Enrichment
* The Hamilton County Baptist Association, 508 N. Market St., will host an introductory session on Excel on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. For information, call 267-3794.
Finances
* Crown Financial Ministries will host a Journey to True Financial Freedom seminar on April 17, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Calvary Chapel-Chattanooga, 3515 S. Broad St. The multimedia seminar, presented by Dave Scobee, combines biblical principles of money management with practical applications to offer participants a live, personalized experience on how God intersects with their money and their lives. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., but pre-registration is required. The cost is $25 per person, plus $5 for lunch and snacks. To register, call 1-800-722-1976 or visit www.crown.org/CrownEvents. For other information, call Patti Harris at 505-6646 or 266-5257, ext. 108.
Howard honored
* The Rev. Marvin Howard, a general evangelist with the United Methodist Church and part-time pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in Cleveland, Tenn., is one of only two evangelists recognized nationally by the National Association of United Methodist Evangelists to receive the Philip Award for excellence in evangelism. Winners are elected annually by secret ballot by members of the national association. Previous recipients include Dr. Billy Graham and Mother Teresa. The Chattanooga resident received his award at the Congress on Evangelism earlier this year in New Orleans.
Lecture
* Dr. Kelly Denton-Borhaug, a feminist theologian and professor of religion at Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pa., will speak on “Co-opting Christian Sacrifice To Promote U.S. War Culture” on Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Health Science Center at Chattanooga State Community College. The free lecture, which will focus on how religious ideals and practices exploit, complicate and support a culture of war, will be in Room 1085. For information, call Dr. Susan Stocker at 697-2560 or e-mail susan.stocker@chattanoogastate.edu.
Motorcyclists
* The Water’s Edge service of Ringgold United Methodist Church, 7484 Nashville St., in collaboration with Mountain Creek Harley-Davidson, will host its annual Blessing of the Bikes for riders of all makes on Saturday, April 17, at 11:30 a.m., at the Ringgold, Ga., church. The Rev. John Purrington will provide a group blessing at noon, and members from the Dalton and LaFayette Christian Motorcyclists Association chapters will provide individual blessings for riders and motorcycles on request. Refreshments will be served. For information, call 706-259-2049 or 678-938-1386 or e-mail themayor@charter.net.
Music
* Jim Ricketts will present concerts today at 5:30 p.m., at Living Water Ministries, 5730 Fairmount Highway, in Calhoun, Ga.; on Sunday at 10 a.m. CDT, at Frostbite House of Prayer, 10161 Summer City Road, in Spring City, Tenn.; on Sunday at 6:30 p.m., at Dry Valley Baptist Church, 1513 Dry Valley Road, in Rossville, Ga.; on Friday, April 16, at 6 p.m. CDT, at Plainview Community Church Center, 1268 State Route 56 Road, in Tracy City, Tenn.; on Sunday, April 18, at 11 a.m., at Union Fork Baptist Church, 350 Lee Pike, in Soddy-Daisy, Tenn.; and on Sunday, April 18, at 6 p.m., at Falling Water Baptist Tabernacle, 603 Jackson Road, in Hixson. For information, call Mr. Ricketts at 775-2806.
* Dwain Briggs, the featured soloist with the Prague Symphony Orchestra and Vangelis on the Grammy Award-nominated release “Solace,” will present a vocal concert on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Unity of Chattanooga Church, 604 Black St. The suggested love offering is $10. For information, call the church at 755-7990.
* John Two-Hawks, a Platinum award-winning, Grammy- and Emmy-nominated American Indian flute player and founder of Circle of Nations Global Community, will offer a concert on Sunday at 5 p.m. in the Oak Street Center, 433 Oak St., of First-Centenary United Methodist Church. A slide show will accompany the concert. John Two-Hawks also will play in the church’s 10:45 a.m. service Sunday. Tickets for the concert are $5 for students and $10 for all others. For information, call 756-2021.
* A shape note (Sacred Harp) singing school sponsored by the Cleveland/Chattanooga Sacred Harp singers will be offered on Saturday, April 17, from 2 to 5 p.m., at the Collegedale Seventh-day Adventist Church, 4829 College Drive. The school, which will be held in the church’s Gospel Chapel, will be taught by Richard DeLong of Carrollton, Ga. There is no charge to attend, but early registration is requested. For information or to register, call 336-2358.
* New Monumental Baptist Church, 901 Woodmore Lane, will host Praise University 2010 on Saturday, April 17, at 6 p.m. Doors will open at 6 p.m. The concert will feature college gospel choirs from the Southeast, Atlanta gospel recording artist Katrina Wootson and the host church’s Ordained Praise. There is no charge to attend, but a freewill offering will benefit the church’s scholarship fund. For information, call the church at 629-6106.
* Daniel Stipe, assistant university organist at the University of the South at Sewanee, will present an organ recital on Sunday, April 18, at 4 p.m., at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 305 W. Seventh St. The program will include works by Bach, Franck, Ireland, Brahms and Myron Roberts. A freewill offering will be taken at the door. A reception will follow the concert. For information, call the church at 266-8195.
Retreat
* “Spirituality and the Arts — Reconsider the Wildflowers” an environmental retreat, will be offered Sunday from 3 p.m. CDT to Monday at 3 p.m. at St. Mary’s Sewanee Center for Spiritual Development in Sewanee, Tenn. The presenters are Tara Armistead and Bonnie Smith. The cost is $100 for residents and $60 for commuters. For information, call Jean Jackson Hastings at 615-585-4287 or visit http://www.stmaryssewanee.org/programs/2010Apr11.shtml.
Testimony
* Danny Croce, once an inmate at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility in Plymouth, Mass, and now chaplain there, will speak on Sunday at 6 p.m. at Brainerd Presbyterian Church, 1624 Jenkins Road. In addition to his duties as chaplain, he and his wife, Kim, have four teenagers and have adopted two handicapped adults. For information, call the church at 899-2424.
Women’s event
* Ladies Safe Haven Ministry will hold its monthly luncheon meeting on Monday at 12:30 p.m. at Ryan’s Family Steak House, 5326 Ringgold Road, in East Ridge. The speaker for the nondenominational gathering will be “Dr. J.,” and Brenda Bradshaw will present music. For information, call 902-2377.
— Compiled by staff writer Clint Cooper