This remarkable Natchez Tricentennial year closes officially with a community-wide, nondenominational service at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Natchez City Auditorium, 207 Jefferson St.

Unity, Praise and Peace provides the opportunity to join our hearts, souls and voices to thank God for the many blessings bestowed on Natchez, and to invoke God’s blessings for the future. This service is the result of numerous requests to repeat the opening tricentennial Unity, Prayer, Praise Service. Those who attended the Jan. 2 event remarked how beautiful and spirit-filled it was.

This closing event, also planned and produced by the dedicated volunteers on the Tricentennial Faith and Religion Committee, again gives residents and visitors alike the opportunity to come together as a community in reverence and thanksgiving. Psalm readings, prayers for Natchez and worshipful songs will fill the auditorium.

Current members of the Tricentennial Faith and Religion Committee: Carolyn Ridley, Hedy Boelte, Vincent Green, Renae Loy, Jim Blough and Judy Heard, joined forces to create what will be a soul-stirring event. Also providing valuable assistance for music is Alvin Shelby, who will lead participants in song and conduct a special children’s choir that includes members of the Braxton Music Academy.  Kelin Hendricks has served as the liaison to the Tricentennial Executive Committee and Jennifer Combs and Stratton Bull have provided valuable insight. We spent many months discussing and planning what would be the appropriate Natchez Tricentennial conclusion for this community of diverse races, religions and cultural backgrounds. We decided to keep the format of the original event and again offer a concert of religious songs, along with readings from appropriate scriptures. This concluding emphasis is on unity and peace, so appropriate for a nation and world that is in need both.

Adams County Supervisor David Carter will serve as the event facilitator. Participants include Mayor Daryl Grennell, Executive Director of the Natchez Tricentennial Commission Jennifer Ogden Combs, David Goldblatt, who will sing “Light One Candle,” and Acquanetta Miller who will sing “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace.”

Other contributors include John Ashton Hicks and Terrence Robinson, Brian and Angela Monehan, Shelley Rogers and Brandon Mitchell and S.W.A.P. Singers.

Doors open at 5 p.m. with a musical prelude by Merisha Gore, Robin Rutherford and Dave Troutman Ensemble.  Whatever your religious affiliation — or if you don’t belong to a specific faith — please join us on Saturday.

Additionally, we ask that places of worship continue this theme and offer prayers for Natchez during their regularly scheduled services as we begin a new year.
Karen Dardick is chair of the Tricentennial Faith and Religion Committee.