LAUREL HILL — As the first large group to use the center in several years, more than 200 supporters of the Laurel Hill Community Center bestowed a benediction of sorts on the center Friday night with a gospel singing.

Friends of Laurel Hill, which organized the event, hope it is the first of many to be held at the center as a demonstration of its necessity to the community.

Earlier this year, Scotland County Parks and Recreation opened discussion of potential disposal of the building, which is in need of some $400,000 of repairs. The center, which still comprises four classrooms, a recreation room, and the only auditorium outside of a school, is part of the old Laurel Hill School.

“We’re trying to create enough use to justify the county keeping the building rather than tearing it down,” said William Trivette, Friends of Laurel Hill chair.

A singing duo informally dubbed “The Rays of Light” — Charles Ray Taylor and Billy Ray Norris — opened the singing with “You’re All Invited to My Mansion,” “I Won’t Have to Worry,” and “Where Could I Go But to the Lord.”

“It is good to see this number here tonight, praise the Lord; I mean we need to give the Lord a hand right now,” said Taylor. “Whatever advertising we got out there we need to double that up and fill the rest of these seats in for next time and keep this building standing.”

They were followed by Shirley and Kelvin Howell, whose contrasting voices complemented each other as Shirley’s soprano soared over Kelvin’s baritone in “You Keep Praying,” “Who Am I?” and “Praise God, It’s Settled, I’m Saved.”

After the Howells’ final selection, Richard Tyson and Spirit Born took the stage.

“I wish I could hold that note out like sister Shirley does — Amen,” Tyson said before launching into “Jerusalem.”

The singing continued, with the option open for groups to return to the stage for an encore performance.

“We’ll just keep doing it over and over again until we run out of music, we run out of time, or we run out of people,” Kelvin Howell said.

Connie Coleman, another driving force behind the movement to preserve the center, said that Friends of Laurel Hill hopes to bring country and bluegrass music as well as church revivals.

“We’re just a group of local citizens that care,” she said. “This is a historical building … I can’t tell you exactly how old it is, but it was here when we went to school here, and we went to school here years ago.”

Mary Katherine Murphy can be reached at 910-506-3169.

Charlotte Johns, left, and Bonnie Callahan handed out hot dogs on Friday at the Friends of Laurel Hill Gospel Singing at the Laurel Hill Community Center.
https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_IMG_4197.jpgCharlotte Johns, left, and Bonnie Callahan handed out hot dogs on Friday at the Friends of Laurel Hill Gospel Singing at the Laurel Hill Community Center. Mary Katherine Murphy | The Laurinburg Exchange

Charles Ray Taylor, left, and Billy Ray Norris were the first to take the stage with a selection of three gospel songs on Friday at the Friends of Laurel Hill Gospel Singing at the Laurel Hill Community Center.
https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_IMG_4222.jpgCharles Ray Taylor, left, and Billy Ray Norris were the first to take the stage with a selection of three gospel songs on Friday at the Friends of Laurel Hill Gospel Singing at the Laurel Hill Community Center. Mary Katherine Murphy | The Laurinburg Exchange

Kelvin and Shirley Howell’s paired their voices for a rendition of several gospel songs on Friday at the Friends of Laurel Hill Gospel Singing at the Laurel Hill Community Center.
https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_IMG_4266.jpgKelvin and Shirley Howell’s paired their voices for a rendition of several gospel songs on Friday at the Friends of Laurel Hill Gospel Singing at the Laurel Hill Community Center. Mary Katherine Murphy | The Laurinburg Exchange

Richard Tyson and Spirit Born sang of a calling to visit the Holy Land on Friday at the Friends of Laurel Hill Gospel Singing at the Laurel Hill Community Center.
https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_IMG_4317.jpgRichard Tyson and Spirit Born sang of a calling to visit the Holy Land on Friday at the Friends of Laurel Hill Gospel Singing at the Laurel Hill Community Center. Mary Katherine Murphy | The Laurinburg Exchange
Singers bring life to Laurel Hill center

By Mary Katherine Murphy

[email protected]