunders and Cres Saunders, St. Andrews.
A time for fellowship and refreshments will follow the worship service. Calvary Baptist Church is located at 490 East Church Street in Kilmarnock. All are welcome to attend this service.
