Faith digest

LOOK AHEAD

COMFORTING BELIEFS

Soldiers find strength in symbols of faith.

Coming next Saturday

FAITH DIGEST

HIV block party

PHAT Traxx Productions will provide music and a DJ at an HIV-awareness block party from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. today behind Jay's Place Barber Shop, 1927 Olive Road. People who get screened for HIV or have their blood pressure checked can pick up items from a Golden Harvest Food Bank Manna Truck.

Richmond County Health Department, St. Stephen's Ministry, Rape Crisis Services and Planned Parenthood will be in attendance. Political candidates Earnestine Howard, Wayne Howard, Steve Kendrick, William "Gil" Gilyard III and a representative of Keith Brown will be there. Voter registration will be open. Games, hot dogs and drinks will be available.

Sponsors of the event are the Medical College of Georgia Ryan White Outreach Team and Mount Vernon Baptist Church.

Farewell sermon

After spending nearly 29 years in Augusta, Pastor Karl Dunker has accepted a four-month interim assignment in Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, starting in September.

He will preach his farewell sermon at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 402 Aumond Road, at 11 a.m. Sunday. There will be a musical prelude at 10:30 a.m.

Prayer breakfast

Dr. Gregory Fuller, the pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church, will open the Augusta mayor's community prayer breakfast at 8 a.m. Tuesday at Hillcrest Baptist Church, 3045 Deans Bridge Road. Call (706) 793-3104.

Augusta Commission member Jimmy Smith; Dr. L. Gordon Robinson, the pastor of Hillcrest; and Matt Aitken will speak. Breakfast will follow.

Message in music

The Rev. W.J. Lawson Sr., the pastor of Cornerstone Community Baptist Church in Atlanta, will talk to parents and youths about the impact of violent song lyrics in the Message in the Music at 7 p.m. Thursday at Greater Young Zion Baptist Church, 405 Sand Bar Ferry Road.

Friday Night Fight

Donald Gamble, of Word Alive Ministries, will be talking to men and the single mothers of young men about "putting on the gloves" during the Friday Night Fight event at 7 p.m. Friday at The Place to Be Christian Cafe, 640 John C. Calhoun Drive, Orangeburg, S.C. A panel discussion, tournaments in Xbox and billiards, and a fish fry will follow the service.

REACH US

Contact Tharon A. Giddens, features editor, at (706) 823-3347 or tharon.giddens@augusta chronicle.com.