St. Paul AME Church, whose annual Christmas Concert is one of the most popular musical events of the season, have invited one of America's leading singers as their principal guest artist for this year's event, which takes place on Sunday, December 18.

American baritone T. Ray Lawrence is equally at home on the concert stage or the opera house -- and these include such legendary platforms as Carnegie Hall (where he recently appeared with Jessye Norman and Kathleen Battle in "An Afternoon of Spirituals''), the Alice Tully Hall at New York's Lincoln Centre, the Ford Auditorium in Detroit and at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Also greatly in demand on the `oratorio' circuit, he has performed solo roles in Handel's "Messiah,'' Mendelssohn's "Elijah'' and "The Creation'' by Haydn. With the Festival Ensemble Orchestra he has sung Elgar's "The Dream of Gerontius,'' Walton's "Balshazzar's Feast,'' as well as the "Requiems'' of Mozart, Brahms, Verdi and Faure.

He has appeared regularly with the Metropolitan Opera, where he made his debut in 1988, singing major roles in such works as Mozart's "Cosi Fan Tutte'' and "The Magic Flute,'' Verdi's "Rigoletto,'' Boris Goudonov by Mussorgsky, Wagner's "Gotterdammerung,'' "Parsifal'' and "The Flying Dutchman,'' as well as Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess.'' Besides touring North America, he has also been acclaimed in concert tours of Europe, North Africa and the West Indies.

Mr. Lawrence is no stranger to Broadway, having appeared in "Showboat,'' "The Believers,'' and "Lost in the Stars.'' And he was personally selected by the great dancer, Katherine Dunham, as vocalist for "The Magic of Katherine Dunham,'' which she choreographed for the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre.

He appears regularly as soloist for the Dance Theatre of Harlem and has recently released recordings of "There's a Meeting Here Tonight'' (with Martina Arroyo), "How Great Thou Art'' and "T. Ray Sings Favourites,'' which is a cassette of sacred songs, spirituals and Christmas carols. He is also heard on the soundtrack of the movie "The Cotton Club.'' TV performances include "The Today Show'' for NBC, "Someone New'' (CBS) and "The Life Story of Mary McLeod Bethune'' for PBS.

Mr. Lawrence, who comes from Mississippi, studied with the internationally acclaimed basso, Alexander Kipnis and also with Dorothy Maynor, founder and former director of the Harlem School of the Arts.

His solos in the concert will include Hall Johnson's "Ride On! King Jesus'' and his own arrangement of "Go Tell It On the Mountain.'' Solo violinist Jay Butler is the son of Dr. June Hill and Dellwood principal Mr. Dale Butler. He will be playing "Praluduim'' by Shostakovich and the first movement of Vivaldi's Concerto in A minor. Jay, who is 11 years old, also studies the piano and recorder has been playing the violin since he was four. He is currently a pupil of Joan Stewart at the Suzuki School of Music.

The finale of the concert is devoted to excerpts from Handel's "Messiah,'' with T. Ray Lawrence singing "Thus Saith the Lord'' and "But Who May Abide the Day of His Coming,'' and the choir performing the popular choruses "And the Glory of the Lord'' and the "Hallelujah.'' The Senior Choir of St. Paul have been rehearsing under the direction of Mr.

Cecil Smith for this major event in the church's calendar since September.

Additional solo vocalists include Grace Richardson (alto), Barbara Wade (soprano) and Sherwin Jones (baritone). Also making guest appearances will be Lloyd Matthew on the organ and Greta Jones at the piano. The Christmas Concert takes place on Sunday, December 18 at 6 p.m., and admission is $15.

GUEST PERFORMER -- Mr. T. Ray Lawrence