Churches gear up for Magic City Classic | Arts & Culture

Area churches are gearing up for Saturday’s football game between Alabama State and Alabama A&M, also known as the Magic City Classic, with a gospel concert and a blood drive this week.

Four blocks from Legion Field where the game will be played, Sardis Missionary Baptist Church will host a free concert Wednesday at 6 p.m. featuring the gospel choirs from both schools.

While the choirs will take turns performing, the event will take on a “battle-of-the-choirs” feel that used to be popular in Birmingham.

“It used to be a long standing tradition in Birmingham, but for reasons no one really knows it kind of faded out,” Kelvin Datcher, director of public relations for Sardis said.

No winner will be declared, however Datcher says that both veteran choir directors have been in their positions for a long time and respect the rivalry between the two schools.

“This is an amazing opportunity for us to showcase the talents of young people from these two great universities,” Sardis’ pastor, the Rev. Kurt S. Clark, Sr. said. “This event is free and will bring together fans from both sides of the rivalry together to celebrate these students.”

In a separate event, Saint John AME Church, in conjunction with the American Red Cross, will host the Classic Revival Blood Drive Challenge on Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m. Fans from both schools are asked to challenge each other to see which school can produce the most donations.

All blood donors will receive a free T-shirt or a free pass to play 18 holes of golf at any Robert Trent Jones Trail course, excluding Ross Bridge and Lakewood. Donors will also be entered into an American Red Cross regional drawing for two Delta Airlines tickets.

The need for blood donations during the holiday season is higher, according to a release from Saint John’s, which is why they are asking people to donate now. The drive is especially important in the African-American community which has a higher rate of the rare O negative blood type, which can be donated to people of any blood type.

The blood drive comes on the last night of a three-day event with a nightly tailgating party starting at 5:30, and a worship service following.

Photo courtesy TheMagicCityClassic.com