The Music and Fine Arts Ministry of Calvary Baptist Church once again presents its annual Worship Service in Jazz, Dance and Song during its two Worship Services on Sunday, July 29th at 7:45 am and 10:45 am.

The church is located at 2959 North Teutonia Avenue, and is wheel chair accessible.

Many people will wonder what a "Worship Service in Song" is. It is, essentially, a worship service that consists almost entirely of music - even the sermon! Judith M. Baity, Calvary Baptist Church's former Directress of Music Ministries, Composer and Publisher, started "Worship Service in Song" in or around 1983, during Reverend Walter Goodlette's interim tenure.

Ms. Baity said, "I thought it would be a welcome change in our service and there were some real special numbers that we could use…" Calvary has consistently found "real special numbers" each year.

During Beverly Njuguna’s first year as Minister of Music, the Combined Choir obtained copyright permission to profile music from the historic First Church of Deliverance, in Chicago.

These Services have enjoyed the full support of every Pastor since its inception, and even active participation that has been exemplified by our own current minister, Pastor John R. Walton, Jr.

To ensure the continuation of Worship Service in Song, the Church has been blessed through the years with excellent directors, instrumentalists, soloists and ministers such as our own Annie Carlisle (deceased), keyboardist/director; Nate Edwards, director/Soloist; County Supervisor James White, minister/percussionist; Eddie Rutledge, guitarist; Attila Jones, organist/keyboardist; Reverend Wilbur Baker, Jr., organist and Reverend Roxanne Cardenas, who composed her own sermon/song.

Sheri Williams Pannell, a superlatively talented child of Calvary, joined the Music Ministry as choir director, first, and then as hotep2 Fine Arts coordinator.

For the past four years, Sheri has been responsible for the jazz shift and bringing some historic and nationally known artists such as the late Neal Tate and Berkeley Fudge, along with young, rising stars like saxophonist, Jeremy Scott, and vocalist, German "Lil’ Jewel Womack IV.

The timeless works of Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Pharaoh Sanders, Horace Silver and others have been featured.

Last year, Sheri reached out internally to showcase some of Calvary’s own Fine Arts Ministry--Lifestyle of Praise Dance Troupe and the Wheel in the Middle of a Wheel Flag Dancers.

Calvary has moved this year to institutionalize dance presence in the Worship Service by sharing Krislyn World Heil’s impressive talent with churchgoers attending either or both services.

Carol Haywood, Calvary’s Inspirational choir director for the past five years who has announced her planned departure at the end of the year, has selected a representative sampling of the best that contemporary Black church music composers have to offer, including works by Glenn Burleigh, Margaret Douroux, Ruby Mann Pool, Anita Watkins-Stevens and Gale Murphy. This year’s spirit-filled Sermon-Songs will be delivered by Reverend Roxanne Cardenas at 7:45 am, and Reverend Howard Brown at 10:45 a.m.

Carol’s efforts will be supported by Calvary’s in-house instrumentalists led by Zenobia Traylor, organist/keyboardist; percussionists, Derrick Robinson and Stefan Griffin, and saxophonist, Benito Vilma. Charlesetta Thompson, community poetess and writer from St. Mark AME Church has composed a Litany for the Occasion. Other guests will include Larry Moore, saxophonist and community activist; Una Van DuVall, vocalist; Chris Liddell, bassist, and others.

Announcing her last year as Minister of Music after ten years of service, Beverly Njuguna, Esq., says "‘Worship Service in Song’ and its subsequent evolutions, have been a ‘labor of love,’ and God is not through with us yet... Calvary may have to take this on the Road! We should have a great 25th Anniversary Celebration next year!"

Calvary invites the entire community to join them in Worship on July 29 at one or both services. For more information, contact the church at (414) 372-1450, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

With the help of three Wisconsin-based pastors, world-renowned trumpet-player Don Shire, and Heavenly International Tours of Milwaukee, an extensive, educational and inspiring 10-day tour of the Holy Land is being offered, with the trip planned for March 3-12, 2008.

Tour participants will sail the Sea of Galilee, visit the sites of the Eternal City of God in Jerusalem, attend a Baptismal service in the Jordan River, and experience an intimate Communion service at the Garden Tomb.

Visitors will also stop in Cana, the site of the first miracle where Jesus turned water into wine. There, married couples will have an opportunity to renew their marriage vows.

In addition, tour participants will travel to Tabgha where Jesus performed the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes.

They will also see where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Upper Room of the Last Supper, and visit John the Baptist’s newly discovered cave.

Also on the tour, participants will witness the Wailing Wall and Yad Vashem, a memorial to the six million Jews that perished in the Holocaust.

The tour will be led by Pastor Dan Gibson of Winneconne Christian Fellowship of Winneconne, Wisconsin; Pastor Rick Hopkins of Plymouth Congregational Church; and Pastor Daryl Marco of First Baptist Temple, both in Oshkosh. Don Shire, who plays Gospel music on his trumpet across the world, will perform at the major holy sites.

Since 1985, Heavenly International Tours, owned and operated by Elisha and Merle Ben-Yitzhak, is the only tour company in Wisconsin specializing in tours of the Holy Land. Among those tours were two visits to the Holy Land and another to Greece led by former Green Bay Packer Reggie White and his wife Sara.

Cost of the Holy Land tour is $2,495 per person, which includes roundtrip airfare via Chicago to Tel Aviv, lodging, coach bus tours, daily breakfast and dinner, and comprehensive sightseeing with a professional tour guide.

For more information, or to make reservations for the "Renew Your Faith in the Holy Land" Tour, call (800) 322-8622, email info@heavenlytours.com, or visit www.heavenlytours.com. Heavenly International Tours is a member of the Wisconsin Better Business Bureau.