Religion briefs

Brian Angus in concert
Tate Music Group recording artist Brian Angus from Cowen, W.Va., will be in concert at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 23, at Full Life Fellowship, 2470 Big Neck Road in Ash. The public is invited to attend this free concert.
Angus, a songwriter whose music appeals to a variety of musical tastes, will present a mixture of Southern gospel, folk gospel and contemporary Christian music.
For more information, call the Rev. Donnie Jones at 232-9647.

Yom Kippur and Kol Nidre services set
Temple Shalom’s Yom Kippur Eve service (Kol Nidre) will be at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25, at 162 Waccamaw Medical Park, near Conway Hospital, in Conway, S.C.
Yom Kippur morning service will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 26, and the afternoon service at 4:30 p.m., including Yizkor. The service will be followed by a Break-the-Fast. Reservations are required for Break-the-Fast.
For more information, call 903-6634.

Gospel concert is Sept. 30
The South Brunswick Interchurch Council (SBIC) will host a gospel concert from 3-5 p.m. Sunday,
Sept. 30, at Calabash Presbyterian Church, 8820 Old Georgetown Road in Sunset Beach. Seven churches will participate in this event, which is open to the public, to benefit SBIC’s food pantry in Brunswick County.
Canned goods donations will be accepted at the door and a love offering will be taken at the concert. Dessert and drinks will be served at the conclusion of the concert. Please join in and help support this cause.

Revival, outreach set for Saturday
A revival and community outreach with the Rev. Landis Lancaster will take place from 3-7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22, at Varnamtown Park. Morning and evening services are planned for Sunday, Sept. 23, at Gospel Center Baptist Church.
Come out and enjoy games, food, music and preaching.

Oktoberfest dinner is planned for Oct. 13
The Knights of Columbus Our Lady of the Rosary Council 9039 will serve a traditional Oktoberfest dinner beginning at 6 p.m. Oct. 13 at Saint Brendan the Navigator Roman Catholic Church, 5101 Ocean Highway West in Shallotte.
In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, all proceeds from this dinner will help to fight breast cancer. Cost is $15/person. Dine in or take-out is available.
Menu will include sauerbraten, home-baked rye bread, mashed potatoes, Bavarian-style sauerkraut, Black Forest cake, a green salad and iced tea, hot tea or coffee. The dinner will also feature Front Street Brewery Oktoberfest Lager on tap.
For more information or tickets, call Paul Murnane at 575-6059.

Greenes to sing Sept. 21
The Greenes will minister in song at Ocean View Baptist Church, 7025 Beach Drive SW in Ocean Isle Beach, beginning at 7 p.m. Sept. 21. All are welcome. Visit the Greenes’ website at www.thegreenesmusic.com. For more information, call the church at 579-6833.

Program focuses on human trafficking
Although abolished many years ago, slavery still flourishes today, but now it is called human trafficking.
In April, the U.N. crime-fighting office announced that 2.4 million people across the globe are victims of human trafficking at any one time, and 80 percent of them are being exploited as sexual slaves. (Approximately 16,000 of that number find themselves in the United States.)
Trafficking in people is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of people, by means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or a position of vulnerability or by the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation.
Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of, or the prostitution or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs. Trafficking can place with or without the involvement of organized crime groups.
While anyone can become a victim of trafficking, certain populations are especially vulnerable. These may include: undocumented immigrants; runaway and homeless youth; victims of trauma and abuse; refugees and individuals fleeing conflict; and oppressed, marginalized, and/or impoverished groups and individuals.
Human trafficking victims have been identified in cities, suburbs and rural areas in all 50 states and in Washington, D.C. They are forced to work or provide commercial sex against their will in legal and legitimate business settings as well as underground markets.
Some victims are hidden behind locked doors in brothels and factories. In other cases, victims are in plain view and may interact with community members, but the widespread lack of awareness and understanding of what trafficking is leads to low levels of victim identification by the people who most often encounter them.
For example, women and girls in sex trafficking situations, especially U.S. citizens, are often misidentified as “willing” participants in the sex trade who make a free choice each day to be there.
North Carolina has been considered a “destination” state for human trafficking based on the amenities that we have to offer traffickers, such as the influx of the immigrant population, several major thoroughfares, high tourism areas, etc.
Human trafficking is one of the fastest growing crimes in our nation and it is happening right under our noses, but if we don’t know what to look for, we will never see it. Law enforcement officers are the eyes and ears for detecting potential victims of human trafficking throughout their daily encounters, but it is our responsibility to speak for these victims that cannot speak for themselves.
As a prelude to the Salvation Army’s weekend of Prayer and Fasting for Human Trafficking, Sept. 28-30, Jennifer Fisher, who lived in the Holden Beach area for many years, will speak at Saint Brendan Catholic Church at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 27.
Fisher is employed with the North Carolina Department of Justice as the basic law enforcement training curriculum coordinator for the State of North Carolina. Additionally, she is an auxiliary detective with the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office and has authored several articles and a book titled, “Human Trafficking–Law Enforcement Reference Guide.” She has written and instructed several law enforcement in-service courses relevant to domestic violence, juvenile minority sensitivity training, sexual assault, and human trafficking.
In September 2009, she collaborated with the U. S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District by assisting them in conducting a Human Trafficking Needs Assessment that took place in Pristina, Kosovo.
All are welcome to attend this free informational program. Bring a friend. Refreshments will be served. For further information, call 754-8548.

Christmas sale is Sept. 21-22
The Shallotte Presbyterian Women’s Organization will deck its fellowship hall with a Christmas sale on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 21-22, at Shallotte Presbyterian Church, 5070 M.H. Rourk Drive (behind the library) in Shallotte.
Friday hours are from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday hours will be from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Choose from delicately used Christmas decor at bargain prices, as well as a large amount of new items donated by a local merchant.
This is an opportunity for all ages to shop. Children can enjoy buying gifts for teachers, parents or grandparents in a price range suitable for their budgets, while others may see items that will fit right in with their Christmas decor.
Avoid the Christmas rush and high retail prices. Spread the word to neighbors and friends. Proceeds will benefit The Helping Hands project.

Benefit dinner set to aid Randy Rhodes
Randy Rhodes, son of Candy Rhodes of Shallotte, is a 16-year-old student at West Brunswick High School who was diagnosed with brain cancer on
July 17.
In efforts to help him and his family with associated costs, a benefit is planned from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at Victory Independent Baptist Church, 516 Varnamtown Road in Supply.
There will be chicken plates for $6 each and desserts will be $1.
For tickets, call Tonya at 515-5049 or Tina at 471-6935.
All donations will be greatly appreciated.