FAITH NOTES

Today

■ Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church, 3534 Tates Creek Road, will present a benefit concert featuring tenor Whit Whitaker at 7 p.m. Whitaker, a graduate of the University of Kentucky vocal music department and an actor and musician, performs internationally as a longtime member of the American Spiritual Ensemble and appeared most recently as Hud in the Summerfest production of Hair. The theme of the concert, "Water Music," will include selections of Negro spirituals, opera, gospel and Broadway music. Admission is $20, cash or check only, on the night of the performance.

Proceeds will support the upcoming mission trip to Mexico by teams from Chapel Hill and Troy Presbyterian Church in Versailles, in partnership with the Living Waters for the World mission. Call (859) 272-2311.

■ Missionary Jodi McGill will speak about her involvement with health care in Malawi, at Second Presbyterian Church, 460 E. Main St. at 10 a.m.. At 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 28, she will host Moment for Mission and a forum class.

■ Woodford Community Christian Church, 320 Hope Lane, Versailles, will show "The Truth Project," a new initiative of Focus on the Family, in a live simulcast from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tickets available at www.thetruthproject.org or at the door. Call (859) 873-0288.

Sunday

■ Second Presbyterian Church on East Main Street, Lexington, will hold the 20th Greater Lexington CROP (Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty) Hunger Walk at 3 p.m. A portion of donations will go to God's Pantry and the rest will go to Church World Service for global poverty, disaster response and refugee services. No registration fee. Visit www.lexingtoncropwalk.blogspot.com.

■ Pinckard Baptist Church, 3401 Pinckard Pike, Versailles, will hold a Homecoming/Harvest Day celebration. Worship will be at 10:50 a.m. The offering goal is $60,000. A potluck dinner will follow the worship.

■ First Baptist Church Bracktown, 3016 Bracktown Road, Lexington, will continue its fall revival with services at 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. The guest speaker will be Dr. Robert Smith of Cincinnati. Call (859) 231-7042

■ Hill-n-Dale Christian Church (371 Hill-n-Dale Rd) now has traditional music during the 8:30 a.m. service and contemporary music in the 11 a.m. service each Sunday. Call (859) 278-0313.

■ Nathaniel United Methodist Church, 616 DeRoode Street in Lexington, will hold its homecoming. Breakfast will be at 9:30 a.m.; worship service at 11 a.m., lunch at 1 p.m. and fellowship and singing at 3 p.m.

■ The Central Kentucky Mass Choir directed by Rev. Arlester Washington will be at Gethsemane Church Of The Nazarene, 1725 Bryan Station Road, Lexington, at 4 p.m.

■ The Greater Mountain Crusade will be held at the Eastern Kentucky Expo Center in Pikeville through Sept. 30. Jerry Pipes will be the speaker, and Mickey Henderson will be the worship leader with an estimated 200-member community choir. Special music for Sept. 28 will be provided by Larnelle Harris, the newest member of the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Ricky Skaggs will be featured on Sept. 29. Sept. 30 will be Youth Night, which will begin at 6:15 p.m. in the Pikeville City Park and will feature former NFL players Keith Davis and Shawn Harper. Music will begin each night at 6:30 p.m. with services at 7 p.m. Visit www.mountaincrusade.org for more information.

■ First Uttingertown Baptist Church, 2911 Royster Rd., Lexington, will hold its pastoral anniversary service for the Rev. Joseph McDowell at 10:45 a.m. The guest speaker will be Benjamin Stanley Baker, pastor of New Light Missionary Baptist Church in Detroit and former pastor of Main Street Baptist Church of Lexington. Call (859) 294-6757.

Monday

■ Lexington Baptist Temple, 1100 Armstrong Mill Road, will host the family and friends support meeting for Crossover Ministries at 6:30 p.m. Call (859) 608-7176 or (859) 351-2643.

Thursday

■ St. John Missionary Baptist Church, 511 Thurman Drive, Lexington, will host its third annual Song Service of Praise Music Workshop through Saturday. Sessions will be at 7 p.m. Oct. 2 and Oct. 3 and at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Oct. 4. Registration is free. Participants will sing in the Song Service Of Praise at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 7. Call (859) 340-9421.

Friday

■ Unitarian Universalist Church of Lexington, 3564 Clays Mill Road, will host Banned Books Night! from 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 3. Donations to support the Richard Allen House Library will be accepted. Coffee and desserts will be served. Folk singer Annie McFie will perform and local authors will read from their favorite banned books. Call (859) 223-1448.

