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Henry Panion III, known for his work as conductor and arranger for superstar Stevie Wonder, will lead this year’s 2010 Community Gospel Concert at 8 p.m. Friday at Westover Church, 505 Muirs Chapel Road.

The Grammy Award-winning Panion, a producer, composer, arranger and orchestrator, has also worked with The Winans, Chet Atkins, Aretha Franklin, the Blind Boys of Alabama and American Idol winners Carrie Underwood and Ruben Studdard.

In Greensboro he is backed by the voices of 200 people representing area churches, the Choral Society of Greensboro and Dudley High School, among others. The concert is a celebratory event for activities surrounding the opening of the International Civil Rights Center & Museum.

Panion holds degrees in music education and music theory from Alabama A&M University and Ohio State University. From 1994 to 2000, he served as chairman of the music department at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. Panion received the Civic and Cultural Advancement Award from the Congressional Black Caucus in September 2009.

For tickets: call 335-5456, Ext. 224; visit the Greensboro Coliseum box office, 1921 W. Lee St., or Lowes Foods stores; visit www.ticketmaster.com or www.greensborosymphony.org. Adult tickets prices start at $10, with children and student tickets (with ID), $5. Discounts for members of participating churches and employees of Guilford County Schools.
 

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The recent images of Haiti are drawing people’s attention to what many consider the poorest country in the world. First Presbyterian Church is sponsoring “Getting to Know Haiti,” a class on the history, culture, religion, economics and politics of the nation.

The church is a major sponsor of the Espwa children’s home in southern Haiti, and the Rev. Neil Dunnavant, associate pastor for outreach, who will teach the class, is a past member of the home’s board.

The home itself survived the earthquake and is taking in refugees from the hardest-hit area and is struggling to get enough food, medicine and fuel to take care of the children and the refugees.

The class will be offered three times: 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Smith Building 201; 9:30 a.m. Jan. 31, Smith Building 106; 9:30 a.m. Feb. 7, Memorial Building 201.

Anyone wanting to support this effort can give to the Espwa home via the church’s web site, www.fpcgreensboro.org. The church is at 617 N. Elm St. Information: 373-0445.
 

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Beth David Synagogue’s annual used-book sale runs Jan. 30-Feb. 1. “It takes dozens of volunteers, men, women and children, our religious school gets in the act, and it takes over our big social hall for the entire week,” said Rabbi Eli Havivi. “People from the congregation donate their books over the course of the year, and for three days, we offer them for sale to the general community, and to booksellers, who lie in wait awaiting our doors to open.”

Each year that includes a large collection of Judaic and comparative religion books and others those in the congregation have accumulated and no longer have room for.

“Every year we hear stories of buyers who find treasures — out-of-print books, first editions, others,” Havivi said. “You never know what you will find.”

The book sale won’t open until the shabbat is over — Saturday night at dark, because commerce is avoided on the Sabbath. But early birds line up for hours outside the building. The synagogue is at 804 Winview Drive. Questions? Call 294-0007.

Contact Nancy McLaughlin at 373-7049 or nancy.mclaughlin@news-record.com