Lane Tabernacle celebrates 117th church anniversary

The Lane Tabernacle Christian Methodist Episcopal Church will celebrate its Sacrificial Faith Offering Service and observance of our 117th Church Anniversary on Sunday, November 22 at the church, 910 North Newstead Avenue at 3 p.m.

Our speaker for this momentous occasion will be the presiding prelate of the Third Episcopal District of the C.M.E. Church, the renowned, dynamic Bishop Sylvester Williams Sr.  Bishop Williams is well known throughout the United States. He has served as a pastor in the C.M.E. Connection, before being elected as the 58th Bishop in 2010. He is well known for his unique method of delivering a message.

Music will be under the direction of Professor Johnny Barker and Mrs. Tobie Taylor-Hudson.

Historical events of the past will be presented and each member is asked to invite family, friends, former members and anyone who has been a part of the church to come and fill a pew.  The public is invited.

Chairpersons are Mrs. Dolores B. Malcolm and Mrs. Beatrice S. Payne. The Rev. Richard McDuffie is pastor.

Sharon McDuffie is first lady of Lane Tabernacle Christian Methodist Episcopal Church.

 Washington Tabernacle celebrates 113th anniversary 

Washington Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church, 3200 Washington Ave. (at the corner of Compton), will celebrate its 113th church anniversary on each Sunday during November.  The celebration will be held during morning worship service beginning at 10: a.m.  The anniversary theme is “Onward with Christ.” 

The celebration continues with: Sunday, November 22, Harvest Homecoming Sunday. Guest speaker: Pastor Earl Griffin, Greater Mt. Vernon Baptist Church. And Sunday, November 29, Rededication Sunday. Guest speaker: Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould, Quinn Chapel AME Church.

All services are free and open to the public. For more information, call (314) 533-8763 or visit www.washtabmbc.org. 

Gun violence vigil on Dec. 13 

 A candlelight vigil to help shine a light on the tragic toll of gun violence throughout St. Louis  will be held  Sunday, December 13, at 3 p.m. at St. John’s Church (The Beloved Community), 4136 North Grand Blvd.

The event, called “Remember, Reflect, Respond,” is sponsored by Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice. It will be one of a series of vigils at locations nationwide in early December.

Speakers will include Valerie Dent, president of STL Mothers In Charge; Lois Schaffer of Long Island, NY, author of “The Unthinkable,” and the Rev. Ken McKoy, pastor of Progressive AME Zion Church. Dent lost two sons to gun violence in St. Louis. Schaffer’s daughter, Susan, was murdered in a home invasion in Creve Coeur in 2008. McKoy’s 22-year-old son was shot last June in what McKoy called “the scariest day of my life.” He survived, but still has bullets lodged in his body.

A call to action will be delivered at the end of the service by Rabbi Susan Talve of Central Reform Congregation.

“Gun violence affects all of us in St. Louis,” says Lise Bernstein, president of Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice. “We invite everyone to join us at this vigil to help us give voice to all victims and survivors.”

Following the event, the “Lock It For Love” program sponsored by Women’s Voices will have free gun locks available for families who have unsecured firearms and children in their homes.  Schaffer’s book, “The Unthinkable,” which chronicles the murder of her daughter, will be for sale.

For additional information, go to www.womensvoicesraised.org.