Benefit
* A gospel singing and barbecue dinner to help defray the medical expenses of 11-year-old Hannah Rodgers will be held Saturday, July 17 at Nellie Head Memorial Baptist Church, 2370 Catoosa Parkway, in Tunnel Hill, Ga. The $5 dinner will be offered at 5 p.m., and the singing, featuring The Hullender Family, Randa Jordan & Family, and The Heritage Quartet, will be at 7 p.m. The Modern Woodmen of America have agreed to match proceeds up to $2,500. For information, call Franky Ridley at 706-271-7654.
Enrichment
* The retreat “Reflections on the Spirituality of Henri Nouwen” will be offered Friday through July 18 at the Benedictine Sisters Retreat Center, 916 Convent Road, in Cullman, Ala. The retreat will be led by Dr. Joseph Howell, a clinical psychologist, spiritual director and former student under Mr. Nouwen. The cost is $195 for a private room or $175 for a shared room. For information or to register, call the Retreat Center at 256-734-8302 or e-mail retreats@shmon.org.
Episcopacy
* The Rev. Lawrence L. Reddick III, bishop of the 5th Episcopal District of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, was named recently the new bishop of the 1st Episcopal District, which includes the churches in Chattanooga and East Tennessee. The appointment was made official at the 36th Quadrennial Session and the 37th General Conference of the denomination at the Arthur R. Outlaw Convention Center in Mobile, Ala.
Family
* Ridgedale Baptist Church will host a Celebrate America Festival at Coolidge Park on Sunday from 5 to 7 p.m. It will feature choir music and free food and activities for families. For information, call the church at 499-0994.
Music
* Picking To Beat the Devil, the Gospel Travelers and Voices of Grace will be featured in a gospel singing today at 7 p.m. at Hilltop Gospel Assembly Church , 9610 Barbee Road, in Soddy-Daisy.
* The First Wesleyan Church Coffee House, 7725 Shallowford Road, will host a free gospel singing featuring Charles Ross & The Men of Calvary in the congregation’s fellowship building on Friday at 7 p.m. Refreshments will be served. For information, call Rick Mashaw at 396-9327.
* Jim Ricketts will present gospel concerts on Friday at 7 p.m. at Central Community Church, 706-695-4242, in Chatsworth, Ga., on Sunday, July 18, at 11 a.m. CDT, at Calvary Baptist Church, 4617 Creston Road, in Crossville, Tenn., and on July 18 at 6 p.m. at Crab Orchard Christian Church, Fountain and Highway 70 East, in Crab Orchard, Tenn. For information, call Mr. Ricketts at 775-2806.
Vacation Bible schools
* Calvary Baptist Church, 5201 Dayton Blvd., Sunday-Wednesday (carnival on Wednesday), 6-8 p.m., ages 3-12, theme: “High Seas Expedition,” 875-8154.
* Cedar Hill Baptist Church, 60 Dyer Bridge Road, Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., July 19-23, 9 a.m.-noon, and July 24, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., theme: “Saddle Ridge Ranch,” 706-858-0976.
* Chamberlain Memorial Baptist Church, 4239 Benton Drive, Wednesdays through Aug. 11, 6-8:30 p.m., theme: “Saddle Ridge Ranch,” 624-3508.
* Cloud Springs Baptist Church, 210 Cloud Spring Road, Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., Sundays, July 11-Aug. 29, 6-7:30 p.m., ages 3-fifth grade, theme: “Saddle Ridge Ranch,” 706-866-0164.
* Daisy United Methodist Church, 9508 Dayton Pike, Soddy-Daisy, Monday-Friday, 6-8:30 p.m., theme: “Galactic Blast: A Cosmic Adventure Praising God,” 332-3243.
* East Ridge United Methodist Church, 1601 Prater Road, July 19-23, 6-9 p.m., theme: “Galactic Blast: A Cosmic Adventure Praising God,” 892-8451.
* First Presbyterian Church, 554 McCallie Ave., Tuesday-Friday, 9:30 a.m.-noon, grades 1-4, theme: “Genesis 1: A Space Probe,” 648-7903.
* Jones Memorial United Methodist Church, 4131 Ringgold Road, Sundays through July 25, ages 2 through fifth grade, 624-6073.
* Lakewood Baptist Church, 6626 Hunter Road, Harrison, Aug. 1-5, 6:30-8:30 p.m., ages kindergarten-high school seniors, 344-6334.
* Oakwood Baptist Church, 4501 Bonny Oaks Drive, Sunday-Friday, 6-8:45 p.m., ages kindergarten through eighth grade, theme: “High Sea Expedition,” 892-6414.
* One Accord Community Church, 343 Sweetland Drive, Red Bank, Sunday-Thursday, 6-8:30 p.m., ages 3-adult, theme: “Saddle Ridge Ranch,” 875-8377.
* New Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church, 139 E. 25th St., Monday-Friday, 6 p.m., all ages, 267-8210.
* New Lookout Baptist Church, 50 Ridley Circle, Rising Fawn, Ga., Monday-Friday, 6:30-8:45 p.m., theme: “Saddle Ridge Ranch,” 706-398-0975.
* New Salem Baptist Church, 9806 Dallas Hollow Road, Soddy-Daisy, Sunday-Friday, 6-9 p.m., all ages, theme: “Saddle Ridge Ranch,” 842-3078.
* Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, 7634 Gann Road, Hixson, Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-noon, ages 4-fifth grade, theme: “High Seas Expedition,” 842-3400.
* Simpson United Methodist Church, 601 McFarland Ave., Rossville, Ga., July 17, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., theme: “Feeding the 5,000,” 706-866-3410.
* Trinity Lutheran Church, 5001 Hixson Pike, Monday-Friday, 8:45-11:45 a.m. (plus Friday picnic lunch at noon), ages 3-fifth grade, theme: “Stories of the Bible,” 870-1236 or www.lutherantrinity.com.
Women’s event
* Ladies Safe Haven Ministry, a nondenominational monthly luncheon fellowship, will be held on Monday at Ryan’s Family Steak House, 5326 Ringgold Road, at 12:30 p.m. Jan Huskey will provide music, and Sharon Foskey will present her testimony. For information, call 902-2377.