As a music lover, when I think of the word “faith,” the first thing that comes to mind is George Michael’s iconic ‘80s song “Faith.” Hear me out on this.
As he repeats the words, “I gotta have faith,” he’s talking about something we all do every day. He’s holding onto hope — he’s trusting — that good things are still to come. As members of the Fayetteville community, many of us put our trust in all sorts of beautiful places: a beloved friend, a neighbor, a belief system, an organization, ourselves.
In this “Faith Issue,” we explore faith through its different definitions, focusing on religious faith for our first two features.
The first highlights First Presbyterian Church of Fayetteville’s 225th anniversary, which they are formally recognizing in September, but are celebrating throughout the year. Their kick-off celebration was their meal-packing event in February, where they reached one million packed meals over the course of 15 years.
The second spotlights one of the ways the congregation of the Korean Presbyterian Church practices their faith through food. Each year their Spring Roll Bazaar brings together churchgoers and community members alike for that crunchy goodness.
A new Cape Fear Valley Health initiative, the No One Dies Alone program, provides compassion and comfort through volunteers to those dying who don’t have loved ones near them as they pass. The sponsored feature explains how volunteers provide dignity in dying not just through companionship but also prayer or secular meditations.
At the beginning of March, the Marquis de Lafayette came back to Fayetteville — well, his reenactor did — in celebration of the Bicentennial of Lafayette’s Farewell Tour! From March 4-5, Fayetteville received over 350 people at the two-day celebration’s events, said Hank Parfitt, the president of the Lafayette Society. Read a recap of the event here.
Want to learn more about the new Civil War museum opening in Fayetteville? Thanks to our publishing partnership with The Assembly, a statewide in-depth news outlet, you can read more about the building that has been two years in the making.
Our columnists this month have different interpretations of faith: one focuses on her relationship with spring cleaning, the second describes her first “God wink” and the third emphasizes the need to have faith when times get tough.
Instead of a list of book recommendations, our reading enthusiast suggests just one — it was that impactful for her.
And this April magazine has a special column with exclusive news from the nonprofit that supports CityView.
The long-awaited CityView Media 5th Annual Ladies’ Night Out, presented by Cape Fear Valley Health, is just around the corner! Secure your tickets for the April 10 event at The Carolina Barn at McCormick Farms in Spring Lake. Don’t wait until the last minute or they’ll sell out!
For more fun events to fill your calendar with, check out our April To-Do List.
Did you attend Vicious Pig BBQ’s first annual BBQ Competition at Haymount Truck Stop on March 22? Check to see if you were Seen @ the Scene.
Whether you relate to a more secular definition of faith or its religious one, we hope this “Faith Issue” reinforces our faithful community’s dedication to supporting one another.
Thank you for reading the April magazine!
Read CityView Magazine’s “The Faith Issue” April 2025 e-edition here.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of the “Changing lives braid by braid” feature in the March 2025 “The Women’s Issue” magazine did not provide full context around how FTCC and the North Carolina Community College System adopted its natural hair care curriculum. This process also involved FTCC’s Amy Slate McLamb, dean of career and community enrichment, and Juanita Williams, cosmetology department chair, as well as the Corporate & Continuing Education department. The article has been updated with the complete information. CityView apologizes for this error.
