If people living between Mount Airy and Westfield thought they felt the ground vibrating Sunday afternoon, an earthquake wasn’t the reason but more likely a spirited celebration at Chestnut Ridge Primitive Progressive Baptist Church.

The building on Westfield Road was packed as members of a number of area churches held a “100 Men in Black” service that sought to unite men of all colors, with those attending encouraged to wear black clothing.

“We’re close — but I don’t believe we quite have a hundred,” Dennis France, a church deacon and master of ceremonies for the event, said while doing a quick count of pews on one side of the room filled exclusively with men.

“Nevertheless, men and women, you are all welcome,” France added during the service that concluded the annual celebration of “Black History Month” in this area.

For the record, the women present Sunday outnumbered the men, but that didn’t seem to be a problem, as the church rocked for more than two hours in a spirited service of song, dance and word.

Also not a problem was the weather — while conditions in Surry County were a little chilly, a snowstorm in West Virginia prevented special guests from that state from attending the local service.

That included scheduled guest speaker Martin F. Staunton, an anchorman and reporter for WVNS-TV, a CBS affiliate covering southern West Virginia, and The Martin Luther King Jr. All-Male Chorus.

“We got word from West Virginia this morning,” France told the crowd. “They had 20 inches of snow — and it’s still snowing.”

“Needless to say,” France added of the special visitors, they “could not make it out of West Virginia.”

But those who organized the service of unity didn’t miss a beat, with the Chestnut Ridge youth choir and step team taking up the slack along with a trio of electric guitarists — Leon and Gerald Shelton and Eddie Bryant. The latter performed a selection of gospel music.

And, no out-of-town speaker? No problem. Elder Jeffrey Gravely, associate minister of Chestnut Ridge Primitive Progressive Baptist Church, who works as a nurse, delivered an energetic message that encouraged men and other listeners to maintain strength through these tough times.

Gravely told the gathering that mankind also was struggling some 2,000 years ago, and God responded by giving Christ to the world.

People must keep the faith today, knowing that a brighter time is ahead, he added, and in the meantime not let what’s happening with job losses and other setbacks keep them down.

“Don’t give up — don’t give in,” Gravely told the crowd as he frequently left the pulpit to look audience members right in the eye. “God has called us to be soldiers. God will make everything right.”

“Help is on the way,” the heavily perspiring associate minister said before collapsing into a chair behind the pulpit.

“How many of us need to hear that help is on the way?” France responded immediately afterward, his remarks generating a loud response from the audience.

Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, which was among the congregations represented at the “100 Men in Black” service, received a special award of gratitude for having the most men in attendance Sunday. But that came only after a tie-breaker decided by the number of women from Shiloh who were there.

However, unity was the overall message of the day as people danced, shouted, sang and prayed in an uplifting service of celebration. “This is so much fun,” Bobby Jessup of Mount Airy said from his seat on the second row.

France urged all men in attendance to return to church next Sunday, and not to worry about their wardrobes.

“It don’t have to be black, as long as there’s men in church,” the deacon and master of ceremonies said.

“So if you don’t have a black suit next week — wear gray.”

Contact Tom Joyce at tjoyce@mtairynews.com or at 719-1924.