Enlarge Veteran journalist Ken Garfield will be a special correspondent during the Xchange Sermons.

Posted: January 12th, 2010 Crystal Dempsey

What would happen if the city's faith leaders exchanged places for the next six weeks?

See for yourself by attending the Xchange Sermons, a series of citywide events co-sponsored by Mecklenburg Ministries and Crossroads Charlotte. Clergy from diverse religions will swap pulpits in an effort to build trust and understanding. So far, 14 exchanges are planned through Feb. 28.

The sermons kick off at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 15, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, when Johnson C. Smith University President Dr. Ron Carter speaks at Temple Beth El’s Shabbat service. Senior Minister Rev. Michael McLean and the choir of the East Stonewall AME Zion Church will also participate in the Shabbat service.

Veteran journalist Ken Garfield will join Crossroads Correspondents Rhiannon Bowman, Tonya Jameson, Ayofemi Kirby, Greg Lacour and James Willamor for special coverage of this ground-breaking series.

Garfield is director of communications at Myers Park United Methodist Church, overseeing a magazine, newsletter, web site and other ways in which the 5,000-member Charlotte congregation tells its story. For 15 years, he has been writing about faith and values in the Charlotte area, having served for 12 years as The Charlotte (N.C.) Observer’s religion editor. In that role, he edited a weekly section, wrote six columns a month, chronicled faith trends, covered such saints and sinners as Billy Graham and Jim and Tammy (Bakker), hosted a weekly radio show, was a frequent guest on radio and TV shows, and lectured in dozens of houses of worship.

Since leaving the newspaper, he has written faith-based pieces for Charlotte Magazine, The New York Times, Christian Century magazine and more. He has published three books, including a collection of columns celebrating faith in the Carolinas. He currently serves on the board of Mecklenburg Ministries and Sharon Towers.

Click here for a schedule of the exchanges and for more information on the faith leaders who are participating.

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