The youth of Sandhills Alliance Church will offer a Parents' Night Out Saturday, Dec. 2, for children aged 2 to 10 years from 6 to 10 p.m. Christmas movies and popcorn, games and crafts will be provided.

The youth are asking $5 an hour per child for this fundraiser.

Call the church office at 295-4949 with questions.

Beaver Creek Baptist

The Senior Saints group at Beaver Creek Baptist Church meets Monday, Dec. 4, at 10 a.m.

The Cancer Support Group meets on Tuesday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m. The Substance Abuse Recovery Ministry meets nightly at 7 p.m.

Call the church office at 919-499-9632 for more information on any of these groups. The church is located at 2280 Nicholson Rd., Cameron.

Installation

Coastal Carolina Presbytery will install Larry Lyon as the new pastor of West End Presbyterian Church in an installation worship service this Sunday, Dec. 3, at 4 p.m.

Lyon began work at West End last month. His first Sunday in the pulpit was Nov. 19. He succeeds Dudley Crawford, who retired in 2005 after more than 20 years as the West End pastor.

The guest preacher for the installation service will be Dr. Richard L. Sommers, who served as the pastor of the Highland Presbyterian Church in Fayetteville in the early 1980s and is a former trustee of St. Andrews Presbyterian College.

Sommers spent more than 40 years in various pastorates and retired in 1999 as pastor of the River Road Presbyterian Church in Richmond, Va.

He is a graduate of Duke University, where he played football in the 1950s, and Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Va.

Lyon previously was pastor of Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church in Blowing Rock, a church he served for eight years.

'Living Madonnas'

The Community Congrega-tional Church of Southern Pines presents "Living Madonnas." Madonna masterpieces will be recreated and brought to life in a unique and inspirational Christmas program of art and music on Sunday, Dec. 17, at 7 p.m., in the sanctuary of the church at 141 North Bennett St., Southern Pines.

Refreshments will be served following the program. Admission is free.

Dinner

Pleasant Hill Baptist Church will hold its annual Thanksgiving/Christmas covered dish dinner at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 3.

On Dec. 24, the adult choir will perform the cantata, "There's Something About That Name," at the 11 a.m. service.

On Dec. 31, a watch night service will be held from 9 p.m. to midnight.

The church is located at 2237 Camp Easter Rd. Call 692-0992 for more information.

Prayer Gathering

David Pratt, the coordinator of PrayMOORE County, will bring together pastors and ministry leaders from all denominations for one hour of prayer on Saturday Dec. 2, at 8 a.m. at Christ's Way Deliverance Church (host, Pastor Nathaniel Jackson), located at 7681 U.S. 15-501 in East Wood. Directions: from Pinehurst, on the right just before the Harley-Davidson Shop. From Carthage right after the Harley-Davidson Shop on the left.

RSVP by Nov. 30, to Pratt at 910-944-6033 or e-mail prattd77@windstream.net.

Pre-Anniversary Services

Sandy Grove Bible Church of God will host Eldress Mary Bowman of Maxton Friday, Dec. 1, at 7:30 p.m. in a pre-annivesary service. On Sunday, Dec. 3, Eldress Jackie Goldston of Moncure will speak at 4 p.m.

Presentation

The youth and adults of First Baptist Church in Aberdeen will join to present a Christmas cantata and dramatic performance, "A Wise Man's Journey," on Wednesday, Dec. 13, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 17, at 7 p.m.

The church is located at 700 Sandhills Blvd. (U.S. 1) in Aberdeen. For further information, call 944-1421.

'Free Soup Day'

First Missionary Baptist Church's Little Brothers and Little Sisters Circle will host a "Free Soup Day" Saturday, Dec. 2, from noon to 2:30 p.m. in the church fellowship hall.

The church is located at 315 S. Gaines St., Southern Pines.

"Our neighbors and the entire community are invited," says a spokesman.

Outdoor Drama

Members of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church will be presenting a live outdoor drama titled "A Christmas Story: from Birth to Rebirth," Friday, Dec. 15, and Sunday, Dec. 17, at 7 p.m. The event is open to the general public.

For more information call the church at 692-0992. The church is located at 2237 Camp Easter Rd., Carthage.

Concert

Union Presbyterian Church will host a fine arts open house and concert Friday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m.

Christmas music will be performed by five handbell choirs, piano, violin, dulcimer, guitar and harp as well as vocals. There will be 55 students performing under the direction of Beverly Dunlop.

Refreshments will be served.

"Everyone is invited to attend and enjoy a night of beautiful music," says a spokesman.

The church is located at 2000 Union Church Rd., Cameron.

Crossroads Sing

Crossroads Community Church will hold a gospel singing Sunday, Dec. 3, at 10 a.m., featuring Strait Gate, a group from Chadbourn.

The church is located at the Whispering Pines intersection of Carthage-Vass and Niagara-Carthage roads in Carthage.

For more information or directions, call 910-949-3971 or 910-949-3080.

Musical

Want to enjoy a "Broadway-style" musical this Christmas? Look no farther than the town of Aberdeen. Two performances of "One Bethlehem Night" will be presented on Friday, Dec. 8, and Saturday, Dec. 9, at 7:30 p.m. at Page Memorial United Methodist Church, located at the corner of Main and Poplar streets in Aberdeen.

