Calvary Episcopal Church will kick off its 78th annual Noonday Lenten Preaching Series on Wednesday, Feb Lenten series begins Wednesday By JENNIFER MURLEY The Daily News Calvary Episcopal Church will kick off its 78th annual Noonday Lenten Preaching Series Wednesday with a sermon led by the Rev. Ward B. Ewing, dean and president of the General Theological Seminary in New York City. The series of services, which are open to the public, will feature theologians from throughout North America. Services are in the sanctuary from 12:05 p.m. to 12:35 p.m., through April 6. Calvary is at the corner of Second Street and Adams Avenue. Ewing, who will also speak at noon services March 1 and 2, began his theological career at Calvary in 1967 amid the social unrest of the sanitation workers strike and death of Martin Luther King Jr. Known for his work in congregational development, Ewing is the author of "Power of the Lamb." The following week Calvary will host Rabbi Micah D. Greenstein, the first rabbi to speak at the Lenten series, March 5 and 6. Greenstein is the senior rabbi of Memphis Temple Israel. Dr. Stephen R. Montgomery, senior pastor of Idlewild Presbyterian Church, will speak March 7. Dr. William A. Lawson, founding pastor of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston, will speak March 8 and 9. Calvary then welcomes three returning speakers the next two weeks. The Rev. Barbara K. Lundblad, associate professor of preaching at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, will lead services March 12 through 14. Dr. Marcus J. Borg, Hundere distinguished professor of religion and culture at Oregon State University will speak March 15 and 16. Dr. Herbert ODriscoll, international Anglican missioner and teacher from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada will speak March 19 through 21. The Rev. Gina M. Stewart, pastor of Christ Missionary Baptist Church and the first African-American woman pastor in Memphis, will preach March 22 and 23. Speakers for the following week will include Dr. Frank A. Thomas, senior pastor of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, March 26 and 27; and Dr. Dan Matthews, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, in New York City, March 28 and 30. The series will wrap up the following week with Dr. Bill J. Leonard, dean and professor of church history at Wake Forest University Divinity School, Winston-Salem, N.C. speaking April 2 and 3; and Dr. Johnny Ray Youngblood, senior pastor at St. Paul Community Baptist Church in Brooklyn, N.Y. leading the final sermons scheduled April 4 and 6. Each Monday during the luncheon series, Calvary will salute area businesses and organizations. Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association will be honored March 5. Other groups being honored this year include the Memphis Fire Department, March 12; Christian Youth Ministers, March 19; Lemoyne-Owen College, March 26; and the Memphis Arts Council, April 2. Also, in honor the joint efforts of the Memphis religious community required to organize the Lenten series, Calvary will salute a different Memphis congregation each week. Churches honored will include: First Baptist Church, March 8; St. Marys Episcopal Cathedral, March 15; Idlewild Presbyterian Church, March 22; Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, March 27; and both Monumental Baptist Church and New Salem Baptist Church on April 5 Beginning March 1, Calvarys Waffle Shop will open to provide weekday lunches from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Those attending services may choose to eat before services begin or reserve seating for afterward. For more information, call 525-6602.