Free community worship event hosted by CSU, Drawing Near to God, IAAM

March 20, 2022

Charleston Southern University, Drawing Near to God Ministry, and the International African American Museum are partnering together to host a unique worship night on Saturday, April 2 at CSU’s Lightsey Chapel. The Unified Evening of Worship: One in Christ event is free and encourages individuals and groups from all walks of the Christian faith to gather for an evening of music and messages.

David Dyer, director of operations for CSU’s Office of Spiritual Life, said this event is a perfect opportunity for the CSU campus to connect with the greater Charleston community. “With the desire to live out ‘On Earth as it is in Heaven,’ CSU has the opportunity to not only see but also participate in a worship night where every nation, tribe, tongue, and people come together and worship God in our Charlestonian context. In the midst of so much division and adversity, especially within the Church, this worship will be a means to look past many differences and look to the one thing that would bring us together and that is Jesus Christ.”

Drawing Near to God Ministry’s Executive Director Angela Johnson agreed. “We felt led to organize a community-wide evening of worship for everyone to gather and praise the Lord as one unified body of Christ, regardless of one’s background, race, denomination or location in the city,” she said.

This partnership is important to the International African American Museum as well. “We are a part of this community and it is imperative that we love and support one another,” said Rev. DeMett Jenkins, Lilly Director of Education and Engagement for Faith-Based Communities. “We are an educated institution of history and learning, and this partnership shows that we are living our mission and purpose. Working together demonstrates our intention to be institutional friends with the community and work closely together.”

A variety of Christian music will be featured at the event, including contemporary, traditional, and gospel music. The Evening of Worship musicians include the Seacoast Church Worship Band, Julianna Fletcher from Drawing Near to God Ministry, and CSU’s One Accord Gospel Choir. In addition, a few clergy from different denominations and locations in the Charleston area will share short messages centered on being of one accord in Christ.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and the event starts at 6:30. Though a free event, registration is required and available at eveningofworship.eventbrite.com.

 

About Charleston Southern University

Founded in 1964 in the heart of the Charleston metro area, Charleston Southern University is a private, Christian liberal arts university. With an enrollment of 3,378 students, CSU offers more than 80 academically rigorous and faith-integrated undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs. Charleston Southern is one of South Carolina’s largest accredited, independent universities and has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as #21 nationally for Best Online Bachelor’s Programs and #13 for Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans. Students can learn online or in a traditional classroom setting, all while discovering their pathway to purpose.