The following churches are offering special services for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day:

Cool Springs

Cool Springs United Methodist Church will hold a New Year's Eve service Thursday, Dec. 31, from 10:30 p.m. to midnight, followed by breakfast and a time of fellowship.

God's Vision of Praise

A watch night service will be held Thursday, Dec. 31, at 10 p.m. at God's Vision of Praise.

The church is located beside House of Carpets in Vass.

Lighthouse Assembly

Lighthouse Assembly of God will hold a watch night service Thursday, Dec. 31, beginning at 9 p.m.

There will be praise and worship along with special speakers. The Rev. Dorothy Yordy, the worship leader at First Assembly of God West in Fort Myers, Fla., will be featured.

The church is located at 8361 N.C. 24-27, one mile west of the Moore County Courthouse, Carthage.

Beaver Creek

Beaver Creek Baptist Church will hold a New Year's Eve service at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 31.

Its widows/widowers and singles ministry will dine out (Dutch) and have fellowship at Sanford Pizza Inn Friday, Jan. 1, at 5:30pm.

The church is located at 2280 Nicholson Road, Cameron.

For more information, call (919) 499-9632 or (800) 681-8602.

New Year's Breakfast

As an outreach ministry, the First Baptist Church of Carthage will host a free breakfast for the community to ring in the New Year, from 9 to 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 1, in the church fellowship hall.

The event includes prayer, food, fellowship and music.

The church is located at 108 McNeill St., Carthage.

For further information, call the church at (910) 947-2456.

Additional Service

New Covenant Fellowship announces that it has added a second worship service at 8:30 a.m. beginning Sunday, Jan. 3.

This is in addition to the regular 10:30 a.m. service time.

New Covenant Fellowship is located between New Century Middle School and Union Pines High School.

Contact the church at (910) 947-1412 for more details.

Seminar

The Community Presbyterian Church of Pinehurst will present a seminar for busy people who want more balance in their lives from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 29, and 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 30.

A balanced love life will help deepen your relationship with God, enrich your marriage, be a better parent, find time for friends, avoid burnout, breakdown and breakaway caused by too much stress and experience more joy and pleasure in your daily life.

The Rev. Keith Brown, retired pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Bethlehem, Pa., will conduct the seminar

Brown will be preaching at the 9 and 11 a.m. worship services  Sunday, Jan. 31.

For more information, call the church office at (910) 295-6848.

DivorceCare Program

Anyone who has been through a divorce or the separation that precedes it knows the pain and loneliness that go along with it.

And the holidays, usually a time of family time, old friends and traditions, can be especially stressful and painful.

Bethesda Presbyterian Church on U.S. 1 in Aberdeen will be hosting a DivorceCare program on Thursday nights from 6:30 to 8 a.m. beginning Jan. 7. The meeting will be in the fellowship hall.

The pain of separation and divorce is one of the most intense feelings a human being can face. The emotional damage cuts to the soul and is not just "gotten over."

DivorceCare is a 12-week divorce recovery program that combines a teaching video and small group discussion to help heal from the intense pain of divorce, to give hope for the future, and to help deal with issues such as anger, depression, forgiveness, kids, financial survival and, eventually, moving on.

"When I went through my separation and ultimately, divorce, I really didn't even know what was happening. I just knew that my life had fallen apart, my dreams shattered. DivorceCare helped me to understand what was happening to me as well as to my children. And that's the first step to healing," says Paula McKenzie, DivorceCare facilitator at Bethesda Presbyterian Church in Aberdeen.

DivorceCare begins with a video seminar dealing with issues important to people going through a divorce.

This format presents leading experts in divorce and recovery topics in a consistent and interesting manner.

After viewing the video seminar, participants join a "recovery" small group where they are free to discuss topics presented on the video or address issues about what is happening in their lives. A workbook for personal study and reflection is provided for use between seminar sessions.

