Posted: Wednesday, November 25, 2009 2:12 pm

The Messenger, November 25, 2009
Café to be open
Following is the menu for the next Soul Food Café at Exchange Street Church of Christ Dec. 2. The meal will be served at the building from 5:30-8 p.m. and will also be delivered to the elderly or disabled who have made arrangements by calling the church office at 885-1507. The free meal is served the first Wednesday night of each month.
The December menu includes homemade soup, homemade chili, grilled cheese, cornbread/ crackers, salad and dessert. Activities planned for the evening include a visit with Santa and free Christmas pictures with the man in red, children’s ornament-making and the singing of Christmas carols.
The community is invited to attend.

Gospel Choir to sing
The University of Tennessee at Martin Gospel Choir will be performing at 8 p.m. Dec. 10 at Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church.
The choir will be singing a variety of gospel songs including “Great Is Our Lord” by West Angeles Church of God in Christ Mass Choir, “So Many Times” by Dorinda Clark-Cole, “Now Behold the Lamb” by Kirk Franklin and “Grateful” by Hezekiah Walker. The concert is free and open to the public.
For more information, contact Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church at (731) 587-5124 or go to grove@frontier.net.

Mancusi concert set
Dr. Roberto Mancusi of the Uni-versity of Tennessee at Martin will be in concert at Union City First Baptist Church Sunday at 5 p.m. He possesses a bass-baritone voice that has been described as, “… a glorious instrument ... warm and very robust.”  Dr. Mancusi has performed many opera roles and solo recitals across the country.
 He holds a bachelor of music degree from Simpson College, as well as Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music. All of his degrees are in vocal performance.
 In addition to singing, he remains an active clinician, adjudicator and author. He has given master classes and clinics for singers throughout the southwest and midwest.
Dr. Mancusi also has  a special holiday song for children.
Dr. Matthew Wohlfarth is pastor.

Helping Hand needed
Twin Cities’ Helping Hands Ministries will be distributing food throughout the month of December and is calling on area churches to assist in the effort. The ministry needs canned beans and canned fruit, macaroni and cheese, boxed cereals, baby formula, diapers, dried beans, rice and other such foods.
Sunday schools, youth groups and churches are urged to assist during the time of layoffs and cutbacks that affect so many local families.
The distribution center is located at 119 Broadway in South Fulton. For more information, call 886-4836 or (731) 479-8326.

Singing service set
Beech Cumberland Pres-byterian Church, located at 880 Beech Chapel Road near Union City, will welcome congregations from Protemus, Mount Ararat and New Ebenezer Cumberland Presbyterian chur-ches Sunday afternoon at 5 for a gospel music singing service. Anyone who wants to sing and anyone who enjoys gospel music is invited to attend.
There will be a time of fellowship and refreshments following the service.
Dr. Bobby Williams is pastor.

Hanging of the Green set
Brown Chapel AME Church, located at 801 East College St. in Union City, will host a Hanging of the Green service Friday at 7 p.m. The community is invited to attend.
On Saturday, there will be a church meeting to which all members are invited at 10 a.m.
At the 11 a.m. Sunday service, Clay Holiday Jr. and his congregation from Memphis will be special guests and he will bring the message at the morning worship service. The Rev. Clay Holiday Sr. is pastor at Brown Chapel.
A meal will be served after the Sunday service.

Concert slated
The Tittles, The Keathleys and Brotherhood will present a special concert Sunday at 6 p.m. at Union City Second Baptist Church, located on Everett Boulevard in Union City. A love offering will be received to help those with financial needs in the church and community, a spokesman said.
The community is invited to attend.
The Rev. Eddie Mallonee is pastor.

FUMC sets special service
Members of Union City First United Methodist Church, located at 420 East Main St., will host a special and meaningful Hanging of the Green service Sunday at 6 p.m. in the sanctuary. Special music, scripture reading and meditations will be important parts of the service. Children and youth will participate by bringing in meaningful elements of the season to place throughout the sanctuary as the church prepares to celebrate the birth of Christ.
Those attending are reminded to bring unwrapped new toys to be placed beneath the Chrismon tree at the close of the service. These will be delivered to the Reelfoot Rural Ministries Toy Store, where parents can purchase them for their children for far less than their shelf price, thus enabling families facing hard times to contribute to their children’s own Christmas and to enable children in these families to feel the special joy of knowing their parents selected gifts just for them.
Following the service, there will be a wassail reception in the family life center fellowship hall. The community is invited to attend.
Dr. David Russell is pastor.