Belief Briefs: Church summer camps, bell choir concert and AME Conference

With about a month left in the school year and summer on the horizon, two local churches are taking registrations for summer enrichment camps in Durham.

White Rock Baptist Church will hold its Summer Enrichment Camp for second graders through rising eighth graders from Thursday, June 15 through Friday, July 7. A variety of fun activities are planned for camp held from 7:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays. Breakfast, lunch and snacks provided.

For information and to register a child/children, visit the church website at whiterockbaptistchurch.org/summer-camp. The cost is $100 per week per child, with a $20 registration fee. There is a 20 percent discount for additional children in the same family. White Rock is located at 3400 Fayetteville St. in Durham.

Also, Bell-Yeager Free Will Baptist Church will hold its Summer Enrichment Camp June 26 through Aug. 11. Camp runs from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday each week for boys and girls ages 6 through 12. Registration is open until June 9. Registration is $50 and includes a camp T-shirt. The camp costs $100 per week per child. For two siblings, the cost is $175 per week, and for three siblings the cost is $250 per week.

Breakfast and lunch are provided. Parent and camper orientation will be held on June 19. For information, call Bernadette Lipscomb at 919-323-9472, Barbara Fryar at 919-698-3577 or Denise Gamble at 919-530- 0494. Bell-Yeager FWB is located at 128 E. Cornwallis Road in Durham.

AME Church conference for WNCC

The pastor and a choir of Emmanuel AME Church in Durham will be among the participants in the 125th Session of the Western North Carolina Annual Conference of the 2nd Episcopal District of the AME Church May 31 through June 3 at the North Raleigh Hilton Hotel and Convention Center.

The Western N.C. Conference includes 84 churches.

The theme is “REAL: Restoring Hope, Empowering the People, Advancing the Kingdom, Leaving a Legacy.” Bishop James L. Davis, presiding prelate of the 2nd Episcopal District, will officiate with Mother Arelis B. Davis, supervisor of missions. Co-coordinators are Rev. Anita M. Thompson of Emmanuel AME and Rev. Patrice Fields. Co-hosts and presiding elders are Rev. J. Bernard Wilder and Rev. Conrad Pridgen. Nikki Walker Lyons is president of the WNCC Women’s Missionary Society.

The conference begins at 7:30 a.m. May 31 with the Missionary Society’s Tanner Turner Memorial Breakfast, followed by the lay organization’s midday worship service at noon featuring the Male Chorus of Emmanuel AME Church in concert. The Women’s Missionary Society will hold a capping ceremony for new members, the “Night in White,” at 7 p.m. May 31. Men’s Night will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 1 and Bishop’s Awards will be presented. The Man of the Year from each church will be acknowledged.

There will be an ordination ceremony and Young People’s and Children’s Divisions Youth Night Celebration at 7 p.m. June 2. For more information, email or call Shirley Smith at salsmith05@frontier.com or 919-688-5638.

Bell choir to perform at Grove Park Chapel

The Jubilate English Handbell Choir will perform at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 11 at Grove Park Chapel. The choir is from Appalachian Bible College in Mount Hope, West Virginia, and uses five octaves of handbells, additional instruments and a short drama around the theme, “A Call For Service.” Admission is free.

The church is located at 605 Sherron Road in Durham. For more information, call 919-596-1152.

This story was originally published May 9, 2017 at 11:03 AM with the headline "Belief Briefs: Church summer camps, bell choir concert and AME Conference."