The musical, directed by Paulette Kapp and Vickie Fogleman, provides a glimpse of what might have happened on the miraculous night. About 35 people make up the cast and choir, with many others working behind the scenes.

Albert Troutman has designed and built the expansive stage, creating a theater-in-the-round atmosphere. Tom Page, Kim Davenport, Howard Anderson and Gary Frick -- sound and light technicians -- are in place and prepared. Lynne Clifford and her costume team have carefully chosen appropriate apparel for each person.

Page Memorial's presentation of "One Bethlehem Night" (written by Ed Kee, John Lemonis and Jeff Atwood) features David Frump, Carol Thomas, Taylor Hambrick, Eric Fogleman, Heather Hambrick, Mamie Alley, Amy Fogleman, Zackery Stoltenberg, Molly Stoltenberg, Andrew Garrison, Luke Passmore, Matthew Scott, Raymond Sproles, Jim Sweitzer, Jomara Dunn, Mike Dunn, Albert Troutman, Mary Lou Troutman, Beverly Taylor and the Page Memorial Chancel Choir.

Christmas Concert

There will be a Candlelight Christmas Concert held at Our Lady of the Americas Roman Catholic Church, 298 Farmer's Market Road, off N.C. 211 just east of N.C. 220 near Candor, on Thursday, Dec. 7, and Friday, Dec. 8, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $12.50 each.

Performing at this concert will be Barron Maness, who has a wide baritone vocal range from a tender balladeer to the powerful sound of a theatrical vocalist. Maness' strong and genuine connection with his audiences transcends barriers and creates an enjoyable entertainment experience.

Joining him will be David Almond, keyboard; James Brown, saxophone; Clay Perry, trumpet; Bill Johnstone, drums; Kim Brown, and Pamela Maness, his sister.

"Members of the church choir will serenade us with Spanish Christmas songs," says a spokesman. "Nina Perez from our choir will also do a solo. We will have a surprise guest in the audience."

Al Mangum from Life 103.1 WLHC-FM will serve as master of ceremonies.

Call 910-673-4077 for tickets. Tickets are also available at The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines.

Christmas Program

Great songs and carols will fill the Sandhills Presbyterian Church sanctuary on Sunday, Dec. 3, at 7 p.m., as its choir performs "The Wonder of Christmas."

The church is located at 650 Pee Dee Rd., Southern Pines.

Bible Study

Community Bible Study (CBS) is a nondenominational gathering of men and women who meet weekly to pray and study the Bible. It is open to people with or without a church background.

Led by trained lay persons, participants work in small core study groups. CBS is designed for anyone who seeks a deeper knowledge of the scriptures. There are two groups in the Sandhills:

A women's class that meets at Our Saviour Lutheran Church on Tuesday morning and a coed class that meets at Bethesda Presbyterian Church on Tuesday evening in Aberdeen.

Community Bible Study is starting a new course next Tuesday, and new students are most welcome.

For more information, call Jay Pittard at 315-1589.

Children's Program

The children and preschoolers of First Baptist Church in Aberdeen will present "Sing a Song of Christmas" by Ed Kee and Rhonda Frazier, Wednesday, Dec. 6, at 6:30 p.m.

The church is located on U.S. 1. Contact Jay Pittard at 315-1589.

Musical Program

"Birthday of a King," a special musical program to celebrate the beginning of the Advent season and the anticipated birth of Jesus Christ, on Sunday, Dec. 3, at 5:30 p.m. at Bascom Chapel United Methodist Church, on Bascom Chapel Road near Robbins.

All are welcome for this free musical program.

Refreshments will be served after the program.

For information, call 336-873-7254 or 910-428-1008.

Service

Associate Minister Eric T. Thomas of New Direction Outreach Ministries of Vass and assistant manager of the gospel group Aris Smith & Made Men of Laurinburg, will be sponsoring a pre-anniversary service on Saturday, Dec. 18, at 6 p.m. at the Southern Pines Douglass Community Center on Pennsylvania Ave. Doors open at 5 p.m.

"All churches and communities are invited," says a spokesman.

'Go Ye to Bethlehem'

This year Community Presbyterian Church will be transforming into a bustling Bethlehem as the census is being taken by order of Caesar Augustus in its "Go Ye to Bethlehem."

"Come join us Sunday, Dec. 3, at 10 a.m. in our fellowship hall," says a spokesman. "The program will provide fun, memorable Bible-learning activities for children, youth and adults of all ages. We will explore traditional Bible-times family life. Children might take part in Synagogue School, make snacks, and cook bread. Apprenticeships will be offered in the carpentry shop, and you can also make clay creations in the pottery shop, plus we will have a weaving shop."

There will also be a barnyard of animals.

The church is located at the corner of Kelly and Everette Roads, Pinehurst.

For information, call 295-6848.

New Church

God's Vision of Praise Ministries will be holding church services at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Sundays.

The church is located at 5420 U.S. 1, Vass, beside the House of Carpets.