■ Carpenter's Christian Church, 127 Bypass in Harrodsburg, will hold a craft fair from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The fair will continue from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 4. To rent a booth, call Wanda Waldridge at (859) 865-4259 or (859) 265-1367.

■ The Southland Christian Church Women's Ministry will host a two-day retreat for women of all ages Oct. 3-4 at the Hyatt Regency in Lexington. There will be two sessions: 7-10 p.m., Oct. 3 (check-in begins at 6 p.m.) and 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Oct. 4. Registration is $60 through Sept. 23. The cost includes a copy of the book Brave, refreshments Friday evening and lunch on Saturday. Register at www.Southland Christian.org.

Coming up

■ The North Lexington Church of Christ on Hume Road in Lexington will host a Ladies' Inspiration Day on Oct. 4. Registration begins at 9 a.m. with a continental breakfast. The program concludes at 1 p.m. After the program, lunch will be provided. The speaker is Jane McWhorter from Fayette, Ala., author of Roses in December. Free admission. Call (859) 299-9511.

■ St. Paul A.M.E. Church will hold a fish fry and large yard sale at the Robert H. Williams Culture Center, 644 Georgetown Street, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 4. Call (859) 255-7945.

■ Teachings of spiritual and personal empowerment will be given at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 5 at the Phoenix Institute, 655 Lima Drive. The program will be Samuel, by Lea Schultz. There is no charge for attendance. Call (859) 231-8449.

■ Twin Pines Christian Church, 1139 Tanbark Road, Lexington, will hold a Blessing of the Pets service at 2 p.m. Oct. 5. All pets must be on a leash, in a cage, or otherwise restrained. Rain date is Oct. 12. Call (859) 271-6711 or visit www.twinpinescc.org.

■ Good Shepherd, 533 East Main Street, will have the first annual St. Francis Festival in conjunction with the Blessing of the Animals on Oct. 5. The festival will be from 2 to 5 p.m. The blessing will be at 5 p.m. for all animals. Call (859) 231-6225. Deadline to register pets is Oct. 1.

■ Walnut Hill Church, 575 Walnut Hill Road, will host Ecumenical Sunday on Oct. 5 to celebrate its ecumenical heritage and mission. Included will be activities for all ages at 10 a.m., worship at 11a.m., and refreshments at noon. Call (859) 263-5304.

■ Historic Pleasant Green Missionary Baptist Church, 540 West Maxwell Street, Lexington, will observe the 30th pastoral anniversary of Dr. Thomas H. Peoples Jr. on Oct. 5. The Rev. David Peoples, pastor of the Mount Olive Baptist Church in Ironton, Ohio, will speak at 10:15 a.m.

■ Several Church of the Nazarene congregations will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the organization at 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 5 at Lexington Calvary Church of the Nazarene, 1142 Caywood Dr., Lexington. Sunday School services will be at 9:30 a.m., and a fellowship meal will follow the 10:30 a.m. service. Visit http://nazarene.org for more information. Call the Rev. Matthew Cole at (859) 255-0910.

■ First Christian Church, 911 High Street, Paris, will have a homecoming at 10:45 a.m. Oct. 5. Call (859) 987-3940.

■ Cathedral of Christ the King, 299 Colony Blvd., Lexington, will host author and teacher, Dr. Margaret Ralph on the topic "What is a Gospel" from 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 7 in Hehman Hall. Cost is free but pre-registration is recommended. Call (859) 278-9676. This is the first of four lectures on Christ in the Gospels to be given each Tuesday evening in October.

■ Church Women United will meet at 10 a.m. Oct. 8 at Phillips Memorial CME Church, 421 Corral Street. The program will be presented by Wendy Keene, volunteer coordinator of the YMCA. Women of all denominations welcome. Fellowship will begin at 9:30 a.m.

■ The Southland Christian Church's annual Jesus Prom — a formal event for adults with physical and/or mental disabilities — will be 6:30 to 10 p.m. Nov. 14. This year's theme is "Crystal Clear." Contact Kara at (859) 224-1664 or kmoore@southlandchristian.org. The church is at 5001 Harrodsburg Rd.

■ Lexington Theological Seminary, 631 S. Limestone, will hold the second session of its Fall 2008 Lay School of Theology from 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 11, 18 and 25. The topic will be "Conflict and Congregations: Creative Responses." Registration deadline is Sept. 25. Cost is $40. Call (859) 280-1233 or register at www.lextheo.edu.

■ True Life Church, 407 Kingston Road, Lexington, will hold G.A.T.E. (God at the Edge) with guest band My Nepenthe Band at 6 p.m. Oct. 12. Free admission. Dress is casual.