He has never preached at the chapel's 11 a.m. worship service, he said this week. "I preached at the chapel on All Hallow's Eve several years ago to about 60 people gathered in the choir area. I'm sure this will be a very different experience."

Owens came to Durham from Indiana in 1998 to get his Master's of Divinity at Duke Divinity. He graduated in 2001, but stayed to do a Ph.D in theological ethics. Finishing that in 2006, he did a post-doctoral fellowship in evangelism from 2006 through 2007.

He and his wife, the Rev. Ginger Thomas, co-pastors at Duke Memorial, moved to Durham last year after having served for three years as co-pastors at Trinity United Methodist, located just outside Louisburg, a small rural congregation of mostly retired farmers.

"So I am starting my fifth year of ministry," he said. "We love being back in Durham. It's a great place to be a pastor. We have lots of engaged, intelligent, committed people."

Congregations for Sunday worship at Duke Chapel average 1,100 worshippers.

"You prepare a sermon differently for a crowd of tourists and university people who you don't know differently than for your own congregation," Owens said. "But at the heart it is just another opportunity to be faithful to what God has called me to do, help people figure out how God has something to say to them, something good through this really old book [the Bible], and then how that 'something good' changes the way we think about and live our lives.

"That's a privilege to be able to do whether in a rural church, or at Duke Memorial, or at the Duke Chapel."

Owens has two books coming out this fall: "The Shape of Participation: A Theology of Church Practices" and "Wendell Berry and Religion: Heaven's Earthly Life," a collection of essays edited with Joel J. Shuman.

Duke Memorial is a tall-steeple downtown church on West Chapel Hill Street. One Sunday since Owens and Thomas came to the church, Owens was out on the street in front of the church before the 11 a.m. service inviting anyone who passed to stop in for worship.

Church launches theater ministry with 'Godspell'

The United Methodist Church in Oxford is launching a theater ministry with a presentation of "Godspell," the first pop-rock-gospel musical that sprang from the youth culture of the '60s.

Director Joanne Fruth and musical assistant Chris Bagley have assembled a cast of local actors who will open the show on Thursday, Aug. 13, with nightly performances at 7:30 p.m. through Sunday, Aug. 16, in the open amphitheater at Granville Athletic Park.

Jesus will be played by Kyle Perren, who played opposite Evan Rachel Wood in "Romeo and Juliet" for Theater in the Park. Perren has been active in the Raleigh theater scene for several years. Shawn Rhodes will play Judas. Rhodes recently played Benedick in Granville Little Theatre's production of "Much Ado about Nothing."

The show is free but donations will be accepted to support the local mission of the church. The audience is welcome to bring lawn chairs and blankets. Rain date is Aug. 18. The Granville Athletic Park is located on Belltown Road near I-85 exit 202.

Durham women's group hosts kid's book author

The Durham Christian Women's Connection will hold its August luncheon meeting on Saturday, Aug. 15, at 9:45 a.m. at Croasdaile Village Commons Dining Room, 2600 Croasdaile Farm Pkwy. The cost is $10.

Tim Bothe, Red Cross Disaster Preparedness director, will give essential information needed in case of a disaster.

Special speaker will be Betty Sue McNeill, an author of children's books who has a degree in counseling from UNC.

Reservations are necessary by calling 489-6924 or e-mailing dwconnection@ymail.com by Wednesday, Aug. 12. A buffet lunch will follow the program.

Rescue Mission opens Bargain Center

The Durham Rescue Mission's new Bargain Center at 10701 Glenwood Ave. in Raleigh will hold its grand opening and ribbon cutting today from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This new thrift store will offer Triangle residents a place to shop for used items at bargain prices. It will also give friends of the mission a place to drop off donations of used clothing, furniture, household items, small appliances and other items. Also, residents of the mission will have a training site that provides jobs for them.

The center, located near Brier Creek, next door to Frankie's Fun Park, has 18,000 square feet of shopping space for bargain hunters. The climate-controlled building has plenty of parking. Landscaping for the store has been donated and is maintained by Greenscape, Inc., an award-winning design, build and management company based in the Triangle. Daniel Currin, vice president of Greenscape, has reached out to the Durham Rescue Mission in an effort to build a partnership of helping the needy.

The grand opening is sponsored by Durham Coco-Cola and Sam's Club.

Other special activities include school safety tips presented by a team from Duke Trauma, free hot dogs, chips and Coke, face painting, balloons, bounce house and a concert by the Durham Rescue Mission Victory Choir. There will be drawings for $25 gift certificates to the Bargain Center and a grand prize of four tickets to a Durham Bulls home game. Special guests will include representatives from the Raleigh Police K-9 division, State Highway Patrol and the Wake County EMS.

Store hours are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday. Donations may be dropped off during store hours.

All proceeds from the store will be used to help provide services of the mission that feeds hungry, homeless and hurting men, women and children.

Emmanuel AME choir celebrates 10th birthday

New Vision United Choir of Emmanuel AME Church will celebrate 10 years of ministry through song on Saturday, Aug. 15, at 4 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

The church is located at 2018 Riddle Road.

New way to take Christ to the community

Duke Chapel is offering an opportunity to join a new endeavor of shared residential life at 2003 Chapel Hill Road.

By residing together in one of Durham's poorer neighborhoods, residents will experience the opportunity to live in relationship as Christian companions to one another and with neighbors in Durham's greater West End.

Those interested in exploring living in Christian community should contact the Rev. Abby Kocher at abby.kocker@duke.edu. She is the chapel's community minister.

Durham Congregations in Action to meet

Durham Congregations in Action will meet on Tuesday, Aug. 18, at 11:45 a.m. at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 1200 Cornwallis Road.

The topic will be youth at risk with Susan Blackmon and Jim Barbee as presenters.

Lunch is available for a nominal fee and the meetings are held to about one hour. DCIA is an interdenominational and interracial organization of 58 congregations in the area.