DivorceCare was designed and developed by Steve and Cheryl Grissom. It is a nondenominational program featuring teaching and counsel by 31 leading Christian experts on divorce and recovery topics.

"Healing can occur whether your divorce is new or not so new. We welcome all divorced or separated individuals to our program," says Kathleen White, DivorceCare director.

Child care is provided during the program. There is a $25 registration fee with scholarships available.

Call Bethesda Church at (910) 944-1319 or Kathleen White at (910) 315-8355 for more information or to register.

Bluegrass Gospel

Harmony Baptist Church will hold a bluegrass gospel singing featuring Fine Blue Line at 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 3.

The church is located at 3624 N.C. 73 East, West End.  For further information, call (910) 944-0544.

Auction

A World Missions auction will be held at Crossroads Community Church fellowship hall Saturday, Jan. 16, at 10 a.m.

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

"Everyone is welcome, and admission is free," says a spokesman.

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

New Covenant

New Covenant Fellowship, 1305 Hulsey Road, Carthage, hosts an afterschool program for sixth-through-eighth graders.

"We pick up your child from New Century Middle School," says Pastor Adam Love. "Our program offers tutoring, devotions and structured activities in a safe, friendly environment."

The cost is $30 per week, or pay daily for drop-ins.

For more details, call Love at (910) 947-1412.

Mission Agape

Mission Agape is in need of donations and financial assistance, says a spokesman.

"We are the only mission in this area that helps Hispanics," says the spokesman. "We need someone to help us apply for a grant."

Mission Agape is located at 2256 N.C. 211, Eagle Springs. Donations may be mailed to P.O. Box 316, Eagle Springs, NC 27242.

For information, call Marian at (910) 673-3333.

For Young Mothers

Christ Way Church is sponsoring a weekly opportunity for all young mothers up to the age of 20 to gather and discuss issues concerning parenting.

"They can be single parents or married," says a spokesman. "We want to offer them a chance to discuss problems specific to them and receive information about caring for their children."

Advice will be forthcoming from experienced mothers and grandmothers. Refreshments will be served at the weekly meeting.

"You are welcome to bring your children," says the spokesman.

The church is located at 7681 U.S. 15-501, Pinehurst.

For information, call Elder Nathaniel Jackson at (910) 235-3715.

Dance Classes

Creative Learning Center of the Sandhills presents beginning dance classes at First Missionary Baptist Church.

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

For information, call Judy at (910) 692-2022.

Reading Room

First Church of Christ Scientist, Southern Pines -- a Bible-based religion that follows the teachings of Christ Jesus -- provides a Reading Room for community use.

There are ample resources to choose from at a Reading Room: Bibles and multiple commentaries, all the published materials about Christian Science including the core teachings of Mary Baker Eddy.

Here too, technology offers opportunities to study and research online and the possibility of listening to lectures or topical articles at www.spirituality.com

The Reading Room is located at 173A NE Broad St., Southern Pines, and is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays.

Healing Service

A healing service will be held at 5 p.m. the second Wednesday of each month at The Village Chapel, Pinehurst.

The service includes the reading of God's Word, confession, prayer, the Sacrament of Holy Communion and the anointment with oil.

Health Ministry

Sandhills Health Ministry meetings are held at 9 a.m. on the third Monday of the month, at the Pinehurst United Methodist Church, Airport Road, Pinehurst.

All Sandhills churches are invited to send representatives.

Inquiries for wellness information and programs from area congregations may be directed to (910) 295-1577.

Unitarian Gathering

The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Sandhills will meet on the second and fourth Sundays of the month, at 10 a.m., at the Pinehurst Executive Center, N.C. 5, Suite 7, Pinehurst. Refreshments will follow.

For more information, e-mail uucsandhills@gmail. com or go to www.uua.org.

Sandy Grove

Sandy Grove Bible Church of God will have a "Scripture Cake" program at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 3. Margie Taylor is the speaker. The church is located in Vass.